<p>Instead of “vertically challenged”, I prefer environmentally correct! ;)</p>
<p>Bowdoin lets kids self-identify as an under-rep minority and allows for more than skin color or ethnic background. It’s online, but not an obvious link off their admissions site. Whether or not these kids have the goods to get admitted is another matter- that’s up to their app packages.<br>
Admissions is multi-dimensional at a private. There’s no simplicty of high stats or URM. We have to stand back from the notions of quotas or that adcoms are so desperate for balance that they’ll dip low.<br>
And, adcoms do recruit in conservative parts of the country.</p>
<p>Some college activities are by nature non-conservative; research produces changes in ways of thinking: “We didn’t know that before we investigated.” Those who want to keep the status quo may indeed not be drawn to an environment where change is a major goal. I think this is a big reason colleges in general are viewed by many as being more liberal than conservative; those who are drawn to them tend to be more liberal in their way of thinking.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If we’re talking within the last decade, there are a few factors involved:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Manifestation of more explicit social conservatism of the sort which goes against outgroups than existed previously. Whether it is the playing to the xenophobes in their anti-immigrant/English only/Fundamentalist Christianity uber alles or the actual public blatant displays of racism from supporters of that ilk and even some politicians(i.e. Santorum, Gingrich)…this did turn off much support…especially among younger Asian-Americans. However, back in the '80s and '90s, this aspect was kept enough on the backburner that it was their fiscal conservative/anti-social welfare policies which shone…which played well to Asian-Americans I knew/encountered growing up.* </p></li>
<li><p>Discrediting of conservatives among many Americans as a result of the dubious policies/actions of the W administration. </p></li>
<li><p>More millennials coming of age who tend to lean more left/liberal than older generations…including mine(Gen X). </p></li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>This factor is one cited factor in why one local formerly Republican Asian-American politician switched his political affiliations fairly recently.</li>
</ul>
<p>Could I request a boost for kids of Scotch/Irish/English heritage based on historical prejudice against immigrants of that heritage? With an extra boost for gingers, who have recently been much maligned on South Park?</p>
<p>
Sorry, people with no souls are already overrepresented on top college campuses.</p>
<p>^ Lol .</p>
<p>Very interesting topic.
I don’t see how someone’s socio/political views could fall under the affirmative action umbrella. However, I do agree that a more balanced student body, in reference to political views, would be beneficial to higher level discussions and overall learning. I feel that because, at least in the ivy schools, the large majority of students define themselves as liberal, it is easy to not “allow” the voicing of other opinions. This, I believe, ultimately creates a group that feels their opinions are the “right” opinions and fail to become part of a discussion that could only benefit everyone as a whole. I find that my “conservative” daughter, currently at an HYPS, is much more open to a respectful and civil discussion among people of different opinions than her “liberal” counterparts, who label anyone who is not liberal as “ignorant” or worse.</p>
<p>
I find that people always think this about their ideological opposites, whichever side of the fence they are on.</p>
<p>^ Often true, Hunt. </p>
<p>BTW, where is the OP? Did he get tired of requests for data to back up his claims, or did he just want to stir the pot and pop the popcorn to watch the CC regulars work their magic?</p>
<p>@Hunt
I respectfully disagree.</p>
<p>@eastcoastcrazy - quote:
“Could I request a boost for kids of Scotch/Irish/English heritage based on historical prejudice against immigrants of that heritage? With an extra boost for gingers, who have recently been much maligned on South Park?” </p>
<p>^^^^ LOVE it! :D</p>
<p>That would make it so much easier next time around with my Scots Irish/Irish/English/German/ginger boy</p>
<p>@Hunt
“Sorry, people with no souls are already overrepresented on top college campuses.”</p>
<p>I respectfully disagree - baby got soul!! ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I find that this is purely a function of personality and level of passion. Of my two Ds with very similar liberal convictions, one is argumentative and vocal in political/social discussions and the other is a good listener who is annoyed by overly heated debate. I think both are open to looking at things from other points of view to the same extent but I bet one would erroneously be perceived as less open-minded than the other because of the way they express their beliefs.</p>
<p>I find the ginger thing hilarious. My boyfriend and his brothers are all gingers. Skinny, tall gingers. They look like the Weasley boys. Funny enough, in my RC, of the ~40 people who are in our grade there are 10 gingers. Way higher than in the general population. Obviously there’s a correlation between liberalism and gingers as my RC is very liberal and we have a lot of gingers. (This is sarcasm btw :D).</p>
<p>And . . . thanks to Harry Potter and Glee, gingers are finally starting to embrace their gingerhood openly. I am only half kidding as gingerhood used to considered lowhanging fruit for playground teasing back in the day.</p>
<p>I really had no idea there was any “ginger” issue until I started dating one. It was only then that I learned about there being any kind of “stigma” whether real or South Park created. </p>
<p>Generational thing I suppose? Don’t know.</p>
<p>There was a stigma when I was a kid - and I am not a ginger - baby got the double recessive</p>
<p>DS and his fellow gingers now call themselves gingers and wear it proudly</p>
<p>A ginger at my daughter’s school made a really funny video in which he insists that gingers DO have souls. Funny, but unpersuasive.</p>
<p>Sunflower: political views fall under diversity, not AA. Just like whatever else the college seeks.
As for the Scottish/Irish/English angle, if you could make something substantial of it, maybe. But, that’s more than saying my subculture is now mostly perfectly indistiguishable and integrated and not suffering communal prejudices, but way back when… There’d have to be some sense the applicant is deeply involved in these matters. Some sense of identity with some cause, practices or struggle, not simply knowledge of it. Something that offers you an interesting voice. Btw, when Native American and Hispanic kids make no mention of their identity in the rest of their apps or nothing comes through about that (ie, just check the identity box,) it can raise questions about the depth of their association with that group or how it has formed their sense of self. I hate the thought people will see this as some tip, but just saying you are this group or that isn’t always enough.</p>