Latest high school student to be admitted to all 8 Ivies...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a white male that got accepted to all 8 ivies.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/05/us/nd-teen-ivy-league-trnd/index.html

Interesting - and thanks for finding this. He is a NMSP semi-finalist, a candidate for the Presidential Scholar program, plays three sports, and is in several orchestras. He also likely got a bump for being from North Dakota.

I have searched for more information about Ifeoma, to see if there's more information about her accomplishments (because I understand that CNN may have missed some when they reported her great news). I don't see any more activities or awards.

Call me crazy (or mean or racist or whatever) but he does seem like a stronger candidate to me.

No offense, but it does not matter who "seems" to be the stronger candidate. She got in just like he did. Maybe they will cross paths in their Freshman year classes. LOL!

maybe it doesn't matter to you. clearly it matters enough to people here to comment on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

You guys act like smart kids can't tease out who's dumb within 30 seconds. Dumb jocks and dumb legacies and dumb affirmative action admits are all put in the same category by their actually accomplished peers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nigerians place a huge emphasis on education and on excelling, as some have previously noted. Nigerians also account for 25 percent of black students at Harvard Business School. They are consistently academic standouts. Not affirmative action.

Nigerians (and Cubans) are obsessed with exploiting American affirmative action policies that were not intended for them.

Jesus. I guess it's totally impossible that a young woman of color could, by herself, merit these admissions?

I can completely understand why this MoCo student wrote this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/finding-growth-at-my-historically-black-college.html

one of the biggest problems with those policies is that it casts a cloud on even the most deserving recipients. if there is an alternative explanation for her acceptances than, yes, people are going to wonder.

Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

no, actually, it's more of her issue. not saying she should care, she probably shouldn't and can't do anything about it anyway, byt what people think about how one got where she is can have a real life consequences.

also, not true that people don't care about legacies. jared kushner was written about prominently and disparagingly because he bought his way into harvard. people still talk about it, and it's pretty much a kind of a stigma. i am sure he was bothered by it, certainly at college and maybe even today. he has a harvard degree yet it doesn't feel real though he (i assume) did all the coursework.

the point is the same - what people think about how one got to where they are can be consequential. ignoring that is not easy.

But the thing is that with respect to this young lady....YOU (not you...but you get my point) are making assumptions about her and assigning a stigma. She will NEVER be able to control what others irrationally think how about she got to a school, so it should not matter to her one bit. People "wondering" about how she got in is due to their own prejudices. She should use her energy being the best student she can be - not worrying about how to dispel an uninformed assumption. It is a game she cannot win. I am sure that she worked her butt off to get into these schools - these schools do not admit just anyone. So if I am her and I know how hard I worked, anyone who assumes otherwise can underestimate me to their peril. I am not that sensitive and neither are my DC's - one college grad, one in college and one going next year.

All this young lady can do is make the best of the opportunity. If she goes to one of the schools, makes the grades, has the right internships and aligns herself with the right people, then she has made the best of it.

As far as Jared, he may feel bad about it although I doubt it. Why should he? Because YOU think so? I am sure that is Rolodex and his bankbook make him feel better though.

Lol.....it isn't irrational at all to assume that an URM (apart from Asians) will have lower qualifications ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body. Why? Because it's a fact. I wish this young woman nothing but the best and she may very well be an outlier and have gained admissions if the process was color blind but don't ignore hard data......it just makes your look ignorant.

Ok...but what is your point? SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THESE UNIVERSITIES!! Why should she or my own AA kids in college give a flying fcvk about data or what you assume. She is sitting next to your kid (or maybe not) in the same damn lecture halls. Assume what you want. LOL

As I have posted many times before, this is typical of the mind games that many Whites play with the young POC’s. You want them to feel bad about the opportunities they have. They end up questioning whether they deserve certain things or whether they belong certain places. Problem is that a lot of these young people don’t have adequate support to counteract these messages. Some of them come from places where they already feel less advantaged when they hit campus. Many of them are first generation college students so they do not have informed support at home. They end up feeling like they do not belong – too embarrassed to ask for help and use the resources that are available to them. When I talk to some of these youngsters that I know who had difficulty, they talk about not “fitting in.” Then you have POC parents like me who tell our kids to ignore that shit. If you ARE THERE, you belong there! Mold the experience to fit and benefit you! If someone wants to whine about how they think you got there, let them. My parents told me (and I tell my own kids) to be committed to my own success. Matters not how you start but how you finish. Be a finisher. If you get good grades or you prove your value to your employer, the people that matter could not care less how you got there – only that you ARE there.

you keep writing as if sitting in a lecture or getting admitted is a major life accomplishment instead of merely a beginning to, hopefully, real life success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nigerians place a huge emphasis on education and on excelling, as some have previously noted. Nigerians also account for 25 percent of black students at Harvard Business School. They are consistently academic standouts. Not affirmative action.

