1) Admissions decisions at top universities like Harvard are made through a holistic process, not based solely on merit, and involve discussions between admissions officers.
2) Many qualified applicants are rejected each year, including some with perfect SAT scores or who are high school valedictorians.
3) Looking at individual admissions files will not reveal why some students were accepted while others were not, as the process is complex and considers both academic and personal factors.
Get out!!! black male suspensions in california public schools #BMIUCLA #SDSUGary Clarke
This report is a joint publication of the Black Minds Project (an initiative of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL) at San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Black Male Institute at the University of California, Los-Angeles (UCLA). In this report, we present analyses of publicly available statewide data on the suspension of Black males in California’s public schools.
The statewide suspension rate for Black males is 3.6 times
greater than that of the statewide rate for all students. Specifically, while 3.6% of all students were suspended in 2016-2017, the
suspension rate for Black boys and young men was 12.8%.
• Since 2011-2012, the suspension rates of Black males in California
has declined from 17.8% to 12.8%.
• The highest suspension disparity by grade level occurs in early
childhood education (Grades K through 3) where Black boys are
5.6 times more likely to be suspended than the state average.
• Black male students who are classified as “foster youth” are
suspended at noticeably high rates, at 27.4%. Across all analyses,
Black males who were foster youth in seventh and eighth grade
represented the subgroup that had the highest percentage of
Black male suspensions, at 41.0%.
• The highest total suspensions occurred in large urban counties,
such as Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, San
Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Contra Costa County.
In fact, these five counties alone account for 61% of Black
male suspensions.
• The highest suspension rates for Black males occur in rural
counties that have smaller Black male enrollments. In 2016-2017,Glenn County led the state in Black male suspensions at 42.9%.
• Other Counties with high suspension rates included Amador
County, Colusa County, Del Norte County, and Tehama County.
San Joaquin county has especially high suspension patterns.
In the past 5 years, they have reported suspension rates
at 20% or above. Four counties have reported similarly high
suspension patterns across the past 4 of 5 years, they include:
Modoc County, Butte County, Merced County, and Yuba County.
• A number of districts have large numbers of Black boys
and young men who were suspended at least once. Some
of these districts included Sacramento City Unified (n = 887),
Los Angeles Unified (n = 849), Elk Grove Unified (n = 745), Fresno
Unified (n = 729) and Oakland Unified (n = 711).
• There are 10 school districts in the state with suspension rates
above 30%. Of these, the highest suspension rates are reported
at Bayshore Elementary (San Mateo County, at 50%), Oroville
Union High (Butte County, at 45.2%), and the California School for
the Deaf-Fremont (Alameda County, at 43.8%).
• There are 88 school districts in the state of California that have
suspension rates for Black males that are below the state
average. These schools vary in size, urbanicity, and region.
#BMIUCLA
Get out!!! black male suspensions in california public schools #BMIUCLA #SDSUGary Clarke
This report is a joint publication of the Black Minds Project (an initiative of the Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL) at San Diego State University (SDSU) and the Black Male Institute at the University of California, Los-Angeles (UCLA). In this report, we present analyses of publicly available statewide data on the suspension of Black males in California’s public schools.
The statewide suspension rate for Black males is 3.6 times
greater than that of the statewide rate for all students. Specifically, while 3.6% of all students were suspended in 2016-2017, the
suspension rate for Black boys and young men was 12.8%.
• Since 2011-2012, the suspension rates of Black males in California
has declined from 17.8% to 12.8%.
• The highest suspension disparity by grade level occurs in early
childhood education (Grades K through 3) where Black boys are
5.6 times more likely to be suspended than the state average.
• Black male students who are classified as “foster youth” are
suspended at noticeably high rates, at 27.4%. Across all analyses,
Black males who were foster youth in seventh and eighth grade
represented the subgroup that had the highest percentage of
Black male suspensions, at 41.0%.
• The highest total suspensions occurred in large urban counties,
such as Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, San
Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Contra Costa County.
In fact, these five counties alone account for 61% of Black
male suspensions.
• The highest suspension rates for Black males occur in rural
counties that have smaller Black male enrollments. In 2016-2017,Glenn County led the state in Black male suspensions at 42.9%.
• Other Counties with high suspension rates included Amador
County, Colusa County, Del Norte County, and Tehama County.
San Joaquin county has especially high suspension patterns.
In the past 5 years, they have reported suspension rates
at 20% or above. Four counties have reported similarly high
suspension patterns across the past 4 of 5 years, they include:
Modoc County, Butte County, Merced County, and Yuba County.
