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[quote]
I assume that you indicated your race on your Harvard app. If you didn't indicate your race on your app, there'd be no reason to indicate it here. Since you're opposed to AA, then why'd you let Harvard know about your race?
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<p>Well I made the header in the spirit of full disclosure, though I never intended (necessarily) to mark down African. In part, I wanted to gauge how much of an impact race actually plays based on the experience of people on this board so I could consider how I could honestly portray myself along with my beliefs. Granted, people here are not admissions officers, but I was only hoping to benefit from some of the anecdotal evidence you all might have encountered. Anyways this thread is dragging on for too long about nothing, so let it die.</p>
<p>You're being disingenuous about why you reported your race in your title here. This is what your initial post said, and it indicates that you're listing your race(s) on your application.</p>
<p>"SUBJECTIVES: Great essays and recommendations.
RACE: Asian Indian and Black (Reporting both)
SCHOOL: Prestigious. Sends a bunch of kids to ivies. 4 kids already got in early.</p>
<p>Will my 3.75 keep me out?"</p>
<p>My answer is that a 3.75 will not keep you out, but looking like a hypocrite may. Fine to be against AA, but it seems hypocritical to plan to write an essay about how race isn't important and you're against AA, but then to report your race on your application.</p>
<p>At the same time, though, on CC URMs are frequently treated differently just because they are URMs in chances threads. For example, I posted a chances thread a few months ago (when I was much newer) and the first person who replied said "Yeah, nobody is replying because nobody likes a URM." It wasn't said in a mean way and the person wasn't trying to be malicious, but sometimes people are rude because we do get advantages which are often admittedly unfair. That's perfectly understandable, but I don't see many people with posts saying "Yeah, nobody likes you because you're a legacy" or anything.</p>
<p>On the other hand, though, I agree with Northstarmom. If you agree with AA, you probably shouldn't write your essay about how you don't agree with it. If you don't agree with it, you should probably back yourself up by leaving the race box blank. You shouldn't feel guilty for marking down your race, but you similarly shouldn't decry the advantage that you know you're going to get by marking it down.</p>
<p>I'm a URM and I think that there are some problems with AA, like the fact that extremely wealthy minority applicants get favored over extremely poor white or Asian applicants, and that is unfair. As a poor minority, however, I don't think that I am "taking advantage" by marking down my race. Basically, it's OK to have a few problems with AA and not make a sweeping charge against it. Or at least I think so.</p>