Nigerians (and Cubans) are obsessed with exploiting American affirmative action policies that were not intended for them.

Jesus. I guess it's totally impossible that a young woman of color could, by herself, merit these admissions?

I can completely understand why this MoCo student wrote this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/finding-growth-at-my-historically-black-college.html

one of the biggest problems with those policies is that it casts a cloud on even the most deserving recipients. if there is an alternative explanation for her acceptances than, yes, people are going to wonder.

Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

no, actually, it's more of her issue. not saying she should care, she probably shouldn't and can't do anything about it anyway, byt what people think about how one got where she is can have a real life consequences.

also, not true that people don't care about legacies. jared kushner was written about prominently and disparagingly because he bought his way into harvard. people still talk about it, and it's pretty much a kind of a stigma. i am sure he was bothered by it, certainly at college and maybe even today. he has a harvard degree yet it doesn't feel real though he (i assume) did all the coursework.

the point is the same - what people think about how one got to where they are can be consequential. ignoring that is not easy.

But the thing is that with respect to this young lady....YOU (not you...but you get my point) are making assumptions about her and assigning a stigma. She will NEVER be able to control what others irrationally think how about she got to a school, so it should not matter to her one bit. People "wondering" about how she got in is due to their own prejudices. She should use her energy being the best student she can be - not worrying about how to dispel an uninformed assumption. It is a game she cannot win. I am sure that she worked her butt off to get into these schools - these schools do not admit just anyone. So if I am her and I know how hard I worked, anyone who assumes otherwise can underestimate me to their peril. I am not that sensitive and neither are my DC's - one college grad, one in college and one going next year.

All this young lady can do is make the best of the opportunity. If she goes to one of the schools, makes the grades, has the right internships and aligns herself with the right people, then she has made the best of it.

As far as Jared, he may feel bad about it although I doubt it. Why should he? Because YOU think so? I am sure that is Rolodex and his bankbook make him feel better though.

Lol.....it isn't irrational at all to assume that an URM (apart from Asians) will have lower qualifications ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body. Why? Because it's a fact. I wish this young woman nothing but the best and she may very well be an outlier and have gained admissions if the process was color blind but don't ignore hard data......it just makes your look ignorant.

Ok...but what is your point? SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THESE UNIVERSITIES!! Why should she or my own AA kids in college give a flying fcvk about data or what you assume. She is sitting next to your kid (or maybe not) in the same damn lecture halls. Assume what you want. LOL

As I have posted many times before, this is typical of the mind games that many Whites play with the young POC’s. You want them to feel bad about the opportunities they have. They end up questioning whether they deserve certain things or whether they belong certain places. Problem is that a lot of these young people don’t have adequate support to counteract these messages. Some of them come from places where they already feel less advantaged when they hit campus. Many of them are first generation college students so they do not have informed support at home. They end up feeling like they do not belong – too embarrassed to ask for help and use the resources that are available to them. When I talk to some of these youngsters that I know who had difficulty, they talk about not “fitting in.” Then you have POC parents like me who tell our kids to ignore that shit. If you ARE THERE, you belong there! Mold the experience to fit and benefit you! If someone wants to whine about how they think you got there, let them. My parents told me (and I tell my own kids) to be committed to my own success. Matters not how you start but how you finish. Be a finisher. If you get good grades or you prove your value to your employer, the people that matter could not care less how you got there – only that you ARE there.

you keep writing as if sitting in a lecture or getting admitted is a major life accomplishment instead of merely a beginning to, hopefully, real life success.

*looks at title of thread* Right....LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

You guys act like smart kids can't tease out who's dumb within 30 seconds. Dumb jocks and dumb legacies and dumb affirmative action admits are all put in the same category by their actually accomplished peers.

Yup...and they all end up with the same diploma from the same school. Go figure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ivies= 27% Jewish, URM, athletes, legacies, famous/super wealthy. There is no room for non Jewish whites.

That math is not quite adding up. Who makes up the other 73%?

27% is Jewish.

[Anonymous]

This really is a fascinating thread.

This thread was intended to shed a positive light on a young woman.

