[csa]

Asians at Harvard undergrad are represented at roughly 4x their proportion of the general US population. Assuming that Harvard undergrad values “holistic qualities” (I think it does), then the answer to that may be yes.

Is this the argument that the folks in the lawsuit are making? I don’t think so. The argument to me sounds more like “why can’t Harvard make admissions just based just on a test?”

Short answer: There isn’t a standardized test that does a good job of selecting for the “holistic qualities” that certain schools want. Hence the admissions system that most elite schools use.

[leereeves]

If these "holistic qualities" can't be detailed or measured, they may become merely a reflection of the interviewer's personal bias.

> On average, alumni give white and Asian American applicants similar ratings, but Harvard staff give whites substantially better reviews than they give Asian Americans.