My take is this: If an applicant has great stats, he/she should get into one of the state flagships–UCLA or Cal. Period. Getting into the holistic game means gross errors will be made as have been referenced here. There are lower tier UCs, and the Cal State system, where less-accomplished students can and should be accepted. Let’s be honest, isn’t that why UC Merced was created? Schools are academic institutions, first and foremost, not builders of balanced communities. Cheating our most accomplished students by hiding behind the shield of holism hurts California’s best.