• A number of districts have large numbers of Black boys
and young men who were suspended at least once. Some
of these districts included Sacramento City Unified (n = 887),
Los Angeles Unified (n = 849), Elk Grove Unified (n = 745), Fresno
Unified (n = 729) and Oakland Unified (n = 711).
• There are 10 school districts in the state with suspension rates
above 30%. Of these, the highest suspension rates are reported
at Bayshore Elementary (San Mateo County, at 50%), Oroville
Union High (Butte County, at 45.2%), and the California School for
the Deaf-Fremont (Alameda County, at 43.8%).
• There are 88 school districts in the state of California that have
suspension rates for Black males that are below the state
average. These schools vary in size, urbanicity, and region.
#BMIUCLA
Charles Maurice Stam graduated from New York’s Columbia College with a bachelor of arts in history and political science in 2012. Because of his first-rate academic performance, the acceptance of Charles M. Stam’s nomination to serve as a Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC), an opportunity that would enable him to complete an original research paper and participate in activities with the objective of creating a more promising future, came as little surprise.
The 14thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution, in part, rea.docxtodd801
The
14th
Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution, in part, reads as follows: “no state shall make or enforce …nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection
of the law. “ The
equal protection clause
of the
14th Amendment
prohibits most discrimination on the basis of race and gender, and also alienage and national origin. Colleges and universities receiving federal or state funds must comply with the
14th
Amendment
.
In a 2016 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision (
Fisher v. University of Texas
), the Court held that the University of Texas’ use of
race
as a factor in the
holistic
review was
narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest (“strict scrutiny” test) of diversity, and therefore constitutional under the 14th
Amendment
. Previous precedent (
Grutter v. Bollinger
) had established that
educational diversity is a compelling interest
as long as it is expressed as a concrete and precise goal that is neither a quota of minority students nor an amorphous idea of diversity.
As you know from your readings, the primary goal of
affirmative action
programs is to redress past discrimination. It can also serve the purpose of assuring the make up a college student body that is similar to the community outside the academic institution. It has a further goal of increasing the likelihood of social and economic mobility for those
protected classes
historically discriminated against. Many states, including California, have banned preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public education including in the admission process.
A few years ago, a group of Asian-Americans brought suit against Harvard University (and other prominent colleges) arguing Harvard
discriminates
against Asia-American applicants. It further argued, Harvard has engaged in illegal racial balancing or quotas and it places too great emphasis on race as a determinative factor in admissions.
To buttress these arguments, it cites the following uncontroverted statistics. The average Asian-American applicant needs to score 150 more points on its SAT exam than the average white applicant and 250 more points on its SAT exam than the average African-American and Latino applicant to be considered for admission. That the percentage (around 25%) of Asian-Americans admitted into Harvard has not varied over the past 6 years. (Asian-Americans make up 6% of U.S. population) Historically, as part of Harvard’s subjective review of applicants, Asian-Americans receive the lowest “personal” ratings of all racial or ethnic groups. In part, these personal ratings consist of leadership, communication skills, community involvement, expected contribution to the college campus, etc. ratings that were largely derived from high school teacher recommendations. The plaintiff argues Harvard could ignore race and instead give preference to low-income students (or use zip codes) as a way of increasing the diversity of th.
The Joseph Klunder Education Challenge aims to let individuals find the best educational fit for them. This is done through key principles that Joseph Klunder endorses, including truth in advertising, veracity, etc.
Only through exposing false practices, agents promising things that do not exist, etc. can we truly get the most return on our financial, time, energy, and emotional investment.
How to Easily Determine the Best Attorneys and Law Firms- The Five Prestige L...BCG Attorney Search
In this webinar with Harrison Barnes, you will learn:
-The secrets of the Harvard-inspired ranking system used by high-end legal recruiters.
-What factors law firms consider most valuable in a candidate.
-Examples of the types of attorneys that are assigned each ranking.
https://www.bcgsearch.com/candidate_login.php
AN0119616678;acd01nov.16;2016Nov23.1200;v2.2.500 Faculty members .docxnettletondevon
AN0119616678;acd01nov.16;2016Nov23.12:00;v2.2.500 Faculty members sometimes unknowingly or inadvertently contribute to a racist climate in their classrooms. But they can take steps to address racism more effectively in their teaching
Last year, at dozens of colleges and universities across the United States, students protested institutional unresponsiveness to pervasive issues of racial inequity. Most media attention disproportionately focused on the popularity of the protests as opposed to the actual issues underlying campus unrest. For example, instead of deeply exploring the experiences that ignited demonstrations among students at the University of Missouri, journalists wrote mostly about the football team's threat to cancel its game against Brigham Young University, the potential financial implications of the team's activism, and the eventual resignations of the system president and the chancellor of the university's flagship campus. Similarly, news coverage of protests at Yale University concentrated less on students' frustrations with the university's climate of racial exclusion and more on e-mails about potentially offensive Halloween costumes and perceived threats to free speech.