And, because she is POC, most of the comments diminish and belittle a positive story. ANY kid who can pull this off deserves praise - I do not care what color they are. It is something to be proud of - not as a life defining accomplishment but as a significant accomplishment for a HS senior. It is a shame that we have not progressed enough for people just to say good job and wish her luck.

I have always noticed that certain prejudices and shadiness comes up around this time in the college process. I saw it with the parents of my kids' friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

You guys act like smart kids can't tease out who's dumb within 30 seconds. Dumb jocks and dumb legacies and dumb affirmative action admits are all put in the same category by their actually accomplished peers.

Yup...and they all end up with the same diploma from the same school. Go figure.

um... but things don't end with a diploma. different students have different GPAs, coursework, letters of recommendations, internships and, as a result, job and graduate school prospects. life doesn't stop when you get into college (there is a "harvard losers club" on the harvard alumni network). you sound like someone who went to a low ranked school or perhaps doesn't even have a degree and from that vantage point all harvard kids look the same. but they aren't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nigerians place a huge emphasis on education and on excelling, as some have previously noted. Nigerians also account for 25 percent of black students at Harvard Business School. They are consistently academic standouts. Not affirmative action.

Nigerians (and Cubans) are obsessed with exploiting American affirmative action policies that were not intended for them.

Jesus. I guess it's totally impossible that a young woman of color could, by herself, merit these admissions?

I can completely understand why this MoCo student wrote this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/finding-growth-at-my-historically-black-college.html

one of the biggest problems with those policies is that it casts a cloud on even the most deserving recipients. if there is an alternative explanation for her acceptances than, yes, people are going to wonder.

Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

no, actually, it's more of her issue. not saying she should care, she probably shouldn't and can't do anything about it anyway, byt what people think about how one got where she is can have a real life consequences.

also, not true that people don't care about legacies. jared kushner was written about prominently and disparagingly because he bought his way into harvard. people still talk about it, and it's pretty much a kind of a stigma. i am sure he was bothered by it, certainly at college and maybe even today. he has a harvard degree yet it doesn't feel real though he (i assume) did all the coursework.

the point is the same - what people think about how one got to where they are can be consequential. ignoring that is not easy.

But the thing is that with respect to this young lady....YOU (not you...but you get my point) are making assumptions about her and assigning a stigma. She will NEVER be able to control what others irrationally think how about she got to a school, so it should not matter to her one bit. People "wondering" about how she got in is due to their own prejudices. She should use her energy being the best student she can be - not worrying about how to dispel an uninformed assumption. It is a game she cannot win. I am sure that she worked her butt off to get into these schools - these schools do not admit just anyone. So if I am her and I know how hard I worked, anyone who assumes otherwise can underestimate me to their peril. I am not that sensitive and neither are my DC's - one college grad, one in college and one going next year.

All this young lady can do is make the best of the opportunity. If she goes to one of the schools, makes the grades, has the right internships and aligns herself with the right people, then she has made the best of it.

As far as Jared, he may feel bad about it although I doubt it. Why should he? Because YOU think so? I am sure that is Rolodex and his bankbook make him feel better though.

Lol.....it isn't irrational at all to assume that an URM (apart from Asians) will have lower qualifications ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body. Why? Because it's a fact. I wish this young woman nothing but the best and she may very well be an outlier and have gained admissions if the process was color blind but don't ignore hard data......it just makes your look ignorant.

Ok...but what is your point? SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THESE UNIVERSITIES!! Why should she or my own AA kids in college give a flying fcvk about data or what you assume. She is sitting next to your kid (or maybe not) in the same damn lecture halls. Assume what you want. LOL

As I have posted many times before, this is typical of the mind games that many Whites play with the young POC’s. You want them to feel bad about the opportunities they have. They end up questioning whether they deserve certain things or whether they belong certain places. Problem is that a lot of these young people don’t have adequate support to counteract these messages. Some of them come from places where they already feel less advantaged when they hit campus. Many of them are first generation college students so they do not have informed support at home. They end up feeling like they do not belong – too embarrassed to ask for help and use the resources that are available to them. When I talk to some of these youngsters that I know who had difficulty, they talk about not “fitting in.” Then you have POC parents like me who tell our kids to ignore that shit. If you ARE THERE, you belong there! Mold the experience to fit and benefit you! If someone wants to whine about how they think you got there, let them. My parents told me (and I tell my own kids) to be committed to my own success. Matters not how you start but how you finish. Be a finisher. If you get good grades or you prove your value to your employer, the people that matter could not care less how you got there – only that you ARE there.

