I was talking to my husband about this kid last night. Our kid went to an Ivy. 2250 would not get most white kids into an Ivy (w/o a hook that is). 2250 would get the average white kid into Middlebury or Bowdoin.

The black kid's parents are from Ghana. The Ivies like minorities with direct Afrian roots and less so for African American kids. This kid's EQs were not stellar..but fine.

Simply put, w/o being black, he would not have gotten into 8 Ivies...maybe 2...Cornell and Brown.

Where are you getting this evidence/data from? Did you interview this kid? Did you read his letters of references? What do you know about his drive, passion, leadership, and character? These can't be measured by a newspaper article an SAT of 2250 or a high GPA. Frankly, if all you bring to the table is 4.0 and 2300 after test prep after test prep with vacant, bland, and nondescript intangibles ( all you do in life is hand in homework on time and marked up text with highlite markers) and no passion or accomplishments than a student who pleases the teachers handing out the inflated grades...why would anyone be surprised one will not be one of the five out of 100 candidates admitted to HYP.

Anonymous wrote:

Simply put, w/o being black, he would not have gotten into 8 Ivies...maybe 2...Cornell and Brown.

Data/evidence?

This is not data, but I have a (white female) friend who grew up in a remote part of the country and has an interesting family story. If I recall she also ran the table with the Ivy League schools, although I'm not sure she applied to Cornell. She was a true academic prodigy growing up; she also was a genuinely interesting and quirky person. She went on to become a star student at the university she picked and a big success as an adult.

I think the lesson here is that for all the straight A kids with great scores, there aren't a ton of teenagers (which is what these applicants are) who present as a complete package. So when they come along, schools scoop them up. And thank god for that.

An earlier Pp said that this young man was #11 in his class. Do we know the outcomes of #1-10 at the same schools?

I'm very impressed by the young man's sat scores, personal story and class rank. That said, his application essay was reprinted in a newspaper this morning and it was not good. It was poorly written and would not impress an admissions officer - particularly those at 8 Ivy league schools. For some the essay makes or breaks-clearly not in this case.

Still think he sounds great and has earned his spot. Everyone gets in based on their particular mix of talents and qualities.

Data/evidence? Apparently none. Leaders, Movers and Shakers who make an imprint on earth for decades are not defined solely by absolute SAT scores and GPA alone. Wise men know this (including the admission officers and alumni development people at these private Ivy institutions). There are alot of fools on DCUM. Eight Ivy league officials have ignored your gibberish.

Simply put, w/o being black, he would not have gotten into 8 Ivies...maybe 2...Cornell and Brown.

Data/evidence?

He was accepted BECAUSE he was a minority. If he was white, it wouldn't be newsworthy. It is reverse racism.

Where is the evidence base here? Any data? Or is this simply more Tea bagger speculation?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But William Floyd High School is a tough spot.

An earlier Pp said that this young man was #11 in his class. Do we know the outcomes of #1-10 at the same schools?

I'm very impressed by the young man's sat scores, personal story and class rank. That said, his application essay was reprinted in a newspaper this morning and it was not good. It was poorly written and would not impress an admissions officer - particularly those at 8 Ivy league schools. For some the essay makes or breaks-clearly not in this case.

Still think he sounds great and has earned his spot. Everyone gets in based on their particular mix of talents and qualities.

And yet admissions officers at those 8 Ivy League schools were apparently impressed.

I seriously doubt that. Clearly he has plenty of other strengths, because writing is not his strong suit.

He was accepted BECAUSE he was a minority. If he was white, it wouldn't be newsworthy. It is reverse racism.

GW Bush, and bushel of Caucasians, are accepted to HYP because they are White. What's your point?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was talking to my husband about this kid last night. Our kid went to an Ivy. 2250 would not get most white kids into an Ivy (w/o a hook that is). 2250 would get the average white kid into Middlebury or Bowdoin.

The black kid's parents are from Ghana. The Ivies like minorities with direct Afrian roots and less so for African American kids. This kid's EQs were not stellar..but fine.

Simply put, w/o being black, he would not have gotten into 8 Ivies...maybe 2...Cornell and Brown.

A white kid born in GHANA with two parents who are nurses very well might have been accepted at all 8.

Which brings something to mind...um, a Bulgarian white boy got into Harvard from Howard Co...poverty, "war", immigration, the works.

I agree with your basic point, that white kids with interesting stories also get an admissions bump. But, Bulgaria isn't Serbia and there hasn't been a war there in decades. Poverty maybe, immigration definitely.

Anonymous wrote:17:08 The question is, with what? This URM business is really a ball of wax.

Who knows with what? I don't. You don't. Only they do. That goes for this admission decision, and it also goes for every single other admission decision they make. Including admissions decisions about affluent white students.

13:53 You know he didn't do SAT prep? Of course not.

17:08 The question is, with what? This URM business is really a ball of wax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But William Floyd High School is a tough spot.

An earlier Pp said that this young man was #11 in his class. Do we know the outcomes of #1-10 at the same schools?

I'm very impressed by the young man's sat scores, personal story and class rank. That said, his application essay was reprinted in a newspaper this morning and it was not good. It was poorly written and would not impress an admissions officer - particularly those at 8 Ivy league schools. For some the essay makes or breaks-clearly not in this case.

Still think he sounds great and has earned his spot. Everyone gets in based on their particular mix of talents and qualities.

And yet admissions officers at those 8 Ivy League schools were apparently impressed.

Anonymous wrote:But William Floyd High School is a tough spot.

An earlier Pp said that this young man was #11 in his class. Do we know the outcomes of #1-10 at the same schools?

I'm very impressed by the young man's sat scores, personal story and class rank. That said, his application essay was reprinted in a newspaper this morning and it was not good. It was poorly written and would not impress an admissions officer - particularly those at 8 Ivy league schools. For some the essay makes or breaks-clearly not in this case.

Still think he sounds great and has earned his spot. Everyone gets in based on their particular mix of talents and qualities.

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm, might want to pass your comment on to Fitzsimmons at Harvard. He has been using the expression for years. And no I don't actually think this kid is a diamond in the rough. I think he is an enormously accomplished, very capable student.

Agree, Fitzsimmons needs to stop using the term.

But William Floyd High School is a tough spot.