Rest In Peace Meritocracy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that there are a million other kids with 800 Math SAT and 800 Physics Subject test. College is about academics. Or it should be. And he should have gotten into one of these schools. There are not that many more qualified applicants. The college have chosen to make bullshit excuses for some other agenda to select less qualified kids. I don't even know what that agenda is. But come on people, college IS about the ability to score 800 on a Physics test!!!Yes, there are some discrepancies they have to sort out being different grades and should put a little weight on recommendations or ECs but only when comparing kids in the same bucket. I have no dog in this fight. My kids at 1250 and 1450 -- not Ivy. But people actually think this is fair -- I don't get it. Maybe he worked to get so smart or maybe he was born that way ---- doesn't even matter to me. This isn't a job interview. It is selection into an academic program - why should it be based on this. I am disgusted but wish him well.

College has never been about “academics”.

It’s about gaining knowledge (which is something very different than “academics”), growing, and building connections (for things like jobs, marriages, memberships, donations, ect).

College admissions don’t care about perfect stats. They never have and they never will. Parents and students will lead healthier lives once they stop moaning about this lie they have been told and have accepted for far too long.

I don’t understand why some people don’t get this. If you look at the history of elite colleges, it’s pretty obvious it was made for the rich and wealthy to make connections and find their mating partners.

I think it because USNWR decided to "rank" schools, which made some people think there are best schools, and that if there is a 'best' school, then the "best" academic kids must go there. None of this is or ever was true; even the common data sets are fudged to make the class stats look better than they actually are, and they only do that because USNWR decided to rank schools. It is probably one of the worst things that ever happened to college-bound children in this country due to the enormous ripple effects in pursuit of rank. Also, I think a lot of people here come from countries where higher education is not available to everyone and is all about academic performance at a young age and test rank, and they assume it is like that here, which it isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey he got a 35k scholarship to UMD - that is awesome! Congrats, Charlie!

That is why I am guessing he is in-State. Also, have you seen the number of his TikTok followers? He's gonna do ok. Already has an alternate income stream and then a free CS/Eng/STEM degree? He is golden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that there are a million other kids with 800 Math SAT and 800 Physics Subject test. College is about academics. Or it should be. And he should have gotten into one of these schools. There are not that many more qualified applicants. The college have chosen to make bullshit excuses for some other agenda to select less qualified kids. I don't even know what that agenda is. But come on people, college IS about the ability to score 800 on a Physics test!!!Yes, there are some discrepancies they have to sort out being different grades and should put a little weight on recommendations or ECs but only when comparing kids in the same bucket. I have no dog in this fight. My kids at 1250 and 1450 -- not Ivy. But people actually think this is fair -- I don't get it. Maybe he worked to get so smart or maybe he was born that way ---- doesn't even matter to me. This isn't a job interview. It is selection into an academic program - why should it be based on this. I am disgusted but wish him well.

Tell that to all the college athletes out there with lower test scores/gpa's who got into the select colleges over the candidates with perfect numbers.

And then gnash your teeth about how these recruited athletes do well once they arrive. I agree that it’s really annoying when your ideas about who will succeed or not are upended.

Or when you ruin a childhood relentlessly pursuing something that isn't what you thought it was and then don't get it anyway. It is painful to realize you were wrong all along.

[Anonymous]

Charlie will be ok. Although if high stats kids keep getting rejected (I know plenty) by tippy top schools then schools like UMD will keep getting harder to get into for less than stellar kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Charlie, my kid will see you in UMD. Similar stats...+ he is Asian American male like you too. Congrats on getting UMD because all of you high stat Asian-American kids have made it a powerhouse where STEM majors are concerned. Will you be super successful in life? Absolutely.

Both of you keep safe and remember this is the beginning of your life and yes, the racism inherent in college and work place was not just something your parents faced. USA is not even pretending to be egalitarian and fair.

You believe that the reason he wasn't accepted was because he is asian? Based on what?

Based on when colleges remove race as a factor, they overwhelmingly accept Asian-Americans. UCLA.

But why should colleges remove race as a factor? That makes no sense whatsoever. You seem to believe that the definition of "merit" is high grades and test scores. But that's just not it. Those are a single metric. There are many others that make a successful college application. I realize this may violate some people's paradigm of what "it takes" to get into colleges, but it's never been just about the numbers, no matter how many Saturdays those kids spent in cram schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that there are a million other kids with 800 Math SAT and 800 Physics Subject test. College is about academics. Or it should be. And he should have gotten into one of these schools. There are not that many more qualified applicants. The college have chosen to make bullshit excuses for some other agenda to select less qualified kids. I don't even know what that agenda is. But come on people, college IS about the ability to score 800 on a Physics test!!!Yes, there are some discrepancies they have to sort out being different grades and should put a little weight on recommendations or ECs but only when comparing kids in the same bucket. I have no dog in this fight. My kids at 1250 and 1450 -- not Ivy. But people actually think this is fair -- I don't get it. Maybe he worked to get so smart or maybe he was born that way ---- doesn't even matter to me. This isn't a job interview. It is selection into an academic program - why should it be based on this. I am disgusted but wish him well.

