<p>This was an interesting read; trying to sort out how it makes me feel when my own DS did not apply to HYPS because he felt he was too white, too mid-western, too average with everything really, even with top notch scores. Now, of course people will say it’s your son’s own fault he didn’t apply; but is this what Harvard looks for? Someone with a compelling back story?</p>
<p>Hmmm. One needs identification to fly on an airplane. How did the author participate in all the fly ins? Do states issue identification cards to the undocumented? </p>
<p>There are plenty of ways to get through security without passport or drivers license. Especially for someone who is young, all they might have to show is student ID. Or nothing, ID is not required under age 18. Incredible, isn’t it?</p>
<p>I was a little weirded out by this when my kids flew. The TSA worker would ask, are you younger than 18? If they said yes, they’d just wave them through. No ID required. Well, my youngest (when he doesn’t have a beard) has a baby face. How do they know he’s telling the truth? Kind of sketchy, I think.</p>
<p>Incredible. It’s late teenagers/young adults who are most likely to pull off terroristic plots. I see this as a big hole in air security.</p>
<p>To the original topic it seems unfair that the qualified children of parents who played by our country’s rules are rejected in favor of illegal immigrants. It’s not the authors’ fault his parents are cheating the system. Harvard is a private institution so I guess they get to make their own rules. </p>
<p>My brother and father are Harvard graduates. We are not wealthy and they were both scholarship recipients. I feel a little sad that my own son, a junior in HS now, is probably a better student than either of them were but has a snowball’s chance. We won’t waste the admission fee.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s a huge hole, Osprey. I suspect there are plenty more.</p>
<p>I also suspect that there are a number of donors that might find another institution to donate to after reading this. There are many great charities that need the money far more than any school does.</p>
<p>As a US citizen who can’t let child consider certain schools because they are too expensive fullpay, it’s truly staggering that someone who is illegally residing in my country is being given money to go to these schools for free. In all the countries we’ve lived in as expats, none of them would allow my kids to even enroll in the local public school or int’l school without a valid residency visa, let alone let my kids go to college there. Insanity…</p>
<p>I rolled my eyes at the claim that his parents always filed their taxes. Sure, I bet they always claimed all their under-the-table income. Right. </p>
<p>That said, I don’t blame the kid. His parents are the ones who “did wrong”. </p>
<p>That the money is private doesn’t grant special dispensation for supporting illegal activity. </p>
<p>Also, Harvard & Cornell’s “private” money is augmented by its federal tax-exempt status which is supported by my contributions as a US taxpayer.</p>
<p>Like there aren’t other qualified poor American citizens who could use those scholarships and who will be able to actually work when they graduate. </p>
<p>I’m more incensed by UCSF admitting an illegal alien into medical school this year. That is state tax money being used for someone who will not be able to work as a doctor in this country when he graduates. It is a zero sum game. Some American citizen lost a very valuable spot to benefit someone who is here illegally. Crazy. </p>
<p>I am a legal immigrant. It took years of waiting, hard earned money, medical exams, being calm and polite to brusque, sometimes rude bureaucrats, above all patience and carefully dotting every i and crossing every t.
I have no words for my reaction to stories like these.</p>