<p>I’m grateful that W&M Admissions has finally chimed in. His (or her) comment ends the first half of our debate, at least. It confirms, as I’ve been saying all along, that William & Mary takes gender into account as part of a “holistic” admissions process designed to arrive at a balanced class. The only remaining question is whether it is FAIR to consider gender as part of the process. W&M Admissions argues that it IS fair because it “couldn’t take just men or just women and call itself public,” but that of course dodges the question. No one, least of all me, is suggesting that no men at all should be admitted, as clearly many men are fully qualified. But similarly qualified women should not be given the shaft, under the guise of holistic admissions, simply because more of them apply. And to dance around the issue by saying, essentially – “it’s not just because they’re women that they’re not getting in, honestly!” – just isn’t supported by numbers showing that, year after year after year, it just so happens that the proprtion of women admitted is not only much lower than men, it’s consistently lower each year to almost the same exact degree.</p>
<p>In short, like appears to be the case with UNC, U-Va, JMU, and MW, William & Mary owes women a more fair shake.</p>