It is important for faculty members to understand that students were protesting racism. It is also essential that professors recognize how they, often unknowingly and inadvertently, say and do racist things to students of color in the classroom. Student uprisings were as much a response to negative experiences with their peers and administrators as they were expressions of frustration with the cultural incompetence of their teachers. Students of color did not suddenly start experiencing racist stereotyping and racially derogatory comments, disregard for the thoughtful integration of their cultural histories in the curriculum, and threats to their sense of belonging in college classrooms during the 2015-16 academic year. We know from our work as scholars at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education that these problems are long-standing.
College presidents, provosts, deans, and other institutional leaders hire researchers from the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education to spend three to four days on their campuses doing racial climate assessments. At some places we are asked to focus on racial and ethnic differences among faculty and staff members in their feelings of inclusion, respectability, and opportunities for fair and equitable professional advancement, as well as on racial tensions in workplace settings. But on most campuses, administrators ask us to assess the racial climate for students -- feelings of inclusion and belonging across racial and ethnic groups, the extent to which students interact substantively across difference, where and what students learn about race, appraisals of institutional commitments to fostering inclusive environments, and characterizations of the supportiveness of cla.
Charles Maurice Stam graduated from New York’s Columbia College with a bachelor of arts in history and political science in 2012. Because of his first-rate academic performance, the acceptance of Charles M. Stam’s nomination to serve as a Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC), an opportunity that would enable him to complete an original research paper and participate in activities with the objective of creating a more promising future, came as little surprise.
The 14thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution, in part, rea.docxtodd801
The
14th
Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution, in part, reads as follows: “no state shall make or enforce …nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection
of the law. “ The
equal protection clause
of the
14th Amendment
prohibits most discrimination on the basis of race and gender, and also alienage and national origin. Colleges and universities receiving federal or state funds must comply with the
14th
Amendment
.
In a 2016 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision (
Fisher v. University of Texas
), the Court held that the University of Texas’ use of
race
as a factor in the
holistic
review was
narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest (“strict scrutiny” test) of diversity, and therefore constitutional under the 14th
Amendment
. Previous precedent (
Grutter v. Bollinger
) had established that
educational diversity is a compelling interest
as long as it is expressed as a concrete and precise goal that is neither a quota of minority students nor an amorphous idea of diversity.
As you know from your readings, the primary goal of
affirmative action
programs is to redress past discrimination. It can also serve the purpose of assuring the make up a college student body that is similar to the community outside the academic institution. It has a further goal of increasing the likelihood of social and economic mobility for those
protected classes
historically discriminated against. Many states, including California, have banned preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public education including in the admission process.
A few years ago, a group of Asian-Americans brought suit against Harvard University (and other prominent colleges) arguing Harvard
discriminates
against Asia-American applicants. It further argued, Harvard has engaged in illegal racial balancing or quotas and it places too great emphasis on race as a determinative factor in admissions.
To buttress these arguments, it cites the following uncontroverted statistics. The average Asian-American applicant needs to score 150 more points on its SAT exam than the average white applicant and 250 more points on its SAT exam than the average African-American and Latino applicant to be considered for admission. That the percentage (around 25%) of Asian-Americans admitted into Harvard has not varied over the past 6 years. (Asian-Americans make up 6% of U.S. population) Historically, as part of Harvard’s subjective review of applicants, Asian-Americans receive the lowest “personal” ratings of all racial or ethnic groups. In part, these personal ratings consist of leadership, communication skills, community involvement, expected contribution to the college campus, etc. ratings that were largely derived from high school teacher recommendations. The plaintiff argues Harvard could ignore race and instead give preference to low-income students (or use zip codes) as a way of increasing the diversity of th.
The Joseph Klunder Education Challenge aims to let individuals find the best educational fit for them. This is done through key principles that Joseph Klunder endorses, including truth in advertising, veracity, etc.
Only through exposing false practices, agents promising things that do not exist, etc. can we truly get the most return on our financial, time, energy, and emotional investment.
How to Easily Determine the Best Attorneys and Law Firms- The Five Prestige L...BCG Attorney Search
In this webinar with Harrison Barnes, you will learn:
-The secrets of the Harvard-inspired ranking system used by high-end legal recruiters.
