[cpascal]

I think universities can probably come up with a different set of non-protected criteria to lift underrepresented communities out of social/financial oppression. This might even provide greater access to some equally needing students that are looked over by racially-based criteria. In a perfect world, everyone would have equal opportunity and support throughout their primary education, and college admission could be much more merit-based. Unfortunately, that is not the country we live in and there is little appetite to invest in ensuring all Americans have access to high-quality primary education.

[Lendal]

Yeah, and I think it will be pretty simple to do. Just switch over to looking at what district the applicants graduated (or what neighborhood they grew up in) from and try to equally represent all school districts over time. For instance, if you have a poor high school that's never had anyone admitted to your university, then try to choose the next outstanding applicant coming out of that high school. That promotes diversity without involving race. Poor families can't easily change school districts just because they find themselves with a gifted child on their hands. I know because I've been there.

[TMWNN]

>Just switch over to looking at what district the applicants graduated (or what neighborhood they grew up in) from and try to equally represent all school districts over time.

This is basically what the University of Texas does; the top x% of applicants from each Texas high school is admitted, with other applicants competing against each other. I think it's a good way for a state school with the duty to educate its citizens to do so without using race as the determinant.

[rtkwe]

My read and view has been for a long while that to reverse the centuries of race based discrimination you have to do something to specifically funnel opportunities and resources to those affected groups. PoC were kept out of many of the big wealth building booms in the US like the post WW2 golden era for example so unless we're willing to wait for one of those to come around again or a couple centuries of diffusion to even the starting point discrepancies the pre Civil Rights Era built deep into our cities and economies, the race based issues of the past kind of demand addressing with race based solutions.

[commandlinefan]

> lift underrepresented communities out

There already is, though - study hard!

[cpascal]

This isn't always possible, though. You could grow up with parents and teachers who do not push you to study. Perhaps you are malnourished or abused. Having the environment and support to study hard is something not all students have. You cannot hand wave studying as the solution to the disparity in educational outcomes.

[peterfirefly]

And choose your parents well!

[mehlmao]

*study harder than the rich legacy admissions

[2OEH8eoCRo0]

Why does it need to be more complicated than investing more into underperforming areas? Money talks