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

OMG!  What makes you think someone who is focused on developing academic excellence has no time or opportunity to develop social and emotional skills, will not be able to react to stressful work situations, and make emotional connections?  [/quote]

Ummm, YOU for one, by suggesting "SOLELY" academic excellence be considered as an admission criteria.

Still haven't answered the question, also.  If Harvard thinks they are better at being Harvard by giving admissions points to recruited athletes, who are you to say they are wrong?[/quote]

I don’t think that special points for being a recruited athlete is an issue because that’s based on excellence in a particular area that a school seems to be important, just as there may be special points granted to a world class pianist, a national debate champion, etc.

Also, I don’t believe that giving special points to account for overcoming life obstacles, such as lower socioeconomic status, first generation college attendee status, or attending lower performing inner city or rural schools, is an issue, either.

Finally, it’s understood that an applicant that just has high test scores without significant extracurricular and leadership activities is not going to cut it at a university that uses holistic admissions.

All of the above is acceptable and true... but that still doesn’t mean that it’s equitable to discriminate against an Asian simply because he/she is Asian (which is much different than saying an inner city school student should get a bonus over an upper middle class suburban student regardless of race). A lot of people here seem to be jumping to the stereotype of the Asian “robot” yet again in assuming that they’re just grade/test score-obsessed automotans, when the reality is that these Asian applicants to Harvard and other top schools generally have all of the extracurricular, leadership and athletic achievements that you could reasonably ask for AND those top grades and test scores. There is absolutely nothing lacking in their applications from any objective or subjective measure and they would be 100% granted admission if they were black or Latino. Let’s not pretend that race is being used as even a tiebreaker between two relatively equal candidates - the evidence is that Asians are getting disproportionately docked on the one subjective “personality” score that’s being administered at the admissions office level.

Once again, propping an applicant up based on athletic prowess or a history of overcoming life obstacles that don’t impact affluent people are valid and worthy reasons to admit someone that may superficially have lower grades or test scores. That’s all totally reasonable and admirable. All of that can still be done without resorting to not-so-thinly veiled quotas to keep down the number of Asians based on race in an effort to have the campus look like a Benetton ad. Giving points to certain applicants based on non-racial factors doesn’t necessitate docking points for applicants based solely on race.[/quote]

Don’t be shocked if in the near future all standardize testing requirements are dropping from
selectiive school applications. It would solve a huge issue for selective  schools and essentially allow them to reject or accept who any candidate with impunity. It is widely understood that grades from different schools are not comparable so GPAs mean nothing without context ( An A from a failing school, an average suburban or an elite boarding school are not the same).  Harvard will be able to justify admitting the same mix of wealthy kids (feeder, well know schools) and it may lead to a drop in first generation or low income students of all kind because the lack of testing and non feeder school education will cause make it harder for the students to obtain acceptance. ..The idea that the most elite wealthy schools that have for generations made America’s leaders are going to change their purpose and mission and squander their wealth and resources on any minority group is laughable.  In the end, Harvard will likely find a way remain Harvard training ground for world leaders not cal tech. [/quote]

HYPS MIGHT drop Standardized testing in the future after Kavs kills AA (and even with that group I doubt P will) but even that is doubtful. Progressives have asked H to drop it already - H internally look at it and decided not to.

But the tier under that? JHU, Duke, CMU, NU, WUSTL, lower ivies - haha not a chance. They'll keep testing because their yields and brands aren't nearly as strong as HYS.

[/quote]

PP I disagree.  Kids cut schools from their list under pressure.  If you ask for more (essays, test or recommendations) than competing schools you loose applicants.  If HYPS drop scores other schools will follow.. just like when Harvard dropped ED Harvard brought it back because kids just applied ED elsewhere.  I don't think its realistic for the plaintiffs to think that elite schools are going to abandon their missions and long term donors/alumni/supporters to become CalTech. Has any American institution become overrun with AA candidates NO.  There is more diversity on the margin and admission standards to almost everything have changed to keep it that way.  So I think the college admission process will shift to protect the descendants of the names on the buildings/scholarships/professorships, athletes on the playing fields, legacies that may not have an official tip and a host of others.  I am not sure what that will all mean but I remained convinced it will not look like CalTech.   [/quote]

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