URM opposed to Affirmative Action, Chances

Colleges & Universities A-Z Princeton University
1

<p>I am Asian + Afro-Trinidadian, but I am opposed to AA. I am wondering how different my chances are if I mark down African and if I don't.</p>

<p>GRADES/NUMBERS:
GPA: 3.75+ unweighted, (the killer), 4.6+ weighted
Class Rank: School does not rank
ACT: 34 (36M 35E 33R 32S 9W) one sitting
SAT II: MathII: 800, Chemistry: 760, Physics: 770 </p>

<h2>SAT I: 2180 one sitting only</h2>

<p>COURSELOAD:</p>

<p>*Most difficult course load in the school.</p>

<p>*APs: Calculus BC, Chemistry, US Government & Politics, Statistics, Microecon, Macroecon, Physics C Mechanics, Psychology- all 5s (4 sophomore year, 4 junior year)</p>

<h2>*All IBs senior year (Full IB diploma student)</h2>

<p>CLASSES -
*calculus 3, differential equations, and linear algebra at my local community college and got A’s in all of them. (10th)</p>

<p>*Organic Chemistry 1 (15 credits lab/discussion/lecture) at community college and got a B (11th)</p>

<p>*Taking a class at NIH grad school on Clinical Pharmacology (12th)</p>

<h2>*Abstract Algebra and Number Theory with Stanford EPGY (12th)</h2>

<p>ECs (ones that I listed)-</p>

<p>Youth Group–(9-12: organized a bunch of charity events)
Cricket Club- Founder, Captain (9-12)
Young Republicans (9,10 member) (11, 12 co president)
Student Government Parliamentarian (12th: successfully lobbied for a bunch of reforms to the discipline code)
Martial Arts– (10 years: instructor)</p>

<h2>Tabla (Indian percussion) (7 years: instructor + Bunch of Regional awards)</h2>

<p>AWARDS (not too many):
*AP National Scholar (11th grade)
*Prospective IB Diploma?
*Maryland Distinguished Scholar Honorable Mention
*National Merit Commended</p>

<h2>*Few regional awards/school awards/ science fair stuff</h2>

<p>OTHER:</p>

<p>*Summer Job at a paper collating factory (Colorworks Promotion Inc.) to fund extra classes (10th).</p>

<p>*Research with National Cancer Institute this summer (250 hours) (11th grade summer)</p>

<p>*Started a countywide student-run magazine (editor, manager, etc.)</p>

<h2>*Independent research at UMD, with the possibility of publication early next year (too late for colleges though).</h2>

<p>SUBJECTIVES: Great essays and recommendations.
RACE: Asian Indian and Black
SCHOOL: Prestigious, but no kids in Princeton.</p>

2

<p>Harvardite, go do something with your life. you've posted like 10,000 threads. none of us can be sure if you can get in, we arent' admission officers. if you put as much effort into your essays and ECs as u do on this forum, then you'd have a good shot</p>

3

<p>^^Forgive me if I'm wrong, but he only has 8 posts!</p>

4

<p>
[quote]
Harvardite, go do something with your life. you've posted like 10,000 threads. none of us can be sure if you can get in, we arent' admission officers. if you put as much effort into your essays and ECs as u do on this forum, then you'd have a good shot

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Point taken, however many on this board have much more experience and exposure to some unknown and otherwise overslooked aspects of college admissions (in my case, race) than I do. I realize that nobody can accurately tell me if I am getting in, but that is not the intention of my post. I want to find out how big a role in admissions race plays, and I am hoping that this post will reveal something in that vein. In other words, I am testing the waters. </p>

<p>
[quote]
^^Forgive me if I'm wrong, but he only has 8 posts!

[/quote]

No you are not wrong. I think my post count makes this very clear.</p>

5

<p>Your chances look fine. If you mark african american, they will go up dramatically. My advice: dont try to be a hero. Just mark african american, because once you get on the campus you will be able to fight AA a lot more effectively.</p>

6

<p>^^as a white non-legacy, I agree with Ernie H.</p>

7

<p>At least you would be a deserving AA person.</p>

8

<p>"the ends justify the means"- Machiavelli</p>

9

<p>Take advantage of the system; it's not your fault it's unfair.</p>

10

<p>^^^^ agreed. i'm pretty sure i would. lol. but i can definitely see how you'd want to not indicate your race. but life is not fair, and princeton is a private school & can do what it wants. and right now it wants diversity. others have advantages too, like legacy status. i'm glad you're against AA though- that's pretty cool. as ernie said, getting into a great school will give you more a voice to combat AA.</p>

<p>disregarding your race, your chances are pretty average i think, just because you wouldn't have a hook or anything.</p>

11

<p>"At least you would be a deserving AA person."</p>

<p>...deserving because he opposes affirmative action? </p>

<p>I believe he posted this thread because he knows that if his race helps him with admissions, he will note it. The second sentence makes this clear.</p>

<p>Just mark your race, don't play hero.</p>

12

<p>i agree with unregistered...i don't care if you agree with AA or not, just mark your race and forget about it</p>

13

<p>^^deserving because his stats are "Princeton-worthy"</p>

14

<p>you do not consider yourself black (obviously, if you have to wonder what race to put down), so you shouldn't claim it, and yes, this is coming from a FULLY black person, and staunch supporter of AA. Don't claim a race you have little (or no) psychological connection to. If you're going to lambast AA, at least you could be a full black, latino, or Native american. you're not. you're asian. so say it.</p>

15

<p>
[quote]
you do not consider yourself black (obviously, if you have to wonder what race to put down)

[/quote]
</p>

<p>By the same logic, he wouldn't consider himself asian. So what is he? Nothing?</p>

16

<p>Precisely. He's white by default. </p>

<p>:D</p>

17

<p>You are an idiot if you do not check the African-American box. Sorry but it is true. You've got a great shot...but everyone has AMAZING stats applying to Princeton! You don't want to look back on this in two years and wonder if you would have gotten in if you had checked the stupid box!</p>

18

<p>Seriously, don't play the hero. This is coming from a fellow URM and while I don't totally agree with you, I know that AA is unfair and that I will get an advantage because of my race but that doesn't make me any less Mexican...so just go with it. It's kind of a bad feeling, but I'm not going to lie about my race to feel noble since I actually am poor and a minority, which I guess is what AA is designed for.</p>

19

<p>maybe you could choose other and explain your situtation</p>

20

<p>...except Princeton doesn't officially have Affirmative Action, do they? And if they don't officially acknowledge that they have it, and you say "other" because you don't want to be labeled as African American for A.A. reasons, that necessarily implies that you believe that they have an A.A. policy. Thus, under that logic, you'd be accusing them of doing something (that's very controversial) that they either don't admit doing, don't officially admit doing, or don't do at all. I wouldn't go that route if I were you.</p>