Test optional success stories 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You guys are reading too much into it. White and Asian TO kids are fine. URM are not.

“Columbia shall maintain merit-based admissions policies.

Columbia may not, by any means, unlawfully preference applicants based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its programs.

No proxy for racial admission will be implemented or maintained. Columbia may not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.”

How do you define “merit”?

If test score, GPA, national talent, athletic ability, extracurricular achievement - without regard to race or national origin, I think that still allows all of these colleges to shape their class and get the French horn player, the recruited athlete, the inventor, the squash player, etc.

Not sure about donor/legacy. Those folks may be out of luck.

And obviously lower stats or unexceptional URM aren’t getting in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You guys are reading too much into it. White and Asian TO kids are fine. URM are not.

“Columbia shall maintain merit-based admissions policies.

Columbia may not, by any means, unlawfully preference applicants based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its programs.

No proxy for racial admission will be implemented or maintained. Columbia may not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.”

Did Columbia really say that? Unreal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are reading too much into it. White and Asian TO kids are fine. URM are not.

“Columbia shall maintain merit-based admissions policies.

Columbia may not, by any means, unlawfully preference applicants based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its programs.

No proxy for racial admission will be implemented or maintained. Columbia may not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.”

How do you define “merit”?

If test score, GPA, national talent, athletic ability, extracurricular achievement - without regard to race or national origin, I think that still allows all of these colleges to shape their class and get the French horn player, the recruited athlete, the inventor, the squash player, etc.

Not sure about donor/legacy. Those folks may be out of luck.

And obviously lower stats or unexceptional URM aren’t getting in.

Donor and legacy actually favored by Trump admin. Stanford just declined state money to return to having a legacy preference. https://stanforddaily.com/2025/08/06/stanford-to-continue-legacy-admissions-reinstate-standardized-test-requirements/

[Anonymous]

All of this also is happening with graduate school admissions and residency selection as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These schools don’t want a class filled with 90% Asian kids. Neither does Trump.

Exaaaactly. This is why Trump will never push for Test Required.

They know what will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These schools don’t want a class filled with 90% Asian kids. Neither does Trump.

Exaaaactly. This is why Trump will never push for Test Required.

They know what will happen.

Again they are pushing for use of test scores. Educate yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are reading too much into it. White and Asian TO kids are fine. URM are not.

“Columbia shall maintain merit-based admissions policies.

Columbia may not, by any means, unlawfully preference applicants based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its programs.

No proxy for racial admission will be implemented or maintained. Columbia may not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.”

Did Columbia really say that? Unreal.

Its part of the DOE order that Columbia agreed to with the Trump admin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These schools don’t want a class filled with 90% Asian kids. Neither does Trump.

Exaaaactly. This is why Trump will never push for Test Required.

They know what will happen.

Again they are pushing for use of test scores. Educate yourself.

Use of test scores is one part of "merit". Not requiring it.
Education yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These schools don’t want a class filled with 90% Asian kids. Neither does Trump.

Exaaaactly. This is why Trump will never push for Test Required.

They know what will happen.

Again they are pushing for use of test scores. Educate yourself.

Use of test scores is one part of "merit". Not requiring it.
Education yourself.

Ok, live in your fact free world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are reading too much into it. White and Asian TO kids are fine. URM are not.

“Columbia shall maintain merit-based admissions policies.

Columbia may not, by any means, unlawfully preference applicants based on race, color, or national origin in admissions throughout its programs.

No proxy for racial admission will be implemented or maintained. Columbia may not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.”

Did Columbia really say that? Unreal.

Its part of the DOE order that Columbia agreed to with the Trump admin.

It is also the current law, post the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, no college can use other factors as a means to discriminate on the basis of race.