4 ms·

They make up 25.3% of the admitted class but would probably make up 75-80% of the admitted class in a system truly based on merit. 4 out of 5 strong applicants

They make up 25.3% of the admitted class but would probably make up 75-80% of the admitted class in a system truly based on merit. 4 out of 5 strong applicants are rejected simply because they're Asian American.

usaar333 6y ago
Let's not exaggerate things. Comparing UC or Caltech is probably best (granted they use less controversial socioeconomic factors). Caltech is 43% Asian American vs 27% at MIT. Note that the race-neutral number is somewhere in between (Asians disproportionately yield to schools that don't use racial preferences because they are discriminated against elsewhere)
- rayiner 6y ago
  The competitive admissions high school I went to (which has an SAT average similar to Ivy League universities) has a completely race/SES-blind admissions system and is now 70% Asian.
  - usaar333 6y ago
    That's a function of local demographics as well though. Lowell high school in San Francisco has those numbers but that's in part due to (more affluent than average) whites long fleeing the SF public schools.
    - crimsonalucard5 6y ago
      But whites still are the majority in SF by a huge margin.
      - usaar333 6y ago
        ? Have you ever been to SF? That's not true for the general population and even less true for youth. And the white youth that are there tend to go to private schools https://priceonomics.com/where-are-all-the-white-people-in-san-francisco/#:~:text=The%20median%20percentage%20in%20elementary,%2C%20and%205.7%25%2C%20respectively.&text=Half%20of%20San%20Francisco's%20elementary,elementary%20schools%20are%20under%203.3%25 https://priceonomics.com/where-are-all-the-white-people-in-s....
        crimsonalucard5 6y ago
        I live in SF, i grew up in the bay. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Demographics_of_San_Francisco#:~:text=According%20to%202018%20US%20Census,from%20two%20or%20more%20races https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Demographics_of_San_Francisco#:~....
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
- crimsonalucard5 6y ago
  >Asians disproportionately yield to schools No Asians go big or go home. They yield to all schools that are prestigious regardless of race-neutrality because all of these school (on the surface) appear to be race neutral.
shreygineer 6y ago
Maybe, but students also want a diverse student body if they're going to an institution like Harvard. I doubt that the top X% of students who get into Harvard want to be surrounded by people just like them. They want diversity and different perspectives from people who are creative intelligent. That's the appeal of institutions like Harvard.

usaar333 6y ago

Let's not exaggerate things. Comparing UC or Caltech is probably best (granted they use less controversial socioeconomic factors). Caltech is 43% Asian American vs 27% at MIT. Note that the race-neutral number is somewhere in between (Asians disproportionately yield to schools that don't use racial preferences because they are discriminated against elsewhere)

rayiner 6y ago
The competitive admissions high school I went to (which has an SAT average similar to Ivy League universities) has a completely race/SES-blind admissions system and is now 70% Asian.
- usaar333 6y ago
  That's a function of local demographics as well though. Lowell high school in San Francisco has those numbers but that's in part due to (more affluent than average) whites long fleeing the SF public schools.
  - crimsonalucard5 6y ago
    But whites still are the majority in SF by a huge margin.
    - usaar333 6y ago
      ? Have you ever been to SF? That's not true for the general population and even less true for youth. And the white youth that are there tend to go to private schools https://priceonomics.com/where-are-all-the-white-people-in-san-francisco/#:~:text=The%20median%20percentage%20in%20elementary,%2C%20and%205.7%25%2C%20respectively.&text=Half%20of%20San%20Francisco's%20elementary,elementary%20schools%20are%20under%203.3%25 https://priceonomics.com/where-are-all-the-white-people-in-s....
      - crimsonalucard5 6y ago
        I live in SF, i grew up in the bay. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Demographics_of_San_Francisco#:~:text=According%20to%202018%20US%20Census,from%20two%20or%20more%20races https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Demographics_of_San_Francisco#:~....
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
crimsonalucard5 6y ago
>Asians disproportionately yield to schools No Asians go big or go home. They yield to all schools that are prestigious regardless of race-neutrality because all of these school (on the surface) appear to be race neutral.

shreygineer 6y ago

Maybe, but students also want a diverse student body if they're going to an institution like Harvard. I doubt that the top X% of students who get into Harvard want to be surrounded by people just like them. They want diversity and different perspectives from people who are creative intelligent. That's the appeal of institutions like Harvard.