| Ken, as a future Princeton student from a lower economic background, I have to say I completely disagree with you. Neither of my parents went to college (they are both cleaners), and they hardly speak English. I do not attend any sort of magnet school: it's a simple public school with about 2/3 of students college-bound, and a bit under half the students speak a language other than English at home (overwhelmingly Spanish, like me, followed by Creole). I never attended any fancy summer programs, I don't have any sort of national awards, and I have taken fewer AP exams than other students I have seen, but I did everything I could given my environment and I have achieved as highly as one would expect someone in my situation to achieve. Princeton recognized this--as did other universities--and accepted me. There were clearly candidates with higher SAT scores, more rigorous courses, and more impressive extra-curriculars, but they chose to accept me because they examine applicants in the context of their background and surroundings, and place such a strong emphasis on the essay that what the applicants have to say and how they think greatly influences the process.
Imagine how it must be in other countries where it's completely based on "academic achievement," a factor more far more dependent on privileged background than the process used by Princeton. I would surely have been rejected in other countries from their elite universities, regardless of my individual talent or character, but not at Princeton.
The phenomenal financial aid only reaffirms that they aren't merely opening their doors to people like me, but completely embracing egalitarian principles. Do students with legacy status have a higher admissions rate? Of course, but I would love to see the acceptance rate of the children of Harvard graduates at Princeton: I doubt they'd be considerably lower. These parents achieved greatly, and it only makes sense that their children will as well. 40% in that frame of reference is actually surprisingly low--especially compared with several decades ago when I heard Ivies had 80%+. These schools are fantastic vehicles of social mobility, and they are doing what they can to make sure they function as that--and, in my opinion, succeeding quite admirably. |