Model minority and how it affects admissions into selective schools

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

(Illustration by Maggie McKinney

Modeling Discrimination in Minority Admissions Asian Americans being stereotyped to the admissions process. The federal court ruled maturity, strength of character, and concern for as the “model minority” unfairly that Harvard’s race-conscious admissions process others play a significant role in our evaluations,” hurts their chances for admission into selective schools. is fair and that it does not discriminate against Asian-Americans on a surface level. However, it can be argued that racial stereotyping and according to their website. Asian-Americans consistently receive low marks on the personality categories, according BY MAGGIE MCKINNEY REPORTER discrimination against the “model minority” is so deeply rooted in college admissions that it is no longer seen as discrimination. to SFFA v. Harvard. The group alleges that if the discriminatory “personality” and race considerations were eliminated, Asian-Americans The “model minority” label, although would be admitted at a much higher rate; that

The Ivy League colleges have an average of seemingly positive, brings increasing hardships claim can be backed up by other colleges. The 6.7% acceptance rate, according to the admission for Asian American applicants. The expectation California Institute of Technology does not percentage of all eight universities. Schools such as for Asian Americans to be high achieving, well consider an applicant’s race or “personality” and Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth are hailed for their rounded, outstanding citizens with genius-level bases admissions almost entirely on academic opportunity for intellectual greatness for anyone intellect proves to be a near-impossible standard merit, and their student body was almost 40% with enough promise. Unless they are Asian for high schoolers to meet, let alone exceed. This Asian-American in 2016, which tops Harvard’s American. stereotype has resulted in Asian Americans to 25.3% Asian-American admittance for the class

Known as the “model minority” in America, have to play a game of catch up to applicants of of 2023. Asian Americans are applauded for seemingly other ethnicities in regards to standing out to the Asian-Americans have been discriminated achieving a higher degree of socioeconomic admissions committee. against over and over in American society success than the population average. Asian A study done by the National Study of throughout history, with Japanese-American Americans are seen as being productive workers College Experience found that students who internment camps during World War II all the way with high paying jobs in tech or accounting self-identify as Asian overall need 140 more SAT up to the 1960s, when Asian-Americans finally (but never as the manager or leader). But points than white applicants, 320 more than gained the right to vote. Attempting to make up this stereotype is not reflected in elite college Hispanics and 450 more than African Americans for the series of injustices through labeling all admission rates. Asian Americans have been in order to be equitably considered in terms of Asian-Americans as a “model minority” is simply consistently admitted to the Ivy League schools at academics. The same study also found that among not beneficial to the advancement of social equity, the same relatively low rates for decades. With the applicants with the highest SAT ranges (1400- and is a stereotype that ends up harming them as pressures that come with the “model minority” 1600), an average of 77% of African Americans are a whole. Admissions offices need to commit to label and the increasing competition to get into admitted into selective colleges, 48% of Hispanics, being “race neutral” when it comes to applicants these elite schools, Asian Americans have an 40% of whites but only 30% of Asian Americans. or applicants of color will never have the chance incredibly unfair disadvantage when it comes to This expectation also disproportionately affects of a fair shot at acceptance. It should be illegal the admissions process. Asian-Americans who do have the resources to for students to be asked to indicate their race or

Harvard University has recently won a obtain these benchmark accomplishments, such ethnicity on the application, no matter what the legal battle with Students for Fair Admissions, as economically disadvantaged teens who cannot college is. If the Ivy League schools are to continue a nonprofit group composed of “20,000 afford tutors, standardized test prep or private to be the “pinnacle” of American education, students, parents, and others who believe education. then they must disregard race and emphasize that racial classifications and preferences in Even if these students do obtain high achievement in their admissions process. college admissions are unfair, unnecessary, and academic achievement, the admissions officers are unconstitutional,” according to the group’s website. still likely to take points off for Asian-Americans’ SFFA alleged that Harvard’s “race-conscious” “personality”; the stereotypical personality being admissions process actually works to fulfill racial bland, academically focused, and rigid. In the quotas for the student body, which is illegal. “holistic review” method Harvard so eagerly

Harvard denied using racial quotas and boasts, applicants are not only rated by academic argued that taking into account an applicant’s achievement and general merit, but also by race is merely a part of their “holistic” approach personality traits. Harvard states that “integrity,

A protest in Boston’s Copley Square Oct. 14, 2018 to support the lawsuit from Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard