<p>But there's more to it than that. If it was just the availability of programs in the schools, you could have a rule that would simply accept the top 10% of scorers on the SAT (although even there, I guess richer kids have more access to prep). I think you have to face the fact that a program like this will result in the admission of some kids who are less capable, and certainly a lot of kids who are less well prepared. That doesn't mean that it's a bad idea, though.</p>
<p>@ Jmanco49
Wow way to insult every black student at UT without even knowing their academic background! I'm black..good stats..go to a good school...UT sends me stuff all the time, but HEY that doesn't matter! UT doesn't care about your grades as long as your black(sarcasm).
PS-you got alot of nerve posting something like this</p>
<p>jamos5, apparently you don't go to a good enough school to realize that Jmanco49 was joking! Third post, he says he's against racism. But i guess that's nothing new, several people I know are always attempting to exaggerate claims people are making in order to label them a racist, as if everyone's against them because they aren't white.
But the point of the thread was that the top 10% rule is crap. It lets in students from rural or urban high schools (so that means students of all colors, so the idea that UT is against black or Hispanic students is just another excuse), that are underqualified and not academically prepared for UT. An SAT requirement would be good, but also possibly a move to the top 5% automatic admission would make UT a better school, because as of now, it's barely a top 10 public school because of its low selectivity.</p>
<p>I'm always impressed with the way people who have privilege don't see that privilege. The UT rule isn't perfect, but it's not bad. Using test scores is a great way to reinforce privilege because all those 800s out there? Those are not geniuses. Those are people whose parents invested heavily in test prep. If you make test scores the deciding factor, than you have to be working on a level playing field. Either provide thousands of dollars of top test prep to any kid who wants it, or lose the tests altogether (can't imagine outlawing test prep).<br>
And jamos5- the test for an offensive statement is substitute a different word for the one in question. Here it might be: If you're christian and have bad grades, fine. If you're jewish, too bad.
The OP is angry, and that's fine. But it's not okay to offend people because you're angry. You want to look at the top 10%-- a bunch of the kids from better schools have academic support that would otherwise prevent them from being in the top 10%. Should they be excluded? By my standards, kids who work hard to be in the top 10% deserve equal access to the schools in the states where they pay taxes. And please don't respond with any more nasty generalizations. You can say you're angry without lashing out at people you don't know.</p>
<p>@ westwolf
um ok..I agree the rule is crap,but that's no reason to isolate one race.O and I didn't label anyone anything that was you lol</p>
<p>I know that my kids would be in the top 10% of lots of high schools but will likely not be in the top 10% of the school they attend. But I do believe that there must be a way to give kids a chance when they haven't been to the best high schools.</p>
<p>My son has a friend who is about to graduate from a racially and economically diverse public high school south of Dallas. When they were discussing AP exams, she said that she only knew one person from her HS who had scored a 3 on an AP exam....one kid scored a 3 on APUSH and was sort of school legend. Everyone else gets 1s or 2s on every AP exam. I just can't believe that their AP results are totally the fault of the students...my son's friend is quite bright and had good ACT scores, but I assume her AP scores have all been 1s and 2s. Those kind of kids need an equal chance to have a good education.</p>
<p>You're missing the point. I am not racist, and sorry I should have been more tactful I guess. </p>
<p>The point is that the only reason the top 10 percent rule exists is because the Texas government was against affirmitive action and would not let UT give preferential treatment to blacks in the college admissions process; therefore, some Texas people tried to bypass this rule to increase black and hispanic enrollment by creating the 10 percent rule. The top 10 percent rule is inherrently based on racism against people who aren't black or hispanic. Of course, I realize that poor people don't have the same priveliges as those well-off, and I'm really lucky to be pretty well-off and I appreciate this chance. UT admissions and other admissions should use affirmitive action to increase socio-economic diversity, not racial diversity. The US should move toward a more color-blind society, were peoples' races matter as little as their hair color.</p>
<p>I took the Testmasters Prep course. It was ridiculously expensive and the biggest waste of money I have ever experienced. All we friggin' did was take practice tests and do practice problems out of the blue book. I could have done that myself for friggin' free. These prep courses are complete BS. The only way to get a higher score on the SAT is to do practice problems, plain and simple, and the Prep courses are ripping everyone off. The only thing the course really gave me that I couldn't have gotten for free was a formula to do the essay, which I do admit helped a lot. But the essay doesn't count that much anyways.</p>
<p>Basically what you do is write an intro, list off three examples that are complete made up, write a conclusion, and bingo, a 10 at least. The ACT writing section is a lot more fair because you actually have to use reasoning, thinking, and logic instead of coming up with random examples.</p>
<p>But isn't it basically socio-economic diversity since the blacks/hispanics in the worse schools are probably not well-off? Plus they're doing the best they can with limited resources just as the top 10% whites in the better schools are. Why shouldn't they be allowed into UT?