Tell that to all the college athletes out there with lower test scores/gpa's who got into the select colleges over the candidates with perfect numbers.

And then gnash your teeth about how these recruited athletes do well once they arrive. I agree that it’s really annoying when your ideas about who will succeed or not are upended.

Or when you ruin a childhood relentlessly pursuing something that isn't what you thought it was and then don't get it anyway. It is painful to realize you were wrong all along.

If it makes you feel better thinking that someone's childhood was ruined because they are high performers then it tells me more about the lack of ability of your children then anything else. All I keep hearing from non-Asian parents is trouble with vaping, sexting, not logging into zoom, suicide ideation...and I wonder what the hell went wrong with them?

Perhaps not having any accomplishment actually makes them think that they are worthless? Is that the real problem? Maybe they would actually be mentally healthier if they accomplished something. This kids stats stand even if he did not get into Ivy schools. He is a kid who has 4.0 and 1590. No one can take that away from him. I would rather have a kid with the stats of this boy and them going to UMD with merit scholarship and not getting into Ivy schools. His scholarship came about because of his high stats and he will be super successful doing his STEM major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't agree that there are a million other kids with 800 Math SAT and 800 Physics Subject test. College is about academics. Or it should be. And he should have gotten into one of these schools. There are not that many more qualified applicants. The college have chosen to make bullshit excuses for some other agenda to select less qualified kids. I don't even know what that agenda is. But come on people, college IS about the ability to score 800 on a Physics test!!!Yes, there are some discrepancies they have to sort out being different grades and should put a little weight on recommendations or ECs but only when comparing kids in the same bucket. I have no dog in this fight. My kids at 1250 and 1450 -- not Ivy. But people actually think this is fair -- I don't get it. Maybe he worked to get so smart or maybe he was born that way ---- doesn't even matter to me. This isn't a job interview. It is selection into an academic program - why should it be based on this. I am disgusted but wish him well.

Tell that to all the college athletes out there with lower test scores/gpa's who got into the select colleges over the candidates with perfect numbers.

And then gnash your teeth about how these recruited athletes do well once they arrive. I agree that it’s really annoying when your ideas about who will succeed or not are upended.

Or when you ruin a childhood relentlessly pursuing something that isn't what you thought it was and then don't get it anyway. It is painful to realize you were wrong all along.

If it makes you feel better thinking that someone's childhood was ruined because they are high performers then it tells me more about the lack of ability of your children then anything else. All I keep hearing from non-Asian parents is trouble with vaping, sexting, not logging into zoom, suicide ideation...and I wonder what the hell went wrong with them?

Perhaps not having any accomplishment actually makes them think that they are worthless? Is that the real problem? Maybe they would actually be mentally healthier if they accomplished something. This kids stats stand even if he did not get into Ivy schools. He is a kid who has 4.0 and 1590. No one can take that away from him. I would rather have a kid with the stats of this boy and them going to UMD with merit scholarship and not getting into Ivy schools. His scholarship came about because of his high stats and he will be super successful doing his STEM major.

Not to try to take anything away from this kid but, do you really think that your SAT score is an accomplishment? What exactly have you accomplished?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Charlie will be ok. Although if high stats kids keep getting rejected (I know plenty) by tippy top schools then schools like UMD will keep getting harder to get into for less than stellar kids.

UMD is only hard for getting into STEM subjects, no? You want to do Women's Study or Communications in UMD you will still easily get in. UMD is ranked along with Harvard for Comp Sci. There are many benefits for students to get into UMD because it is an awesome cohort. Harvard's loss is UMD's gain. Also, UMD grads get the industry recognition too so it is not as if employers don't know the value of these programs and the quality of candidates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not to try to take anything away from this kid but, do you really think that your SAT score is an accomplishment? What exactly have you accomplished?

Actually, you are trying to take away from this kid but whatever makes you feel good about your own life. Having a 1590 in SAT is an accomplishment. Better than getting the lower scores in 1300's and 1400's that most kids get, don't you think?

Is it the only accomplishment he has? No, not at all. A steller candidate in all ways.

[Anonymous]

Do you think being a White student with a penis an accomplishment? I don't think so. Wonder why colleges think that?

[Anonymous]

“but it's never been just about the numbers, no matter how many Saturdays those kids spent in cram schools.”

There it is again...stereotypes assumed if all kids who happen to be Asian American. It’s disgusting, 9:25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: “but it's never been just about the numbers, no matter how many Saturdays those kids spent in cram schools.”

There it is again...stereotypes assumed if all kids who happen to be Asian American. It’s disgusting, 9:25.

There's a lot of mud slinging going both ways in here, toots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: “but it's never been just about the numbers, no matter how many Saturdays those kids spent in cram schools.”

There it is again...stereotypes assumed if all kids who happen to be Asian American. It’s disgusting, 9:25.

It's more than a stereotype. Ask Amy Chua.

Are you arguing that Asians are naturally intellectually superior to other races? Because it almost sounds like that's your argument and you believe they deserve deference.

Get stuffed.

[Anonymous]

In the end...USA is racist AF.

[Anonymous]

As PPs have said, when were these schools strictly meritocracies? Apply to a wide variety of schools and see what happens.