<p>Conclusions:** Elite colleges and universities extend preferences to many types of students, **yet affirmative action-the only preference given to underrepresented minority applicants-is the one surrounded by the most controversy.</p>
<p>Models 5 and 6 add athlete and legacy status, respectively, to Model 4.*** Being a recruited athlete significantly improves one’s chances of being admitted to an elite university. The odds of acceptance for athletes are four times as large as those for nonathletes. Put differently, the athletic advantage is roughly comparable to having SAT scores in the 1400s instead of the 1200s. Legacy applicants also receive preferential treatment in admissions. Children or other close relatives of alumni have nearly three times the likelihood of being accepted as nonlegacies.***</p>