<p>coolrunning-i agree that you need to set yourself apart, but those stats could still be considered an accomplishment.</p>
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<p>Interesting imagination you have there.</p>
<p>Uninteresting statement you have there. I suggest going to the thread “My Rant” in the Stanford forum to view a more in-depth response from me or phantasmagoric. Unless you wish to apply your reasoning here.</p>
<p>Anyone who thinks being an URM is all you need for admission to top schools has fallen down a rabbit hole.</p>
<p>@CoolRunning Thinking all you need is a URM is lazy and ignorant.</p>
<p>Lazy and ignorant is falling down a rabbit hole.</p>
<p>Here we go: </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/Provost_-_CDS2008_2009_Harvard_for_Web_Clean.pdf*[/url]”>http://www.provost.harvard.edu/institutional_research/Provost_-_CDS2008_2009_Harvard_for_Web_Clean.pdf*</a></p>
<p>Chart C7</p>
<p>I recant what I had stated before concerning how Harvard groups certain factors. This chart states that aside from applicant interest, religion, state, and class rank (not sure if it includes percent), all other factors are “considered”. However, the relative each consideration gets in terms of importance is still up in the air. Also, note that nothing is viewed as very important nor important, but all are considered. This is just speculation, but Harvard may utilize this to make a statement that no facet of an application is more important than another so the applicants concentrate on all factors. The true worth of factors is either not fully revealed so that an applicant does concentrate on all areas or that is the true worth, in that they are all considered, but nothing is especially important. All are just considered in your application because nothing stands out, including race. I believe it is the latter as they would be lying and risk lawsuits in the case of the former. They only state those which the applicant need not worry about. Now, if we consider all things equal, whether or not race is a “deciding factor” (significantly important) depends on how you view the degree of the general factors (all factors are simply considered, rather than at least important) and how you view the addition of race to the factor pool. Some may view 1/15 as negligible, and others as a significant 7% of the entirety of the application process. (there are also the individual race additions to the race factor. While I hold race is factored in, but not decision-making, I do believe the races have different degrees of being factored in) However, the admissions officers do not view all factors as equal, and while their individual biases and the specialized training each receives in reviewing an applicant may equalize the net worth of certain application parts, I do not believe race is one of them. I do not believe any individual bias<em>+ training of the officers tell them to place race of the applicant as above or equal to factors such as SAT, ECs, grades, essays, and recs. They know they need a representative sample, but they would not let this trump income, academic achievement, non-academic achievement due to the contortion of the average admitted student it may cause (just one reason) or how many students they retain due to course difficulty. They already hold competitive and impressive applications in their own merit, and even this is not, as we like to paint, an automatic guarantee due to the volume of competitive URMs denied admissions. The typical URM does not have competitive scores, but the typical URM is not the typical Harvard applicant. They are the typical applicants whom, again, have competitive scores in the same realm as other races from an equivalent socioeconomic background. (ignoring other factors) The last part is a bit anecdotal evidence and a lot of speculation as it is hard without Ivies releasing more specific data and the subjective grading of applications is also a bit harder to measure. I am well aware anecdotes can be given by anyone, but it adds to the overall outlook of the admissions process when limited data is available. There is also the factor of sheer randomness in the admission process. AdCom feeling bitter, what application they reviewed just before yours, how many applicants have been accepted when they come to yours, etc.</em></p>
<p>The “2nd part” is dealing mainly with academic achievements of URMs of a similar financial background as an ORM.</p>
<p>That’s a lot of big city words that just means that one must be “qualified” and “vetted” by multiple respected organizations before we will take a chance on you (and you need to bring mucho scholarship dollars).</p>
<p>'Nuf said, class dismissed.</p>
<p>Pfft, I love them big city words.</p>
<p>And I love DD got accepted to Stanford today. Looking for Harvard to do the ame tomorrow (that’s small town word for … well, you know).</p>