Texas top 10% HS admissions challenged (again)

[xiggi]

<p>

At the risk of offending my cyber-friend xiggi, I’ll repeat a post that I made pages ago. IMO, one thing the Univ of California got right was that the University itself decides class rank based on University-approved courses. Thus, the University of California does not care one whit how an individual high school ranks its own students bcos the UC re-ranks those same kids based on the Univeristy’s own, approved academic criteria. Voila: the University has “control” over its own admissions.

</p>

<p>Have no fear of offending me, BB! For starters, this is an issue that is highly volatile and does not offer any easy solutions. Obviously, because it invariably pits people who might benefit from the system against “losers” any attempts to amend the system has been derailed. One reality that is inescapable is that the school cannot move in the direction of having to accept close to 100% of automatic admissions. In fact, I believe that the system might collapse if more automatic admitted students would accept the offer of UT at Austin instead of staying closer to home or in an environment that is racially closer to their kin. </p>

<p>Fwiw, I do not believe that the real problem is controlling the integrity of admissions (which classes count in the ranking) or establishing a more universal system. The issue is that the school cannot grow and that the 10% ratio is too high for a system that pretends to rely on holistic admissions. </p>

<p>Interestingly enough, one “solution” that has been discussed is to raise the level of more universities in Texas. For instance, UTEP (one of the worst UT schools) has announced they plan to become a First Tier university. </p>

<p>No easy road for Texas, especially since the attraction of UT at Austin in much stronger than all remaining schools.</p>