<p>I don't think that Yale, or any other private institution can be considered part of the "system" that white middle class students and parents continue to support. The only system they are entitled to is their state institution when talking on academic terms. Regardless of the fact that most middle-class whites may feel disadvantaged at the super competitive college admissions game does not mean that they're intentionally being given the shaft. The fact of the matter is that nobody is entitled anything from private institutions- that's what makes them private. So to go around crying that middle class whites are suffering when it comes down to applying to college is pure BS. Minority's in the United States receive the short end of the stick whenever they walk down the street, and it will continue to be that way the rest of their lives. So just because little Billy from white suburbia living somewhere in Iowa doesn't get accepted to Yale even though he has comparative scores does not mean that he's being held back for being white. The fact of the matter is that test scores and grades do not mean what they used to when applying to undergraduate institutions. NOW, when applying to GRAD SCHOOLS on the other hand, grades and scores are almost the ONLY things that matter. So don't feel too bad for the suburban whites who don't get into Yale, they'll have more than a fair shot at admissions to one of Yale's grad schools if they maintain their straight As throughout college- no matter WHERE they go.</p>
<p>Furthermore, Asian-Americans seem to suffer more from the over-representative biases that you are complaining about. Should they pout about continually supporting a system that is set up in a way that hurts them as well? Come on people, let's get real. It's freaking college, get over it. Get into a decent school and go to it, in the end it's not going to make much of a difference if you went to Yale or Columbia or UCLA- the fact of the matter is that if you're successful at one school, you'll be successful at any other, and most importantly- in life.</p>
<p>Anyone else here a Yale alum with a rejected child - have you recieved a letter from Yale reflecting the rejection? I.e., a letter addressed to you the alum, not the rejection letter addressed to your child. I understood it to be long-standing practice to send such letters and recall Yale saying earlier this year that they would do it - but I have received nothing.</p>
<p>Money will still buy a ticket in i am sad to say. last i was told it was upwards of $100,000. i have come to find money (or your parents money) will get you far in life since i enrolled in an ivy from a public school out west.</p>
<p>Of course I don't know because I'm not a part of Yale admissions, but I think, as an applicant who's parents did not go to ivy (but who had cousins and uncles and an aunt who did.. so really no connection to Yale and Harvard), I had 8 Bs throughout my high school career, 2100 SAT scores (pretty low), but got in to H and Y and many others. I am chinese, do not play sports (but am an artist), and am well rounded. I think what put me through are my recommendations and essays, and it's often hard to measure the quality of our esssays, so don't forget that.</p>
<p>I agree with one point, and that is why is Yale recruiting so heavily from abroad while rejecting qualified, and legacy, students from the US. I realize that being more international would help their reputation, but from what I have personally seen, it is easier to get into Yale if you are attending a good private school in a third world country, then if you are probably a more intelligent, but less impressive..."national champion of uganda..." student in the US.</p>
<p>I'm an immigrant. you must appreciate, as I do, the courage of people who are willing to go to another country for schooling, sacrifice everything that is familiar, learn another language, learn under another school system, learn to be independent and self-reliant because your family members won't be here, and above all, learn to balance and thrive in two sets of cultural values--one from the country that you came from and one from the country that you're moving to--that often contradicts each other and leaves you in an identity crisis. they are by no means less intelligent. and seriously though, they bring the color to college life that everyone praises about if you were to go and read student reviews of their respective colleges:</p>
<p>"I loved [insert college name, maybe Yale] because of so many amazing people I met. They were so diverse that it was eye-opening."</p>
<p>I think it's been said before, but legacy matters much more in the early decision/action round and not so much in the regular decision round. For example, a student at my school who is 32nd in the class (the lowest possible and still be in the top 10%...) got into brown early decision--he had a double legacy. Also early, a student (high ranked, good SATs, etc) was accepted to Princeton from my school. Although he might have gotten in on his own merit without connections, let's just say he is from a very influential American family (I think there actually is a building named after them there...) and has all sorts of legacy. In regular decision, one girl got into Brown, and two other guys got into Cornell and Dartmouth. Every other ivy league applicant, including those more highly ranked than the early accepted kids, was rejected.</p>
<p>What I guess my point is... is that legacy matters in ED/EA and when it's a matter of lots of money or keeping a family coming to the school. If you donate nothing to the school and your kid applied regular decision, legacy will be no more than a slight tip factor.</p>
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Money will still buy a ticket in i am sad to say. last i was told it was upwards of $100,000.
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But, says Hernandez, an investment banker giving a few hundred thousand is a drop in the bucket for a university whose $25.9 billion endowment is larger than the gross domestic product of Bulgaria. You have to be Bill Gates's son.