-What factors law firms consider most valuable in a candidate.
-Examples of the types of attorneys that are assigned each ranking.
https://www.bcgsearch.com/candidate_login.php
AN0119616678;acd01nov.16;2016Nov23.1200;v2.2.500 Faculty members .docxnettletondevon
AN0119616678;acd01nov.16;2016Nov23.12:00;v2.2.500 Faculty members sometimes unknowingly or inadvertently contribute to a racist climate in their classrooms. But they can take steps to address racism more effectively in their teaching
Last year, at dozens of colleges and universities across the United States, students protested institutional unresponsiveness to pervasive issues of racial inequity. Most media attention disproportionately focused on the popularity of the protests as opposed to the actual issues underlying campus unrest. For example, instead of deeply exploring the experiences that ignited demonstrations among students at the University of Missouri, journalists wrote mostly about the football team's threat to cancel its game against Brigham Young University, the potential financial implications of the team's activism, and the eventual resignations of the system president and the chancellor of the university's flagship campus. Similarly, news coverage of protests at Yale University concentrated less on students' frustrations with the university's climate of racial exclusion and more on e-mails about potentially offensive Halloween costumes and perceived threats to free speech.
It is important for faculty members to understand that students were protesting racism. It is also essential that professors recognize how they, often unknowingly and inadvertently, say and do racist things to students of color in the classroom. Student uprisings were as much a response to negative experiences with their peers and administrators as they were expressions of frustration with the cultural incompetence of their teachers. Students of color did not suddenly start experiencing racist stereotyping and racially derogatory comments, disregard for the thoughtful integration of their cultural histories in the curriculum, and threats to their sense of belonging in college classrooms during the 2015-16 academic year. We know from our work as scholars at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education that these problems are long-standing.
College presidents, provosts, deans, and other institutional leaders hire researchers from the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education to spend three to four days on their campuses doing racial climate assessments. At some places we are asked to focus on racial and ethnic differences among faculty and staff members in their feelings of inclusion, respectability, and opportunities for fair and equitable professional advancement, as well as on racial tensions in workplace settings. But on most campuses, administrators ask us to assess the racial climate for students -- feelings of inclusion and belonging across racial and ethnic groups, the extent to which students interact substantively across difference, where and what students learn about race, appraisals of institutional commitments to fostering inclusive environments, and characterizations of the supportiveness of cla.
How to Split Bills in the Odoo 17 POS ModuleCeline George
Bills have a main role in point of sale procedure. It will help to track sales, handling payments and giving receipts to customers. Bill splitting also has an important role in POS. For example, If some friends come together for dinner and if they want to divide the bill then it is possible by POS bill splitting. This slide will show how to split bills in odoo 17 POS.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Students, digital devices and success - Andreas Schleicher - 27 May 2024..pptxEduSkills OECD
Andreas Schleicher presents at the OECD webinar ‘Digital devices in schools: detrimental distraction or secret to success?’ on 27 May 2024. The presentation was based on findings from PISA 2022 results and the webinar helped launch the PISA in Focus ‘Managing screen time: How to protect and equip students against distraction’ https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/managing-screen-time_7c225af4-en and the OECD Education Policy Perspective ‘Students, digital devices and success’ can be found here - https://oe.cd/il/5yV
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
The French Revolution Class 9 Study Material pdf free download
Uni
1. You’re not going to get
accepted into a top university
on merit alone
December 13, 2017 9.21pm EST
Author Natasha Warikoo
Associate Professor of Education, Harvard University
More and more students at Harvard are examining their admission files to try to understand
how they got in. The U.S. government is also plans to examine the files as part of a
discrimination case filed by 63 Asian- American groups. Shutterstock.com
After weeks of negotiation, Harvard University recently agreed to provide the
Department of Justice access to its admissions files. The department is
reopening a complaint by 63 Asian-American groups that Harvard
discriminates against Asian-American applicants. The complaint was
previously dismissed under the Obama administration. Many worrythat
government lawyers plan to use the case to argue that all race-conscious
admissions – including affirmative action – are a violation of the Civil Rights
Act.
Separately, Harvard undergraduates have recently begun to take advantage of
their right to view their own admissions files, often only to become frustrated
in their efforts to pinpoint exactly why they got admitted.
2. The inquiries of the Department of Justice and the curious Harvard students
have something in common: Both are unlikely to turn up any evidence of why
some applicants make the cut and others don’t. That’s because both inquiries
rest on the faulty assumption that admissions decisions are driven by an
objective, measurable process that will yield the same results over and over
again. As a Harvard professor who has studied and written a book about college
admissions and their impact on students, I can tell you that’s just not how it
works. I am not speaking officially for Harvard and I am not involved in
undergraduate admissions.
