<p>Entomom,</p>
<p>I think you’re right to emphasize that beyond being a URM, there are many factors to admissions. I see so many places on CC where people assume being a URM means an automatic admissions to highly selective schools but this isn’t true.</p>
<p>In my son’s case, being 1/2 Puerto Rican I am sure got him an extra look. However, I think his test scores (over 2300 SAT, several 800s on subject tests), 60 units of college work, graduate level physics research, 4-5 national awards, fantastic letters of recommendation and counselor letter (that I wrote since he’s homeschooled), and his very strong essays (which were graciously edited/commented on for free), had more to do with his being accepted into Princeton than did his being 1/2 Puerto Rican. At least that is my feeling (and hope).</p>