The University of California is at war - against many!

[@joannahayden9544]

We’re “Strivers”. I’m a waitress and my son is really smart and got into our local magnet high school. It’s a fabulous school and he’s holding his own with the mostly rich kids from across town. The rich kids get the benefit of being at the top of their class of a title I school and my son won’t be at the top of the class but would be at the scary schools nearby. I’m glad he’s getting a good education, but he’s been getting passed over in the system since kindergarten. He’s white, doesn’t qualify for reduced or free lunch, has 2 parents … so basically, he’s screwed. Anyway, I appreciate that you’re out there talking for us and teaching us. 🙏

[@JaJaZebrie]

Completely agree... exactly what I'm observing too... the UC system is discriminating against CA residents preferring OOS and international to in-state, and preferring underperforming public schools to privates and to homeschooling students. It's getting very ugly especially post-C19.

[@Stella-yk1bt]

My daughter had a 1550 SAT score and almost 4.0, was president of debate team for 3 years of HS and president of mock trial team. She was admitted to U of Michigan and USC but rejected from UC Irvine and UCLA. Thankfully she was admitted to Cal and that’s where she ended up going. So thankful about that.

[@I.L-b1o]

I’m convinced that the UCs eliminated SATs because this is one of the areas where Asians excel. They wanted to take that away. My son is applying now with a 1560 SAT but it won’t help him for the UCs. He’s also applying to U of Michigan and USC, but they are so much more expensive. We’re hoping for UCLA since it’s close to home, but there is little chance, even with great grades and ECs. Happy your daughter got into Cal, great achievement.

[@Stella-yk1bt]

@ That’s crazy indeed, and I completely agree with you. Somehow colleges are obsessed about race, and they do everything they can to increase blacks and hispanics. Perhaps they should just do it based on lottery because at least you can explain it and it’s fair. My son also has 1560. I got him to do sports and he’s getting recruited by Stanford. If he didn’t manage to get recruited, we would’ve been so stressed because he didn’t have any time to do other ECs in a meaningful way. Thank goodness he got recruited. Good luck to your son!

[@kirkfelmar2944]

Excellent video.

[@MHN-wk9sw]

Courageous for this discussion- as a mom of an Asian Daughter who goes to one of these high achieving high schools, I totally agree. We had kids get into great private universities like duke, Vanderbilt, the ivies but not the UCs

[@California_Resident]

Thank you for making this video. Absolutely this is happening and I appreciate you shining a light on it as most are unaware. And many do not believe this could be happening given the laws on the books. I'm a Bay Area parent and my oldest graduated recently. I paid very close attention and over the past 3 years I have seen evidence of this again and again. Show me a white kid who gets into every UC they apply to (including the top ones) who only took 3 AP's / mid extra-curriculrs? Show me a white kid who gets a scholarship and early admission into Cal when their profile is middle of the road, couple C's, only got through pre-calc? I've seen this and more when the applicant is in the most preferred groups. I have seen that clear pecking order of preference come out ......and it's in line with what you refer to as the cast system that has developed. If you are not in the preferred group, there is no thumb on the scale for you and if you are on the bubble you will not be given the same grace. You could still get in, but you will need to be both tippy top epic and lucky to have a chance. I also believe there is abuse as some folks have realized how red carpet is rolled out if for ex someone claims they are indigenous. Whatever they want to do may be fine, but what I'm most irritated about is how they are doing this quietly and the general population seems to think race/income is not considered.....but it is! I also have seen some signs that ideology also is factored in esp. at Cal. One more thing: In addition to what I have observed at individual level, the school profile you talk about is indeed one of the methods. There was a fascinating article in SF Chronicle. Students from Mission HS in SF had astronomically amazing success at getting accepted into top UC's. www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2024/uc-admissions-acceptance-rates/#:~:text=Admissions%20data%20for%20the%202023,with%20at%20least%2040%20applicants.

[@MrJOONCHOI]

35yrs ago ... u got accepted UCLA, people says: nice, congrats.. NOW... WTF CONGRATS , Ur GPA must b 4.7, SAT 1570

[@JPunak]

Except now if they published the SAT's of accepted students it would be more like 1290

[@mossfloss]

I would be extremely shocked to learn that discrimination/preference based on applicant's HS was only happening at UC schools.

