Race in MIT admissions.

bobtheboy
Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:33:11 +0000

In this case, we’re more likely to admit the latter student because they have done more with their opportunities, not because of diversity’s sake. I know the point you are trying to make by trying to hold them equal, but those two things aren’t equal. For example, SAT scores are most highly predicted by parental income; the child of a single parent from an uneducated poor background (as you posited above) scoring a 2200 is much, much more unusual than a child from two wealthy educated parents at a private high school scoring 2370.



This isn’t for the sake of argument, (I certainly agree that the guy with the 2200 is more impressive, and even if I did not I would not want to question an admission officer at a school I want to go to) but what more could the 2370 kid do with his opportunities? He seems to have done a lot even granted that he has great opportunities.

Also, out of curiosity, if their races were reversed would the admittee still be the 2200 kid (who is now Asian)?