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Asian-American applicants to Harvard University had among the strongest academic credentials, broad extracurricular interests, and impressed alumni in interviews, but consistently scored poorly by one key measure: charming admissions officers with their personality.
According to court documents filed Friday in an affirmative action lawsuit against Harvard University, Asian-Americans across the academic spectrum received lower personal ratings from the university’s admissions officers than their peers.
Those findings are the latest evidence in a lawsuit contending that Harvard discriminates against Asian-American applicants and was aware for several years that the admissions process at one of the world’s most exclusive universities was stacked against them.
The case is likely to go to trial this fall and may ultimately be decided years from now by the US Supreme Court. It is being closely watched by the Department of Justice, legal experts, and advocacy groups, and could change the way colleges use race in admissions decisions.
The ratings, offering a rare glimpse into the oft-mysterious admissions process, measured whether students were likable, funny, helpful, courageous, widely respected, and a “good person,” according to filings submitted by the Students for Fair Admissions, the nonprofit group that is suing Harvard. The filings were based on a review of applicant data to Harvard from students seeking admission to the classes of 2014 to 2019.
Harvard’s own internal research also raised concerns about how Asian-American applicants are treated by the college’s selective admissions process, according to documents filed in US District Court in Boston by the organization.
Harvard has fought the release of its admissions information and many of the court documents remain redacted.
Source, full story:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/06/15/harvard-studies-revealed-concern-over-asian-american-admissions-rate/cZcvzgxFg9zZ6F2am5QeVP/story.html?p1=BGHeader_SmartBar_Breaking
According to court documents filed Friday in an affirmative action lawsuit against Harvard University, Asian-Americans across the academic spectrum received lower personal ratings from the university’s admissions officers than their peers.
Those findings are the latest evidence in a lawsuit contending that Harvard discriminates against Asian-American applicants and was aware for several years that the admissions process at one of the world’s most exclusive universities was stacked against them.
The case is likely to go to trial this fall and may ultimately be decided years from now by the US Supreme Court. It is being closely watched by the Department of Justice, legal experts, and advocacy groups, and could change the way colleges use race in admissions decisions.
The ratings, offering a rare glimpse into the oft-mysterious admissions process, measured whether students were likable, funny, helpful, courageous, widely respected, and a “good person,” according to filings submitted by the Students for Fair Admissions, the nonprofit group that is suing Harvard. The filings were based on a review of applicant data to Harvard from students seeking admission to the classes of 2014 to 2019.
Harvard’s own internal research also raised concerns about how Asian-American applicants are treated by the college’s selective admissions process, according to documents filed in US District Court in Boston by the organization.
Harvard has fought the release of its admissions information and many of the court documents remain redacted.
Source, full story:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/06/15/harvard-studies-revealed-concern-over-asian-american-admissions-rate/cZcvzgxFg9zZ6F2am5QeVP/story.html?p1=BGHeader_SmartBar_Breaking
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