
The make-up of the points went like this: 80 for GPA, 12 for test scores, 10 for being from Michigan, 1 for a good essay, 4 for legacy, 10 for personal achievement and leadership, 18 for difficulty of high school, and 20 points for being an under-represented minority. 20 points! The second most important category in this process is the color of your skin! Even black conservative Robert Woodson calls this system "Outrageous", and points out how race is almost doubly important as a perfect ACT score (Geocurry.com). A free 20 points for being a minority makes it a full 20% easier to get admitted. Minorities have to accomplish 80% of white a white applicant must.
Although I am for affirmative action, a process this black and white (no pun intended) is reverse racism. There must be help given in the admissions process to low socio-economic applicants, who happen to be predominantly minorities. Economic standing and opportunities given by the high school should be the defining factors, not race. A minority from New Trier should have no more advantage than a Caucasian from New Trier. It is truly amazing how African Americans were labeled as only 3/5 of a person 227 years ago, and now, they still only have to be 4/5 of the applicant a person has to be. So the question arises: When will minorities finally be treated the same as whites?