<p>There is an ongoing discussion of this in the parents' forum:</p>
<p>I just read his letter to the college community at large. If his letter is a true reflection of his leadership, then W&M has just experienced a very great loss. It is leadership such as his, in the face of such challenges, that would have continued to raise W&M's arc. Unfortunately the interests of the comfortable establishment seem to have prevailed in this case, tarnishing what should be their shining beacon of enlightenment and inquiry. At the risk of beginning a heated discussion, my sister from Maryland keeps telling me that there are elements in Virginia which are reactionary and parochial and this situation appears to reflect that.</p>
<p>You know Danas, you need to open your eyes...........speaking out of one side of your mouth about Gene Nichol and his quest for diversity and equality and then talking such smack about the admission bias. You don't know what you are talking about.</p>
<p>Danas: Not being a W&M parent, I'm wondering what the bias against women would be. If it's about admissions bias against girls, this phenomenon is occurring nationwide. Although it's totally unfair on the face of it, it's somewhat understandable.</p>
<p>My now frosh D (at Occidental College in CA) was told in no uncertain terms by her high school college counselors last year that being girls in the admissions race was a deck of cards stacked against them. That there are just too many girls applying for college, and that they overall have better stats than the guys, and that the colleges are raising standards for girls and perhaps lowering them to attract boys. This is a national phenomenon. I know that of the 23 cum laude seniors at her high school, that only about a quarter were boys.</p>
<p>Also related to this issue of disparity is an article I read in the fall of the 2006, published nationally, that once a college reaches a boy/girl ratio of 40/60 that they begin to see a fall off in applications, meaning that they have to get LESS selective. It seems that once a campus reaches that ratio that the girls are not as attracted to the college and that the boys are afraid to enroll, thinking it's a "women's college". Think Vassar.</p>
<p>Looking through the college guides, you will see school after school with more women than men, and if you pay close attention, this is occurring in the schools which are more selective, instead of most or very selective schools. HYSP will tend to be 50/50 or actually slightly in favor of males, so the discrimination occurring in those schools is actually worse, assuming that the total population of HSYP applicants reflects the whole.</p>
<p>A popular website states that currently W&M has a ratio of 46/54 men to women. I think they're trying to avoid that 40/60 "deathknell".</p>
<p>I'm assuming this dynamic to factor into your problem with the administration's bias against girls. Again, not fair, but a reality in the world of college admissions.</p>
<p>And one more thing.........diversity goes beyond the color of a persons skin or their ethnicity. The admissions office is charged with bringing together a good balance of students and a community atmosphere. Wouldn't you consider it biased to allow an African
American student into William and Mary with less than stellar apps? Maybe so, but you would understand that it creates opportunities and every student benefits regardless of their race. This happens all the time for reasons other than gender. Wher have you been? This gender bias that you describe is going on all over the country because it is a fact that 65% of all college applicants are women. That doesn't mean that William and Mary accepts boys who don't meet the admissions criteria. It's a fact that William and Mary gets about 10.500 applicants and will offer admission to around 3,000. Freshman class sizes will be around 1,300 students. There are just too many top-notch students to choose from. Many good students are turned down for lack of space. What about recruited athletes in college, wouldn't you consider a bias there as well? Why should a 2.0 football player get accepted to Virginia Tech, when another 3.5 generall admissions student is waitlisted? It's the kind of comments like yours that stir the pot in a negative way.</p>
<p>You remind me of Steverino on these boards..............trying to make an issue because she was rejected by William and Mary and figured she would make a case out of it because of her gender. Please!!!! Get over it and look around. In fact, call the admissions office and let them explain why they do what they do and why you are speaking about your opinion and not fact. Then take a look at other colleges and see how common this is. Get off of William and Mary's back. Leave the Tribe alone. Don't talk smack about William and Mary on this thread.</p>
<p>Peace out!</p>