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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Interesting article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickhess/2022/06/13/pulling-back-the-veil-on-college-admissions/?sh=35bfd2283bc6

"Indeed, Goldstein says that the only populations with non-trivial odds of admission at these colleges are athletes, legacies, children of faculty or donors, certain racial minorities, first generation college students, students from upscale private schools, and [b]those whose academic records put them in the top one percent of applicants.[/b] About half of all admitted students belong to one of those preferred groups.

Most everyone else (for whom the acceptance rate is about 2%) might be better off saving their admissions fees."[/quote]

I disagree with the bolded.  It should be "those whose academic records put them in the top one percent of one percent of applicants.".  Academics will help with not getting cut but after that all the social engineering BS kicks in to eliminate a lot of the Asian and White kids with no strings.  [/quote]

And that is a good thing, honestly.  I would not want my kid attending school with only white/asian kids.  I (and my kids) want diversity.  That means ethnic diversity, social diversity, socioeconomic diversity, major diversity, etc.  Makes the world a more exciting place.  We recognize that we are privileged and not everyone has those advantages in life.

Similarly, I recognize that my DD had an advantage applying to college as a STEM/Engineering major.  She probably got acceptances places where the "similar male" did not, simply because most good engineering programs are looking to improve M/F ratio.  So that means more females will get acceptances than males, in hopes of yielding closer to 50/50.  It also means she likely got additional merit at several schools simply by being a female.  That's life and it's a good thing as we work towards equity for everyone on many levels.

Yes, being a white or asian, upper middle class/rich male has some disadvantages in the college process.  But that kid has had so many advantages in life in their 18 years simply because of that.  I for one want to help URM and first gen kids find their way to a great college and onto doing amazing things in life.  That benefits society as a whole. And I wouldn't want my kid to attend a university made up of 100% white/asian, rich kids---that would be depressing and boring.

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Stop. Men also have advantages in other ways. At the more elite colleges, where fewer men apply, they have an advantage for the reasons you state - so that the college can "shape" their incoming class to be diverse. That's a fact - google it. Read a book.

And yes, I agree, diversity is a good thing. But, I was first gen, poor family, etc. etc. I've worked hard to made a good living (not rich) and give my child the things I didn't have. And now you're saying that DC is "privileged enough" so tough tomatoes if you don't get into a good college (however one defines that)? [/quote]

Oh stop. Never did I say your "DC is privileged enough".  However the fact is they have experienced privilege in certain areas of their life, apparently according to you. If they are a White male they definately have.  What I'm saying is stop complaining you didn't get in because of "first gen, URM, etc." got my DC spot instead.  You yourself were poor and first gen so you know how hard it is to grow up like that.  Your own kids have had advantages you did not have.  [b]But just because you've worked hard does not mean they deserve a spot more than anyone else.[/b] Everyone at an Ivy or T20 (or whatever level school you are complaining about not getting into) worked hard to do well and go to a great college.

Ironically, you were "first gen/poor family, etc etc" yet somehow have lost touch with all the extra hard work it takes for someone with that background to get to college, stay in college (finances, need to help family pay bills, etc), and graduate.

Your DC will get into a good college---maybe just not a T10 or T20, just like thousands of other kids each year who are highly qualified, because there are simply not enough spots in T20 schools for everyone who is "qualified".  So rich, poor, first gen, URM, and other groups will all have plenty who get rejected from a T20 university that were "qualified".

So stop complaining and focus on helping your kid find a school that they got accepted to that is a great fit for them.  Your kid is should d well wherever they go, because they have your support and grew up "expecting to attend college and beyond".  But no one is entitled to a T20 education---get over it and get a great education somewhere else, it's really easy to do.  Most T100 universities will provide an excellent education, I even know really smart people in honors programs at T140 schools who go on to do amazing things (shocking, right?---that's sarcasm)

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DP.  That’s a straw man. PP didn’t say that. You fail to mention that what counts as “qualified” varies pretty significantly, depending on your category of preference (or not). The question is whether their child should be [u]disadvantaged[/u] because PP worked hard. Which is clearly the case.

I agree; these schools can admit on any basis they choose. They can social engineer to their heart’s content (at the moment, we’ll see what the Supreme Court has to say about it).  Your argument is that PP’s kid is privileged in other ways, so this unfairness is justified. Fine. Let’s just stop pretending admission is based purely on merit. These schools used to be able to sell themselves as “the best of the best.” They are now “the best of people who met certain demographic parameters to achieve our social goals.”  Will that impact their “prestige” over time? We’ll see.

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