[@CollegeMeister]

It is extremely rare for colleges and universities to be (1) test free, (2) positively and negatively discriminating against an applicant based on the high school the student attends, and (3) basing that discrimination on very strong proxies for race AND class. Traditionally high school profiles have been used to put applicants into context, so, for instance, if an applicant goes to a school where only one curriculum is offered, few students earn a 4.0 GPA in that curriculum, and the applicant in question is earning a 4.0 GPA, the college is able to clarify that the student is exceptionally strong in the context of his or her school. Similarly, if a high school has SAT or ACT averages in the 99th percentile in the state or nation but the average GPA of rising seniors is 3.5, that communicates to a college that the school does not have grade inflation. In both cases positive or negative discrimination of the school is not occurring; the profile is simply contextualizing the individual student's experience and performance in high school.

[@HP-ov7ol]

Kudos on your overall message and the courage to speak out against the wildly unfair admissions practices of many selective universities these days (including, but not limited to the UCs). However, you really need to learn how to stop rambling and deliver concise messages. This should have been 15-20 minutes max.

[@harrychu650]

Agreed. It became a more pronounced problem following Eric Holder and Obama's guidance to Universities. The problem is beyond the UCs. There are some among us who believe that the solution to discrimination is more discrimination.

[@drticktock4011]

...Except at the US Services Academies.

[@masatanida9119]

I noticed this recently when I looked at UC admission rates for California high schools. I went to a high school in a more working-class/lower middle-class kind of area that is still over 80% hispanic. My classmates' parents weren't doctors and lawyers and engineers - they were truck drivers, elementary school teachers, service workers, office administrators, retired military, etc. In my graduating class in the 90s, only about half a dozen of the top students went to UC schools - I still remember each one of those students. So I was surprised when I recently saw a chart of UC admissions rates for every California high school in the San Francisco Times and learned that my alma mater now has a pretty decent UC acceptance rate relative to other California high schools. We had 9 students admitted to UC Berkeley alone last year. My graduating class didn't send a single student to Berkeley. At the same time, a friend's high-achieving son who attends a very good high school got rejected from every UC he applied to last year, even though his stats were far above the mean for admits at any of those schools. While I do sympathize with my friend's son, I sort of side with the UCs. After all, he got into other great schools including UW, UT Austin, UIUC, etc., and his family can afford to send him out of state or to a private university. Moreover, if he had applied to more UCs (he only applied to the most selective ones), he would have been admitted into at least one of them. The way public schools are funded through property taxes isn't fair and results in a unequal education system, and I think it's reasonable to try to accept top students from all California schools, even if that means they need to tilt the scale in favor of students at some high schools.

[@TheHappychickadee]

Honesty is very much appreciated. I feel for our kids. This is wrong.

[@chabangful]

I hope they get sued again by the same organization....they are threatening to again. But wondering how those kids from low-performing high schools then do at UC schools? are they dropping out or can they handle the academics?

[@carlscott506]

I am not saying “I am for the system” but isn’t this an example of trying to find a diamond in the rough. Also, I do not think this is a “war” about race but wealth. Most of the high performing schools are in wealthier areas. Kids from the upper class will be ok. I am from the middle and upper class. The amount of connections my peers and I have will help our kids regardless of the college they attend. We really want our kids to go the highly selective colleges for bragging rights. Also, Craig, I loved the way you ended this video. The last ten minutes is why I think you are great.

[@CollegeMeister]

It is not just diamond in the rough students at the very top of low-performing high schools who are getting into the most selective UCs. Also included are a good number of 'above average' students at high schools where the vast majority of students are not proficient in math and/or reading.

[@ericchang7706]

Agree! It's about UC trying to help the disadvantaged members of our society. I'd also agree in unjustly harms a lot of groups that Craig discussed, but it also provides opportunity to many who otherwise wouldn't have it. However, we may be doing a disservice to the underserved groups by mismatching unqualified students with rigorous curriculums that lead to high dropout rates, subsequent financial distress, and a lifetime identity with failure and inability to achieve. The UCs may become more prestigious and less beneficial to underserved groups because of this policy. They are inadvertently making it more coveted for white, Asian and/or wealthy groups to attend a top UC (When I got into Berkeley in 80s, it wasn't a huge deal even though it was during the period of affirmative action. For my Asian daughter, it seemed miraculous when she recently got into Berkeley.). Professors' bias could harm the lower performing groups by not providing mentorship, access to research, or recommendations for grad schools.

