To be clear, I am not trying to keep any particular demographic out of top UC schools. I think a holistic review of applications that also includes test scores allows schools to admit whatever student body composition is wishes. Might a school think that lower SEC students are better prepared to succeed at top colleges because they have already shown they can overcome adversity (a totally reasonable hypothesis, btw)? If so, they can absolutely use that grit as a factor in admissions decisions. Maybe that grit even weighs more than a higher test score that a privileged student applies with because the privileged student has had numerous supports throughout his education. Perfectly valid. I am not saying schools should only look at test scores. I am saying they should be one factor among many that admissions teams look at when evaluating applicants. Personally, I think test scores are most helpful when they are used as a tool to validate a high GPA or a high grade in a particular class. A student who receives an A+ in AP Calculus should not be earning a 2 on the AP exam and a 550 on the math SAT. If this is a kids’ stats, UCSD can question the rigor of the AP Calculus class and grading. This disconnect can happen at highly privileged schools just as much as under resourced schools.
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