<p>With holistic admissions top schools don't want to see just top test scores and GPAs, they also want to see an extensive list of ECs such as sports, volunteering, competitions, and programs. This puts poor and rural students at a disadvantage. Poor students are unable to participate in some ECs based on cost. Rural students will not have as many opportunities that students in urban areas will have. </p>
<pre><code> When these students turn in their applications they are likely to be rejected for being "one-dimensional" while a wealthy,urban student with similar test scores and GPA stands a better chance because of their "dedication" shown through their ECs that were made possible by their wealth and/or location makes them "well-rounded."
Do you think that admission committees ever take into account that some students didn't have the same opportunities EC wise that others did? Is holistic admissions just a guise to prevent poor and rural students from being accepted and keeping elite colleges a haven for wealthy urban students ("cultured")?
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Do you think that admission committees ever take into account that some students didn’t have the same opportunities EC wise that others did?[/unquote]</p>
<p>Of course. Holistic admissions means that students are viewed by what they did and what they achieved in context.</p>
<p>Holistic evaluations expressly allows admissions officials to read between the lines. You’re 180 degrees incorrect in your assumption. That’s why the so-called “elites” spend tons of money and manhours to look for diamonds in the rough (and some offer them stupid amounts of FinAid)</p>
<p>Your first two paragraphs are presented as statements for which you provide no supporting facts. Judged holistically, you come across as someone who has conveniently defined ‘holistic’ to match your biases. </p>
<p>Students from poor and rural locations will have their high school experiences put into context. If their school system offers no AP classes that will be known to the admissions office and accounted for. If their financial circumstances make it impossible to participate in ECs it’s incumbent on the applicant to make that clear. Frankly, the student from the wealthy community has as many hurdles to overcome in that they have to participate in the arms race that is their school district. They are forced to explain why they didn’t perform as well as other students who were afforded the same advantages. Admissions committees will assess an applicant’s performance based on the opportunities available, in short, their application will be judged - what’s the word I’m looking for?, ah yes - holistically.</p>
<p>if you are a top performer from an inner city school, Princeton, Harvard and a few others might offer you admission with full financial aid (Judge Sotomayor, anyone?).Besides most programs offered in schools are free for students and you can volunteer your time in N number of organizations. I would even venture to say that in no other country Socialism is prevalent as much as here in college admission process and cost of study (which is a good thing for underprivileged students).</p>
<p>Yes, that’s the very definition of “holistic.” Of COURSE they know that the kid from the ranch in North Dakota didn’t have the same EC opportunities as the kid in an elite boarding school. Why would you even think otherwise?</p>
<p>Well theoretically those coming from disadvantaged families may actually have an easier time getting into top schools (especially if they can write a compelling essay on it) because schools tend to eat that kind of story up. But at the end of the day the sad fact is that advantaged applicants are just that, advantaged. There are many unfair advantages wealthy urban citizens receive in life and yes one of them is getting into better colleges a little easier. I don’t think it really matters holistic/non-holistic view though.</p>
<p>(Edit) So I sounded like I contradicted myself, what I mean is that both the extra wealthy and the extra poor have increased chances of getting into top colleges in my experience. I now a lot of disadvantaged families whose children have written great essays and gotten into schools like Virginia Tech and UVA when they’re grades and test scores where right on the cusp. Yet also there is always the type of family wealthy enough to “buy” their children into their college of choice, and coming from a very wealthy county I know first hand students at our local High School have an easier time getting into out of state colleges because they know they can make us pay the full tuition.</p>
<p>I’ll say it more strongly. I have reviewed applications for the honors program at a large public university. We were instructed to consider what influence privilege, and more importantly, lack of, influenced all the factors described in the responses above. We have many applicants from both inner cities and farming communities. Admissions committees and readers are well aware of this “problem” and do their best to take into account these differences, if they are aware of them. Dont get me wrong. This does not mean we penalize those from good schools. We just try put it all into perspective when comparing applicants.
Many programs ask for a letter from a councilor/principal. The reason for this is so they can comment on how the applicant has taken advantage of the activities and course work available to them. An effective letter could state- Sally has taken 4 AP courses. I understand that may not seem impressive compared to applicants from larger wealthier school districts, but we only offer 3 formal AP courses and Sally has self-taught herself another . Or something to that effect. The same applies to ECs.
As others have wrote, these types of situations, where a student has made the best of a less than ideal situation, are more appealing to us than someone who has joined in on a long list of activities that were in place when they arrived in HS.</p>
<p>PS applicants: if there is a particular reason why you could not participate in activities- had to work to help support the family (PS- not pay your cell phone bill or car insurance) or had to come home to provide care for younger siblings, older relatives etc.- be sure this comes across. Better from your letter writers than you, but make sure this situation is known to the readers.</p>