<p>My mandate was to review each applicant as an individual, based on his/her own merits- without regard to race/ethnicity or regionalism. “Merit” includes more than curriculum and stats alone. ECs are evidence of engagement and impact- and chances a kid will engage on campus. LoRs tell how an adult, an experienced educator, views the kid. Essays tell a huge amount about the kid’s judgment, writing ability and thinking skills. All those constitute “merit.” IME, when we say some admit had lower stats, it’s only one part of the picture- and, you’d be surprised how high those stats still are. You’d also be surprised at how many top-performing kids of any background mess up their chances with poorly done CAs. (No matter what praise other hs kids gave them on chance-me threads.)</p>
<p>This thread opened a view of what minorities do face in this country. People willing to admit some get ahead on merit, but only in the context of a “gimmie” somewhere along the line. Each of us might benefit from examining our assumptions for evidence of prejudice. Anyone who wants to continue the convo can pm me- but I am not interested in arguing aimlessly about “percieved” advantages to sub-par kids.</p>