Texas A&M defies trend, won't use race as admissions factor - Page 3

mpp · 12-07-2003, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Ace of Aces
If you're white, are extremely involved in extracirricular activities, graduate in the top 10% of your class and score a 1380 on the SAT that will not get you in to Notre Dame.

You're probably gonna need to be valedicotrian or salutitorian if all you can pull is a 31 on your ACT.

so much has changed in 5 years

i graduated first in my class, 4.0 GPA, tons of extra-curriculars, and a 30 on the ACT and i got a scholarship to the (at the time) #9 school in America

geographic distribution has a lot to do with it, too; at least at private schools

mpp · 12-07-2003, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ravenguy2000

I had a 30 and I pretty much had my pick of schools. (Not that Notre Dame was on the list, though.)

mpp · 12-07-2003, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jczeroman

B = (Affirmative action programs) (are racist) = A

is this supposed to be some kind of revelation?

mpp · 12-07-2003, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nimrod's Son
what should weight be placed on if GPA and test scores don't matter anymore?

GPA and test scores are very important; i don't think anybody's saying that...at least i hope not

i mean, you ahve to have some way of standardizing stuff

sawdust restaurants · 12-07-2003, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nimrod's Son
Again, I ask you.. what should weight be placed on if GPA and test scores don't matter anymore?

Jeez, getting a straight answer is impossible

No, place weight on GPA and class rank, even though I don't really like the culture it promotes, because you can't really do otherwise. It does standardize things. But test scores need to be decreased in importance. Tests--well, I'd like to say they measure jack, but they do measure something. But I just don't think they're as important as everyone says they are.

In their place--and here's your straight answer, homey, so listen up--we should emphasize essays, extracurriculars and other things that show whether someone's going to be able to be successful in college. This is through a biased filter, but my own experience has shown me that responsibility and the ability to take control of your own actions is much more important in college than your intelligence or knowledge base. Unless you have stellar teachers, who are few and far between on any level, high school curricula are geared more towards the kids who can memorize after reading the book once, the kids who can make things sound good in papers without actually having a damn clue what they're talking about. College curricula require, more than anything else, hard work as well as an ability to express yourself through writing. So if someone can show that they're dedicated to something, that should factor in more than it does at most schools, where extracurriculars and the actual person behind the numbers comes in after everything else is considered. Test scores are decent predictors of how someone will do in college, but they're not great. Look it up.

jczeroman · 12-07-2003, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mpp

is this supposed to be some kind of revelation?

Some people justify racism as an emergency procedure to curb a seriosu issue. These same peopel would prolly have agreed that Hitler should take emrgency powers to save the nation; or that Julius Caesar was justified in his "temporary" dictatorship to "save rome."

Same principle, new issue. Ignorance is no longer bliss.

Lie · 12-07-2003, 05:36 PM

Even if you believe in Affirmative Action for practical reasons, you have to admit that using race as a measuring tool is a flawed system that promotes the illusion of race being a lot more important than it actually is. You people talking about admissions tests being demographically biased are talking about something that's a lot more complicated than skin color. There are people of white, black, Asian and Hispanic descent who grow up in "white" neighborhoods and have all the same advantages, and there are whites who grow up in disadvantaged "minority" situations. Race doesn't mean shit. If the system is flawed, don't try to fix it at the price of simplification.

Lie · 12-07-2003, 05:41 PM

Why did you twits have to go and start this shit again, anyway? Am I gonna have to hit someone?

jczeroman · 12-07-2003, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lie
Why did you twits have to go and start this shit again, anyway? Am I gonna have to hit someone?

it wasn't me lie, the dirty kid started it. he always does.

12-07-2003, 05:36 PM	#67
Lie Socialphobic Location: Goin' out West where they'll appreciate me Posts: 10,001	Even if you believe in Affirmative Action for practical reasons, you have to admit that using race as a measuring tool is a flawed system that promotes the illusion of race being a lot more important than it actually is. You people talking about admissions tests being demographically biased are talking about something that's a lot more complicated than skin color. There are people of white, black, Asian and Hispanic descent who grow up in "white" neighborhoods and have all the same advantages, and there are whites who grow up in disadvantaged "minority" situations. Race doesn't mean shit. If the system is flawed, don't try to fix it at the price of simplification.

12-07-2003, 05:41 PM	#68
Lie Socialphobic Location: Goin' out West where they'll appreciate me Posts: 10,001	Why did you twits have to go and start this shit again, anyway? Am I gonna have to hit someone?