[@Ldelikyan]

This video is loaded in personal biases and rants…yes there is a push for more diversity (it’s not a scheme) and there is much more competition these days. Going to college is popular and a cool thing and important. Many students, from all walks of life, are accessing the educational system. This creates more applicants and competition. Here are recent 2022/2023 stats for UC demographics by race. Clearly Black and Native American students are way out numbered. The whites and Asians are still doing just fine! UCLA White: 27.4% Asian: 26% Hispanic or Latino: 19.5% Black or African American: 3.56% American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.193% UC Berkeley 29.9% Asian, 23.9% White, 17% Hispanic or Latino, 2.53% Black or African American, 0.149% American Indian or Alaska Native UCSB White (42.1%) Asian (32.2%) Hispanic (18.3%). Black or African American, 0.145% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.119%

[@fireburnseverything]

God forbid your kid goes to Chico State 😱

[@arlopop]

Lol - my son, white, Northern European descent, upper middle class was accepted by multiple UCs (he is attending UCSB.) Our good friends’ son, Japanese descent, upper middle class, and HS classmate of my son was accepted by multiple UCs (also chose UCSB.) Other dear friends, white, upper middle class, have a son who graduated from Lowell High School in SF (one of the best and most rigorous in the U.S.) and was accepted by multiple UCs and is graduating this month from Berkeley. All three of these cases go against the grain of everything you’re saying. Our stories are purely individual so take it for what it’s worth, but since you offer no reference data for this rant (heck, you don’t even offer any anecdotal stories), I just can’t take you seriously.

[@joannahayden9544]

Yes, this is your personal, anecdotal story. This video isn’t for you.

[@arlopop]

@@joannahayden9544 and this is his. But in 45 minutes he presents no statistics, no research or anecdotal stories that back his thesis. He just says, “ this is true, believe me.” He could just as easily have said, “Only applicants who eat pasta on Wednesdays get accepted to UCs,” and it would be as valid as what he’s offered. Geez, college is literally about critical thinking skills, and there are none offered here; just an overlong ramble barking about inequities for which he offers no evidence.

[@CollegeMeister]

Many American service members came home from Afghanistan and in the years since have met with great success. Does that mean the Taliban did not wage a war against them? And who rules Afghanistan today?

[@arlopop]

@@CollegeMeister if you are going to spend 45 minutes on a subject offer some objective facts. I specifically said my stories were individual, and never claimed they were universal or indicative of anything regarding the system other than personal experience. You don’t even offer that. You just made a sweeping generalization and offered nothing to back up your assertions - nothing to support your claim. Much as in your video regarding the “Worst AP courses to take” where you dismissed Human Geography as a subject invented in the last 20 years. “What is Human Geography,” you asked derisively. The fact that you didn’t know anything about the subject is a tell. Human Geography has been one of two main areas of focus in the major in most universities for more than a century (Physical and Human), focusing on the physical and environmental factors that affect humans and their movements on large scales. The category was described by the geographer Alexander Von Humboldt in the 18th century. Whether or not the actual AP class has value I honestly cannot say, but if your lack of understanding of the field is the product of the AP course then you are probably right regarding its lack of value. That lack knowledge nonetheless undermines any your authority to make that determination. You similarly dismissed AP Environmental Science as nothing, yet never mentioned that it is the 3rd most difficult AP exam to achieve a score of 3 or better, behind only AP Gov and AP Physics 1, according to the College Board. There may be some skewing involved but it didn’t deserve a derisive dismissal. And so it goes. You offer this assessment of the UC system that may or may not be valid, but since you offer no evidence - not one single statistic - to support your claim your viewers have no way of making an informed opinion, at least not based on your rambling. You’ve offered click bait that is cotton without substance, and if this the advice and counseling you offer your clients, well, oh boy. Good luck “Meister”

[@joannahayden9544]

Why are you here if you are so good at the college thing? Go make a video for the Biff’s and Buffy’s.

[@JRRichards123]

Well I do have issues with your use of “war” so liberally especially because of the reality of actual wars occurring right now.

[@stochasticdifferentialeq.1393]

I always wondered why UC school have a above 10% percentage of tacos in their campuses 😅now I know 😅. Thank God affirmative action has been eliminated.

[@derekl9702]

Tinfoil hat man yells at clouds.

[@ghizzyhizzy]

Delusional!!!