<p>I kinda saw it coming … the thread being deleted. </p>
<p>(Can someone explain to me why people make such a big deal out of this topic 
)</p>
<p>Haha it really is an infamous article. And for the record I support socioeconomic affirmative action (whether that is affirmative action or not is unclear…)</p>
<p>MODERATOR’S NOTE: The thread just formed yesterday has been merged into the long-standing FAQ and discussion thread. Experience has shown that threads on this issue usually become heated, and the thread that began yesterday was no exception. All participants here are reminded that College Confidential has Terms of Service </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item</a> </p>
<p>making personal insults off-limits. The best way you can support and defend your point of view on this contentious issue is by being factual and civil, not personal or impolite. Anyone’s point of view is welcome here, but all conduct in public posts is to follow the Terms of Service. Review those </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_new_faq_item</a> </p>
<p>to keep your posts well within the spirit and the letter of the rules.</p>
<p>So based on people’s opinions from the thread that just got merged, and the first few posts, it would seem to be to my advantage to leave all optional questions blank on all my applications next year.</p>
<p>^It doesn’t matter. They can tell (especially if your parents came here) what race you are by looking at where your parents were born.</p>
<p>Still, college admissions is very fair. It’s just very brutal. That’s all.</p>
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<p>First, country of parents’ birth is a really bad proxy for race. Second, this is blatant racial profiling.</p>
<p>It happens to be a fact that [colleges</a> report large numbers of admitted students as “race unknown,”](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061808252-post4.html]colleges”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061808252-post4.html), so a student declining to self-identify with any ethnic group may indeed be a good idea for a particular student. I would say it’s a good idea in general.</p>
<p>vociferous,</p>
<p>With respect to tax avoidance, I think you would do well to heed the words of Judge Learned Hand, there is nothing sinister in so arranging ones affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible.
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<p>I think you should read what you write before you hit post. The IRS records the total amount of tax collected each tax year. Almost 40% of all tax collected in 2006 was paid by the top 1% of all taxpayers. It doesnt matter if they could have paid more taxes than they did. The data clearly shows that they do pay some taxes! Thus, your naive claim of “no tax” has been thoroughly disproved.</p>
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But if your ethnicity is obvious from your last name (say, Liu), and if they can tell that you are some race (Asian in this case) then I don’t think that declining to self-identify would be a good idea right?</p>
<p>Lots of people have ethnicity that is discordant with their last name.</p>
<p>Good point, Tokenadult.</p>
<p>I think you should do what you feel most comfortable with. If you feel that you want to indicate your ethnicity, do that; if you’d rather leave it blank, do that too.</p>
<p>Race is used as a “plus factor” but not as a negative factor. Being white or Asian is unlikely to be what tips you into the reject pile, particularly if you are a very strong candidate overall.</p>
<p>We know that. It is unfair either way</p>
<p>^^ Admissions is a zero-sum game. No criteria can be ONLY a “plus” factor–the very fact that some applicants have a plus means that other applicants will be disadvantaged by their lack.</p>
<p>How come UCLA and UCB have such a high Asian percentage? Did they get rid of AA? If they did, I don’t see why other top universities don’t considering UCB and UCLA are two of the best.</p>
<p>Because in the states of California, Washington, and Michigan, affirmitive action has been made an illegal practice in public universities (I am not 100% sure if it applies to privates too).</p>
<p>and because there are a lot of Asians in LA</p>
<p>^^ this is such an important truth that so few people understand</p>
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<p>It does not. AA was banned in CA only in public schools.</p>
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<p>The precentages of Asians enrolled at the UCs is much greater than it is in the general population in CA.</p>
<p>What’s AA? Asian Americans?</p>
<p>^Yes.</p>
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<p>The Asian population there is still larger than that of anywhere else in the United States, so it makes sense that many of them would apply and attend UCs.</p>