This thread is pointless and it was unnecessary to post it in two different sections of this forum. It's only going to result in another AA discussion or something like it.</p>
<p>I live in Texas and yes, there are quite a few people who ***** about this daily.</p>
<p>It's anyone in the top ten percent is automatically given admission to any public school in texas. Now first, for you to assume that the 6% of UG's which are black all achieved acceptance because of that stupid rule is a complete and idiotic presumption. I'd estimate, that since that school is more predominantly white/hispanic that more used that rule to gain entry into public schools than blacks did. It might be a bit of social engineering, but it's definitely not something that deserves this kind of criticism. This rule is stupid for many reasons. This is most certainly not something that's of any importance.</p>
<p>Stop making excuses for you and the people around you. Either get in or don't. That's all that matters.</p>
<p>What is WITH you, OP? First you rag on the Ivies, now the 10% rule... You'd be much better off to quit whining and ranting, and to get down to some real studying instead.</p>
<p>I'm not making excuses for them. If they didn't get in, they should have done more SAT practice tests. A 2050 would get you in with ease if you have a decent class rank. </p>
<p>But the law is messed up. 81 percent of the ut class was filled up with top 10 percenters. Even the HEAD OF UT eants the law modified.</p>
<p>It's summer, I don't need to study, and my SAT scores are fine.</p>
<p>I have never ragged on the Ivies, only on Harvard because it's the most overrated disgusting institution there is, in my opinion.</p>
<p>"I have never ragged on the Ivies, only on Harvard because it's the most overrated disgusting institution there is, in my opinion."</p>
<p>you forgot:</p>
<p>"And you should listen to my rants because I put forth very reasonable, moderate and sound arguments. Please don't overlook my overblown statements on institutions for which I have no first hand knowledge. My voice counts and I'm not a troll, really."</p>
<p>some people will not be satisfied until college is an absolute meritocracy. The idea that a university may have its OWN environmental goals completely escapes them...</p>
<p>It seems that the OP just joined yesterday and has started several inflammatory threads. It's probably best to just let the troll thread die a natural death.</p>
<p>i agree. the OP is turning out to be quite the troll. As if his opinion actually counts for anything.</p>
<p>Waaahhhh let's cry about one of the best affirmative action programs in existence because a few privileged white kids at stellar public high schools will have to go to A&M instead. </p>
<p>Fact is, the top 10% rule has done an incredible amount of good for socio-economically disadvantaged Texans. As someone who wants to see affirmative action become more class-based than race-based, I applaud what UT has done. For you to say that the top 10% rule allows "black kids with bad grades" to get into UT over someone at a more competitive high school (white or black) is ridiculous. Dare I call it racist.</p>
<p>I don't think UT's 10% program is "on its face" racist - but, it may not necessarily be the best system for diversity (both racially and economically).</p>
<p>UT is thinking of revising its program since too many students accepted under the program have had to undergo remedial classes.</p>
<p>But the point is that if America really wants to move toward a color-blind society, we need to stop classifying people as "blacks" and "whites."</p>
<p>It doesn't matter peoples' skin color. </p>
<p>UT should focus on building socio-economic diversity and not thrusting race into the spotlight. </p>
<p>And there are plenty of whites who are bullied by blacks because they're whit, it seems like you're implying that only minorities experience racism, which is not the case.</p>
<p>The point is that race-based affirmitive action IS discrimination against whites. When Obama was asked if he wanted his daughter to receive prreferential treatment because she' black, he said "I'd like her to be considered as a rich person instead of people looking at her race."</p>
<p>Obama is right.</p>