You have a reading comprehension problem. My point has nothing to do with the merits of this young lady. For all we know she could be the most singularly qualified applicant in history. Bravo, I wish her the best. My point is that you stated it was irrational for people to assume that URMs (other than Asians) were accepted with lower credentials ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body and that isn't irrational at all, it is a fact. Likewise it wouldn't be irrational to look at varsity athletes and assume that their credentials ON AVERAGE are lower than those of the balance of the student body because that too is a fact. The same goes with legacies and other special interest groups. I'm not making a value judgement and in truth I believe the vast majority of students understand the nuances of the admissions process and accept them for what they are. FWIW I'm glad you're counseling students of color not to ignore what others think and I agree that once on campus everybody is equal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

You guys act like smart kids can't tease out who's dumb within 30 seconds. Dumb jocks and dumb legacies and dumb affirmative action admits are all put in the same category by their actually accomplished peers.

Yup...and they all end up with the same diploma from the same school. Go figure.

um... but things don't end with a diploma. different students have different GPAs, coursework, letters of recommendations, internships and, as a result, job and graduate school prospects. life doesn't stop when you get into college (there is a "harvard losers club" on the harvard alumni network). you sound like someone who went to a low ranked school or perhaps doesn't even have a degree and from that vantage point all harvard kids look the same. but they aren't.

Well, you would be surprised at the university that I attended (hint: this young lady was admitted to that university). It just seems odd to me that, in a thread about college admission, you are adding all sorts of things into the mix just to avoid giving this young lady some faint praise. Of course life does not end with a diploma and her college admission is just a step in her life's journey. Safe to say that we all know that. However, this is a thread about a young lady being accepted into the Ivies. Her story is not written yet - that does not mean that we cannot praise what she has done thus far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nigerians place a huge emphasis on education and on excelling, as some have previously noted. Nigerians also account for 25 percent of black students at Harvard Business School. They are consistently academic standouts. Not affirmative action.

Nigerians (and Cubans) are obsessed with exploiting American affirmative action policies that were not intended for them.

Jesus. I guess it's totally impossible that a young woman of color could, by herself, merit these admissions?

I can completely understand why this MoCo student wrote this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/finding-growth-at-my-historically-black-college.html

one of the biggest problems with those policies is that it casts a cloud on even the most deserving recipients. if there is an alternative explanation for her acceptances than, yes, people are going to wonder.

Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

no, actually, it's more of her issue. not saying she should care, she probably shouldn't and can't do anything about it anyway, byt what people think about how one got where she is can have a real life consequences.

also, not true that people don't care about legacies. jared kushner was written about prominently and disparagingly because he bought his way into harvard. people still talk about it, and it's pretty much a kind of a stigma. i am sure he was bothered by it, certainly at college and maybe even today. he has a harvard degree yet it doesn't feel real though he (i assume) did all the coursework.

the point is the same - what people think about how one got to where they are can be consequential. ignoring that is not easy.

But the thing is that with respect to this young lady....YOU (not you...but you get my point) are making assumptions about her and assigning a stigma. She will NEVER be able to control what others irrationally think how about she got to a school, so it should not matter to her one bit. People "wondering" about how she got in is due to their own prejudices. She should use her energy being the best student she can be - not worrying about how to dispel an uninformed assumption. It is a game she cannot win. I am sure that she worked her butt off to get into these schools - these schools do not admit just anyone. So if I am her and I know how hard I worked, anyone who assumes otherwise can underestimate me to their peril. I am not that sensitive and neither are my DC's - one college grad, one in college and one going next year.

All this young lady can do is make the best of the opportunity. If she goes to one of the schools, makes the grades, has the right internships and aligns herself with the right people, then she has made the best of it.

As far as Jared, he may feel bad about it although I doubt it. Why should he? Because YOU think so? I am sure that is Rolodex and his bankbook make him feel better though.

Lol.....it isn't irrational at all to assume that an URM (apart from Asians) will have lower qualifications ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body. Why? Because it's a fact. I wish this young woman nothing but the best and she may very well be an outlier and have gained admissions if the process was color blind but don't ignore hard data......it just makes your look ignorant.

