Well, I found the specifics of the Admissions Criteria at
CNN. They are as follows:
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
At the University of Michigan, minority undergraduate applicants to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts receive a 20-point bonus on the basis of race out of a 150-point system, which takes into consideration other criteria, including academics. Scholarship athletes, for example, get 20 points. Race is covered in a category called "other factors." The point system includes:
Geography
10 points - Michigan resident
6 points - Underrepresented Michigan county
2 points - Underrepresented state
Alumni
4 points - "Legacy" (parents, step-parents)
1 point - Other (grandparents, siblings, spouses)
Essay
1 point - Outstanding essay (since 1999, 3 points)
Personal achievement
1 point - State
3 points - Regional
5 points - National
Leadership and service
1 point - State
3 points - Regional
5 points - National
Miscellaneous
20 points - Socio-economic disadvantage
20 points - Underrepresented racial-ethnic minority identification or education
5 points - Men in nursing
20 points - Scholarship athlete
20 points - Provost's discretion
Maximum of 40 points and only one option is assigned in the alumni, personal achievement, leadership & service, and miscellaneous categories.
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Now that I know more about the facts, I'd like to rethink my earlier prognostication. Because a poor minority student can rack up a full 40 POINTS (see emphasis in text above), I think the Supreme Court very well may strike it down.
It has clearly stated, time and again, that while race can be a factor in admissions, it can not be the only factor or even a major factor. Based on the scale above (e.g. 3 points for outstanding essay), Michigan has made race a MAJOR factor, as far as I can tell. For that reason, our high court may strike it down.
Quote:
HolyWarrior ranted:
WTF did you get the idea that diversity is America's strength? Sure, diversity's nice, but not if you sacrifice quality to get it.
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Well, I don't think I said that. If you think I did, then I think you misunderstood the point I was making in analyzing US/EU differences in education. I did say diversity is a strength in education - and it is. Nothing educates you as well as seeing other points of view.
But, now that you mention it, there is a certain strength in diversity in the USA. The USA has over its history been on the cutting edge of ingenuity. I remember Japanese corporations sending employees here for training in "thinking outside the box." I see an obvious connection between our roots in a poineer spirit and out continued persona as a nation of inventors, explorers, and, in effect, pioneers.
Plus, I think your whole rant against me is preaching to the choir. Did not I say that race was, IMO, a thing to consider when viewing otherwise equal candidates? I think I said that. [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]