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is duke easier to get into when the applicant is asian or indian? because in my school, a girl who had stellar stats (1500+ SAT, #3 in class of 500, etc etc) and was white did not get into Duke but an indian girl with much much lesser stats (1300 SAT and maybe 30 - 50 rank in class) got in

By Dreadpirate (Dreadpirate) on Saturday, August 30, 2003 - 09:56 pm: Edit

Who knows what appeals to adcoms at the top-rated schools. To say that they can be capricious would be charitable. If you have really strong stats, particularly in the sciences, the best route into Duke is through the College of Engineering. It is far less arbitrary, less concerned with political correctness, and less influenced by the personal bias of readers.

By Sid_Mathur (Sid_Mathur) on Saturday, August 30, 2003 - 11:54 pm: Edit

my indian friend got rejected with a 1550

By Covalentbond007 (Covalentbond007) on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 12:51 am: Edit

Protected social welfare classes under Affirmative Action in colleges are
1) Black
2) Hispanic
3) Native American
4) Main Island Puerto Rican

Asian Indians are not among this group. Your friend got in because:
1) She has incredible ECs or
2) She is a scholarship athlete (ie: basketball)or
3) She is a legacy with strong family connections at Duke or
4) She is the daughter or other relation of a major donor of Duke

By Valpal (Valpal) on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 04:00 am: Edit

Why do people always assume that if a non-white with a lower score receives admission into a school, it is because of "social Welfare under Affirmative Action"? Hasn't it already been proven that colleges and universities look for more than just grades and test scores? There are MANY variables that factor into any single college admission decision. Who's to say that the higher scoring student wasn't deep-sixed by her essays or a teacher recommendation? Maybe her ECs were entirely pedestrian and she came off looking one-dimensional. Really, whose to say? Were you in the room, listening in on the discussion when the Adcom was reviewing her application? I'd bet money that many white applicants with lower scores were admitted over her also. But you wouldn't have a problem with that, would you?

P.S. You can be sure that the above white applicant who was denied Admission to Duke, wasn't turned away by EVERY top school. Her chances for success don't begin or end with an admission to any one school.

By Covalentbond007 (Covalentbond007) on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 02:27 pm: Edit

We tend to think URMs get in because of "social welfare under Affirmative Action" because the people who are practicing AA are telling us they are. For example, the AAMC has recently stated only 20% of current URM medical students got an acceptance because of their merit and not their race.

Academic factors are always primary. Your confusion lies in the fact that there are separate admissions processes, merit and non-merit. Non-merit acceptances are much lower on the academic scale than their merit counterparts. This does not mean colleges will accept lower academically qualified non-merit applicants over higher academically qualified non-merit applicants. Even in the non-merit admissions processes, colleges look for the higher academic qualifications.

By Valpal (Valpal) on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 02:56 pm: Edit

What is the AAMC?

By Covalentbond007 (Covalentbond007) on Sunday, August 31, 2003 - 04:10 pm: Edit

Association of American Medical Colleges
http://www.aamc.org/