Elite private universities have made clear time and again that their admissions
decisions are made through a holistic decision-making process that involves a
series of discussions among the admissions team. This means, for example,
Harvard rejects 1 in 4 students with perfect SAT scores. The University of
Pennsylvania and Duke University reject three out of five high school
valedictorians. Despite universities like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford
having closely aligned admissions criteriaand similar rates of admission, just
because an applicant gets into one school does not mean the applicant will get
into another. That’s why it makes headlines when a student is reported to have
gained admission to all the Ivies. This is a rare, unexpected event.
What a holistic approach entails
So, how do universities make admissions decisions? William Fitzsimmons,
dean of admissions at Harvard, writes of an “expansive view of excellence.” This
includes “extracurricular distinction and personal qualities” in addition to test
scores and grades. Evaluating applications is a long process. At Harvard, it
involves at least two readers of each file. It also involves discussions among a
subcommittee of at least four individuals that last up to an hour. The process is
similar for other selective colleges. Admissions officers at the same university
often differ about which students to admit. The process is more art than science.
Holistic evaluation allows admissions officers to take into account
opportunities, hardships and other experiences that may have affected an
applicant’s grades and SAT scores. They may also consider how those things
affected their participation in activities outside of school. Nevertheless, the
outcomes of admission to the most elite colleges are unequal. In fact, while 37
percent of young adults in the United States are black or Latino, just 19 percent
of students at the top 100 colleges in the country are.
In addition, while only one-third of American adults have a bachelor’s degree,
a review of Ivy League universities’ published data reveals that about 85 percent
of students have a parent with a bachelor’s degree. So, even if holistic evaluation
does a better job than looking at test scores and grades alone, the process still
concludes by systematically undervaluing working class, poor, black and Latino
young men and women. That is, if we assume that talent and “personal
qualities” are equally distributed in our society, this disproportion should tell
us something is amiss.
In addition to the holistic evaluation process, admissions teams need to
consider the needs of specific groups on campus. These needs vary from campus
3. to campus and from year to year. Coaches can recruit top athletes for positions
on their teams played by graduating seniors, and those recruits enter the fast
lane to admission. And, just as the baseball coach can recruit a shortstop, the
orchestra director may request a top bassoon player to fill a missing part in the
orchestra. Since needs of campus organizations and teams vary from year to
year, you can’t glean much from admission files in isolation like the DOJ and
curious students hope to do.
Merit is overrated
Are there any discernible patterns between who gets in and students who were
seriously considered but rejected? Probably not. Harvard President Drew Faust
has said that Harvard could fill its incoming class twice with high school
valedictorians.
In fact, we should discard the notion that admissions is a meritocratic process
that selects the “best” 18-year-olds who apply to a selective university. When we
let go of our meritocracy ideals, we see more clearly that so many talented,
accomplished young people who will be outstanding leaders in the future will
not make it to the likes of Harvard, Stanford and Yale. There simply are not
enough places for all of them at those universities. Further, many more
disadvantaged young people have never had the opportunity to cultivate talents
because their parents did not have the resources to pay for private music lessons
or a pitching coach. In fact, the gap between what wealthy and poor parents
spend on extracurricular activities has dramatically increased in recent years.
So looking for explanations for why you did get in, or whether some groups are
favored over others, misses the broader picture of the lack of clarity on what
gets anyone into elite colleges. It also ignores the unequal opportunities young
Americans have in the process.
One way forward for college admissions, which I have suggested as a thought
experiment in my book, “The Diversity Bargain,” is to take all qualified students
for a selective college and enter them into an admissions lottery. The lottery
could have weights for desired characteristics the college deems important,
such as social class, geographic diversity, race and intended major. This method
would make clear the arbitrariness in the admissions process. It would also help
students admitted — and those not admitted - understand that admission —
and rejection — should not hold the strong social meaning in American society
that it does today. In “The Diversity Bargain,” I show the downsides of
maintaining students’ beliefs that college admissions is a meritocracy. Most
students expressed strong faith in a process that ultimately underselects black,
Latino and working class applicants, among others. They will take these
understandings with them as they ascend to positions of power and make hiring
decisions, design tax policies and shape media discourses.
Until the Department of Justice and admitted students understand the
arbitrary nature of how admissions decisions at elite colleges are made, they
will be perplexed by the complex art that is elite college admissions.