Ok...but what is your point? SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THESE UNIVERSITIES!! Why should she or my own AA kids in college give a flying fcvk about data or what you assume. She is sitting next to your kid (or maybe not) in the same damn lecture halls. Assume what you want. LOL

As I have posted many times before, this is typical of the mind games that many Whites play with the young POC’s. You want them to feel bad about the opportunities they have. They end up questioning whether they deserve certain things or whether they belong certain places. Problem is that a lot of these young people don’t have adequate support to counteract these messages. Some of them come from places where they already feel less advantaged when they hit campus. Many of them are first generation college students so they do not have informed support at home. They end up feeling like they do not belong – too embarrassed to ask for help and use the resources that are available to them. When I talk to some of these youngsters that I know who had difficulty, they talk about not “fitting in.” Then you have POC parents like me who tell our kids to ignore that shit. If you ARE THERE, you belong there! Mold the experience to fit and benefit you! If someone wants to whine about how they think you got there, let them. My parents told me (and I tell my own kids) to be committed to my own success. Matters not how you start but how you finish. Be a finisher. If you get good grades or you prove your value to your employer, the people that matter could not care less how you got there – only that you ARE there.

You have a reading comprehension problem. My point has nothing to do with the merits of this young lady. For all we know she could be the most singularly qualified applicant in history. Bravo, I wish her the best. My point is that you stated it was irrational for people to assume that URMs (other than Asians) were accepted with lower credentials ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body and that isn't irrational at all, it is a fact. Likewise it wouldn't be irrational to look at varsity athletes and assume that their credentials ON AVERAGE are lower than those of the balance of the student body because that too is a fact. The same goes with legacies and other special interest groups. I'm not making a value judgement and in truth I believe the vast majority of students understand the nuances of the admissions process and accept them for what they are. FWIW I'm glad you're counseling students of color not to ignore what others think and I agree that once on campus everybody is equal.

No I do not have a reading comprehension problem. I got what you said. I know what the data says and I know what people will assume. What I am saying is that, with respect to any specific POC student, the assumption of others is not the kid's problem and they should not worry about it one bit. It is waste of energy and not constructive. She will be a student at the university like everyone else. She needs to focus on being the best student she can and let her performance be her validation.

Personally, I think MOST assumptions are irrational and I tell my own kids to take advantage of those assumptions. When people assume things about you, they tend to underestimate you.

[Anonymous]

huge chip on shoulder check typical black female lolz

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nigerians place a huge emphasis on education and on excelling, as some have previously noted. Nigerians also account for 25 percent of black students at Harvard Business School. They are consistently academic standouts. Not affirmative action.

Nigerians (and Cubans) are obsessed with exploiting American affirmative action policies that were not intended for them.

Jesus. I guess it's totally impossible that a young woman of color could, by herself, merit these admissions?

I can completely understand why this MoCo student wrote this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/01/opinion/sunday/finding-growth-at-my-historically-black-college.html

one of the biggest problems with those policies is that it casts a cloud on even the most deserving recipients. if there is an alternative explanation for her acceptances than, yes, people are going to wonder.

Ok...but why should ANY kid give a damn about how YOU or anyone else think they got there? Let them wonder. That is more your issue than it is hers. I tell my own kids and kids that mentor that it should not matter how you got there. If you show up, do the work and take advantage of the opportunities, then it is all good. But do not give one thought to other people speculating about why you got an opportunity.

Because a White kid could be dumb as a rock and get in because of legacy status. Not one of you would look at him and think twice about him belonging at that school. But a POC gets in and now everyone wants to second -guess and parse her accomplishments.

no, actually, it's more of her issue. not saying she should care, she probably shouldn't and can't do anything about it anyway, byt what people think about how one got where she is can have a real life consequences.

also, not true that people don't care about legacies. jared kushner was written about prominently and disparagingly because he bought his way into harvard. people still talk about it, and it's pretty much a kind of a stigma. i am sure he was bothered by it, certainly at college and maybe even today. he has a harvard degree yet it doesn't feel real though he (i assume) did all the coursework.

the point is the same - what people think about how one got to where they are can be consequential. ignoring that is not easy.

But the thing is that with respect to this young lady....YOU (not you...but you get my point) are making assumptions about her and assigning a stigma. She will NEVER be able to control what others irrationally think how about she got to a school, so it should not matter to her one bit. People "wondering" about how she got in is due to their own prejudices. She should use her energy being the best student she can be - not worrying about how to dispel an uninformed assumption. It is a game she cannot win. I am sure that she worked her butt off to get into these schools - these schools do not admit just anyone. So if I am her and I know how hard I worked, anyone who assumes otherwise can underestimate me to their peril. I am not that sensitive and neither are my DC's - one college grad, one in college and one going next year.

