<p>I know a guy who is 58/170 in my high school graduating class, with a 1710 SAT, with a so-so course load (he took many regular classes instead of APs) who got into UChicago EA. He put Hispanic on his applications. He says his essays were really creative (which I think is odd because I've read his essays, and he didn't seem to be the creative type).</p>
<p>Of course, he was laughing when he told me, so he might have been joking, but then I heard him telling his friends about his acceptance and they were laughing, too. To be honest, I'm a little gullible, but he honestly doesn't seem to be the standard accepted applicant to UChicago. </p>
<p>I don't want to sound like I'm putting him down, but I really don't know whether to believe him. Am I being unfair or cynical?</p>
<p>Say what you will about affirmative action, but I have found there to be virtually no difference intelligence-wise between "bumped" and "non-bumped" applicants here. The admissions office is not cruel enough to admit an underqualified student, and everybody I've met here, whether they are Hispanic millionaire legacy athletes from Idaho or not, is qualified to be here and qualified to take on the academic challenge.</p>
<p>It's quite possible that the admissions office saw something in your friend that you perhaps don't see. I know somebody who had a 2.5 GPA in high school (white, non-athlete, non-legacy) with so-so scores who was admitted here, and now she's flourishing. It wasn't that she isn't smart-- she just didn't feel engaged by high school and saw no reason to hand assignments in on time. This makes me think that our admissions office reads files pretty darn carefully, and looks for reasons to admit students beyond superficial demarcations.</p>
<p>Or your friend could be pulling your leg. That's possible too.</p>
<p>There was a girl in my school who got into Stanford EA who has about a B average and got something like an 1870 on the SATs. Her only EC was our school's Poms squad. BUT, one of her parents is Brazilian, so she put "Hispanic" on her application. This is really bothersome because there was another super-overly-qualified girl who DIDN'T get in, whose stats blew most people out of the water...and she was caucasian.</p>
<p>I don't understand how accepting an unqualified applicant bases on their skin color helps anyone. The person is most likely doomed if they couldn't even do well at their own school...and a capable person is not admitted.</p>
<p>A boy in my son's english class (not AP) tried to convice my son he had just been accepted to Yale. The problem, the date was December 11th, three days before early decision was announced. A quick check on the boards here and my son went back to school and told the boy he knew he wasn't being honest. Sure enough, when called on the carpet he admitted he way lying.</p>
<p>Or there was a girl who insisted she had automatic admission to the U of C because of being a National Merit Semifinalist.</p>
<p>I don't want to get into a big discussion here, but I think affirmative action is a great thing. My high school was completely white, and I think it could have used a population of ethnic minorities or even socioeconomically disadvantaged students.</p>
<p>What I do think is sad is that all of you have so much data on your classmates. What ever happened to some peace, quiet, and privacy?</p>
<p>Can't believe everything people say. Just because you won't lie doesn't mean other people won't. This is the stuff "urban legends " are made of. If you want to have some of your most cherished "true" stories debunked, google Urban Legends.</p>
<p>Anyway, IMO, the number of URMs is set (per school) and they only compete against each other. From their list if one gets in another one doesn't. However, the number that can compete at any level is increasing very quickly.</p>
<p>Odd admittances happen. Period. People just claim that it is AA if it is a minority. This is sad.</p>
<p>3.5, 1800, decent EC's and white in at Stanford = He's so lucky.
3.5, 1800, decent EC's and a minority in at Stanford = AA is a disgrace that colleges should be ashamed of.</p>
<p>AA comes into play for the average applicant. Average app at prestigious school for a white female = toss up, for a black male = most likely in. The people whose stats aren't there = luck.</p>
<p>I know a white guy who got a 3.3 at UCLA who transfered to Harvard. It happens. He filled a niche - film, and had a sweet essay. Most minority and non-minority 'surprise' acceptances involve a some similar trait from what I have seen. People who fill that unique spot have a HUGE advantage.</p>
<p>And Chicago doesn't consider Class Rank or SAT scores "Very Important" like most very competitive schools....so I'm just refuting your claim that it was AA that got him in, I would think his stats even if he were white would be good enough to get him in, provided what Chicago cared about was all around good. And I notice that you go to Chicago too.....,conflict of interest?</p>