Posted by Jared johnson, a resident of the Walnut Creek neighborhood, on Aug 9, 2011 at 2:36 pm

Although adding a sport to beef up college admissions can't hurt--- anyone can point to classmates with less than stellar GPA's and test scores who were accepted to better schools than the top students. Marking an acceptable minority box or weaving such info into your essays works. You can eventually get into UC Irvine or Stanford or SMC on their "special" minority recruitment programs. One girl even gets to take her medical boards in tiny pieces after intensive tutoring (free) provided by the college. It is reverse discrimination. Wonder how many she will maim during her "career?"

Posted by Nan, a resident of the Diablo neighborhood, on Aug 9, 2011 at 4:28 pm

Here, here to Jared's statement of facts. It is a system that is "broke." Is it too late to fix? Seems so when qualified candidates are turned away and seats are filled by academically under qualified.

Higher education admissions practices demonstrate that published requirements mean little to nothing. Admissions favor exceptions, not the exceptional.

How about two years of JC to tune up academic skills before applying to university?

Posted by Kyle, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Aug 9, 2011 at 5:02 pm

College admissions are never going to be "fair" when it comes down to it getting accepted is a game. There are winners and their are losers. Being an athlete is just one way to win that game. Face the facts that college is no longer just academics. Those who play with the game win, and those who think they know better and play against it lose... colleges chose what they want, so to make it simple be what they want. If that means being an athlete, then play that game