Advantage to be a URM?

molliebatmit
Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:52:23 +0000

then why is race asked for on applications? shouldnt they decided without looking at that, sorta like how they decide without looking at financial things first?

Well, just to clarify, your family’s economic situation is absolutely considered in the application process, just not your family’s ability to pay for MIT. If your family has limited financial resources and you’ve still managed to put together a compelling application, that’s considered a good thing. “Need-blind” means that the financial aid office won’t tell the admissions office that they can’t afford to accept you because of financial need, not that the admissions office doesn’t consider financial hardship when admitting students.

So factors like race, economic hardship, and available local/regional resources absolutely come into play, as, IMO, they should. Is there a particular reason that applicants who came into the process with a leg up due to fortunate circumstances beyond their control should be privileged over those who didn’t?