Reply #12: On top of that - patronage [View All]

I had a niece who was top of her class. 4++ GPA. Outside volunteer interests. The whole thing.

She didn't get in to UVa. Her parents (who are smarter than this) and others in the room blamed "foreigners" for taking up spots.

I interjected myself into the discussion, "Look I know this sucks and none of us like it but it isn't the foreigners who are taking up those spots. Richmond (where I live) is full of legacies who are born to go to St. Christophers or Collegiate or any of the supreme private schools in the area and are going to UVa as a birthright because at least one parent went there probably grandparents if not beyond that. THEY soak up 97% of the spots and (our relative) had to battle it out with other super achievers for the few spots that remained."

My uncle, her father, nodded and said "Yeah you are probably right"