<p>OK, I know this site has a lot of useful information but another 50% of it is pure speculation on the part of a lot of people. For example, just because you're a Native American or Hispanic with a 2100SAT and a few decent extracurriculars, you're automatically in? Do you really think Harvard would accept a crap load of URM's (that are underqualified compared to other applications of different races) just because of 'affirmative action'? I mean I know the policy still exists but....I don't think it is as prevalent as people claim. Correct me if I'm wrong. </p>
<p>A kid from my school last year, ranked 15th out of 670 or so, had 2200+ SAT superscored, 800 Math 2 800 Physics 700 Spanish SAT2's, played on TWO hockey teams: school varsity as well as a high ranked select hockey team....had decent AP scores, took a pretty rigorous schedule (not ALL AP's, but quite a few and some regular classes as well).....he was half Hispanic. He got REJECTED everywhere (HYP, Columbia), except WashU. He ended up gong there since that was the only college he got into (he got into the state school here but was rejected from the honors program).</p>
<p>So, tell me, does affirmative action play A HUGE role like people claim?</p>
<p>URM status is a factor amongst many. I'd say there were parts of the kid's application that none of us were privy that knocked him out (poor personal statement or vision, poor or lukewarm teacher recs, shockingly bad interview, etc.)</p>
<p>Was he qualified to attend most of the schools he applied to? Probably yes. I can't think of any that he wouldn't be qualified to attend. I interview for one of the HYP colleges and I'd say I've only met maybe 2 our of sixty or so, who weren't academically qualifed to attend -- however there is just so many other factors involved.</p>
<p>When we're speaking of the ultra selectives (around ten percent admit rate), I'd say almost nothing is guaranteed. We don't know how many half hispanic hockey players were better looking to the adcoms than your friend, frankly.</p>
<p>You should read The Gatekeepers - a story about the admissions process at Wes from the perspective of an admissions officer there. It is very interesting - a great book.</p>
<p>The thing about URM status is that it isn't going to get any one who is actually unqualified in. Especially to the Ivies. It can be a FACTOR in your admission, but very rarely is it what makes or breaks a deal. There are more than enough high achieving URMs to go around considering each Ivy League class is, on average, only about 7% black. I'd like to think that there are more than say 800 black kids graduating in this country each year who have comparable SATs and GPAs to their white/asian/etc counterparts. And, as a matter of fact, I know there are.</p>
<p>That said, at a teeny tiny school that is trying to improve diversity and/or recruit minorities, URM or even any minority status can be a big plus.</p>
<p>This all changes with actual (ie registered and tribe identification number having) Native Americans come into play. Statistically they're so rare that colleges will crawl all over each other to get one.</p>