All this young lady can do is make the best of the opportunity. If she goes to one of the schools, makes the grades, has the right internships and aligns herself with the right people, then she has made the best of it.

As far as Jared, he may feel bad about it although I doubt it. Why should he? Because YOU think so? I am sure that is Rolodex and his bankbook make him feel better though.

Lol.....it isn't irrational at all to assume that an URM (apart from Asians) will have lower qualifications ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body. Why? Because it's a fact. I wish this young woman nothing but the best and she may very well be an outlier and have gained admissions if the process was color blind but don't ignore hard data......it just makes your look ignorant.

Ok...but what is your point? SHE WAS ADMITTED TO THESE UNIVERSITIES!! Why should she or my own AA kids in college give a flying fcvk about data or what you assume. She is sitting next to your kid (or maybe not) in the same damn lecture halls. Assume what you want. LOL

As I have posted many times before, this is typical of the mind games that many Whites play with the young POC’s. You want them to feel bad about the opportunities they have. They end up questioning whether they deserve certain things or whether they belong certain places. Problem is that a lot of these young people don’t have adequate support to counteract these messages. Some of them come from places where they already feel less advantaged when they hit campus. Many of them are first generation college students so they do not have informed support at home. They end up feeling like they do not belong – too embarrassed to ask for help and use the resources that are available to them. When I talk to some of these youngsters that I know who had difficulty, they talk about not “fitting in.” Then you have POC parents like me who tell our kids to ignore that shit. If you ARE THERE, you belong there! Mold the experience to fit and benefit you! If someone wants to whine about how they think you got there, let them. My parents told me (and I tell my own kids) to be committed to my own success. Matters not how you start but how you finish. Be a finisher. If you get good grades or you prove your value to your employer, the people that matter could not care less how you got there – only that you ARE there.

You have a reading comprehension problem. My point has nothing to do with the merits of this young lady. For all we know she could be the most singularly qualified applicant in history. Bravo, I wish her the best. My point is that you stated it was irrational for people to assume that URMs (other than Asians) were accepted with lower credentials ON AVERAGE than the balance of the student body and that isn't irrational at all, it is a fact. Likewise it wouldn't be irrational to look at varsity athletes and assume that their credentials ON AVERAGE are lower than those of the balance of the student body because that too is a fact. The same goes with legacies and other special interest groups. I'm not making a value judgement and in truth I believe the vast majority of students understand the nuances of the admissions process and accept them for what they are. FWIW I'm glad you're counseling students of color not to ignore what others think and I agree that once on campus everybody is equal.

No I do not have a reading comprehension problem. I got what you said. I know what the data says and I know what people will assume. What I am saying is that, with respect to any specific POC student, the assumption of others is not the kid's problem and they should not worry about it one bit. It is waste of energy and not constructive. She will be a student at the university like everyone else. She needs to focus on being the best student she can and let her performance be her validation.

Personally, I think MOST assumptions are irrational and I tell my own kids to take advantage of those assumptions. When people assume things about you, they tend to underestimate you.

+1. Being underestimated is one of her biggest competitive advantages. While her fellow classmates (NMF and the like) were likely underestimating her abilities (like many posting here), she was whipping their asses in the college admissions game. Let them continue to waste their time trying to figure out how she got there, while she's grabbing every brass ring in sight. Go Ifeoma!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP then who really deserves a helping hand? Otherwise race blind.

My personal opinion is to do away with affirmative action, and instead of working through our education system, develop targeted and conditional job offers to communities with poverty and crime issues. Affirmative action tries to right a wrong with another wrong but is unfair to other students in the process. Populations selected through affirmative action then have the legitimacy of their achievements disputed. It's not working.

I agree, and I am super liberal.

I went to a highly selective college and most of the minority students were from wealthy homes with a tradition of valuing education, often immigrant doctors or professors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP then who really deserves a helping hand? Otherwise race blind.

My personal opinion is to do away with affirmative action, and instead of working through our education system, develop targeted and conditional job offers to communities with poverty and crime issues. Affirmative action tries to right a wrong with another wrong but is unfair to other students in the process. Populations selected through affirmative action then have the legitimacy of their achievements disputed. It's not working.

I agree, and I am super liberal.

I went to a highly selective college and most of the minority students were from wealthy homes with a tradition of valuing education, often immigrant doctors or professors.

I think the dirty little secret of highly selective colleges is that they are quite happy to take URMs from upper middle class families because the school gets to pad their URM admissions statistics without taking on the retention, assimilation and performance risks associated with a URM that comes from socioeconomically disadvantaged families.