Reply to Update on Harvard Lawsuit

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

I disagree with your statement.  "solely on academic excellence" by definition [b]is equal to "fair" and "non-discriminatory" as long as Harvard doesn't deny admission offer to a higher scoring candidate while offering admission to a lower scoring candidate[/b], as long as what academic excellence is understood by all. [/quote]

Again, you are basing it all on test scores.  Test scores do not equal academic excellence nor do they guarantee alone what a student will contribute to the campus and its classrooms.  They are, at best, a confirming data point.  Also, what do you do about non-scoring academic excellence, such as in the arts?  A gifted musician gets no chance if he can't get above a 28 on the science section?

[quote=Anonymous]If someone or a group of students couldn't achieve the needed academic excellence because of circumstances not created by Harvard (E.g. societal oppression for which Harvard can't do anything about) it is fair and non-discriminatory for Harvard to follow academic excellence as the sole criterion.  [/quote]

I do not understand this sentence so cannot reply to it.[/quote]

I used the word "score" in a haste.  But I also said "as long as what academic excellence is understood by all".  I don't presume that standardized score alone is academic excellence.  I agree, it is an indicator of one in high school core subject areas.  Also, academic excellence is field specific (what area of pursuit we are talking about) and as such standardized score may not mean much in some areas of pursuit (E.g. poetry, play acting, drawing, sculpting, singing, etc.).  But every pursuit has its own identification of what excellence means in its realm and people who pursue that path know when they see excellence (as the saying goes, I know it when I see it).  Harvard should apply appropriate excellence measure as it offers admission to applicants among its varied academic departments.

As for the last part of my post, what I am saying is that Harvard shouldn't reduce its measure of excellence and offer admission to anyone just because they couldn't be competitive enough due to circumstances not in control of Harvard (E.g. poor quality schools).  However, I firmly believe that first gen and economically poor students should be given special consideration for admission to Harvard.  While the admission bar is lower for such students and hence they aren't as prepared as their other classmates, with encouragement and social and academic support from faculty and fellow students they will do well in their studies and their careers afterward.[/quote]

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