FISHER v. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN ET AL.

[Munchkin03]

From what I know of the top public schools in Texas, her alma mater was not one. So, it doesn't seem as if there were 10 valedictorians or that the top 10% was filled with kids who were extraordinary.

The long and short of it is that Abigail Fisher was a mediocre (at best) student who thought she was entitled to attend her flagship university. An 1180 SAT? I'm pretty sure I did better than that when we were invited to take the SAT in 7th or 8th grade. UT-Austin is simply entering the league of UVa, Michigan, UNC, UCLA, and Berkeley where just being a "good in-state student" isn't enough. I'm seeing it to some extent at Florida too, as kids who would have been shoo-ins back in the 90s are being denied, as Bright Futures (the lottery scholarship) is keeping the top kids who may have gone OOS right at home.

FWIW, Abigail Fisher did not go to LSU Law--she only got her undergrad from there and is now, interestingly enough, working in Austin.

[carnation]

Well, there's more to it than that; unprepared freshmen are coming to UT and flaming out spectacularly. That's why there are those programs that offer an easier transfer admission to sophomores on up.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by carnation

Well, there's more to it than that; unprepared freshmen are coming to UT and flaming out spectacularly. That's why there are those programs that offer an easier transfer admission to sophomores on up.

That's pretty typical of most colleges--even at my undergrad, plenty of people who had been denied as freshmen transferred in as sophomores. There were also people who couldn't hack it and didn't come back for sophomore year.

So, if that option was available to Abigail Fisher, why didn't she take it?

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

So, if that option was available to Abigail Fisher, why didn't she take it?

Exactly.

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by NinjaPoodle

Exactly.

Ive wondered that myself since I know a few people that ended up transferring to Austin after completing their freshman year at one of the other UT system schools. Anyway, good luck to her...

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by NinjaPoodle

Exactly.

I totally agree, but my hunch is that the 1st year experience at any of the UT satellite schools is WAY different than it is at the flagship. Doesn't mean she shouldn't have taken it (if it was offered to her), but I'm guessing that's where her 18 yo mind went. The rest of the schools in the system are more commuter-type than UT Austin.

[carnation]

I've been told that people want the full 4-year flagship experience and that's why they leave the state. Plus women from very Greek families know that many schools are far less likely to take sophomores so they don't want to transfer in. Hey, there's no way you can compare, say, a U of H freshman experience to one at UT.

[knight_shadow]

The 10% thing doesn't say "you're guaranteed admission and placement at UT or A&M" -- it says you're guaranteed admission to a public school and placement as space allows. If they provide an in for you that's not necessarily the "traditional flagship route" (read: CAP program) and you decide not to take it, that's on you.

3 years at a flagship > no years at a flagship

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by carnation

I've been told that people want the full 4-year flagship experience and that's why they leave the state. Plus women from very Greek families know that many schools are far less likely to take sophomores so they don't want to transfer in. Hey, there's no way you can compare, say, a U of H freshman experience to one at UT.

This makes sense, and explains why Greek life is booming at schools where it was previously lukewarm.

I don't get the feeling that Abigail Fisher went Greek at LSU, though. From what we know of her grades and extracurriculars, an SEC-style Rush would have chewed her up and spat her out. Would she have sued if she hadn't gotten in?

[BlueCarnation]

[QUOTE=Munchkin03;2413698]
The long and short of it is that Abigail Fisher was a mediocre (at best) student who thought she was entitled to attend her flagship university. An 1180 SAT? I'm pretty sure I did better than that when we were invited to take the SAT in 7th or 8th grade. UT-Austin is simply entering the league of UVa, Michigan, UNC, UCLA, and Berkeley where just being a "good in-state student" isn't enough. I'm seeing it to some extent at Florida too, as kids who would have been shoo-ins back in the 90s are being denied, as Bright Futures (the lottery scholarship) is keeping the top kids who may have gone OOS right at home.
QUOTE]

This is pretty much the issue. It's similar to what the Court found in a case at Michigan--which does not have a percentage plan. The plaintiff's scores just weren't good enough to get in. She wasn't a bad student, but compared to the other students who applied the year she did, she was not as qualified based on grades, strength of classes, test scores, extra curriculars, etc. She said her life was ruined and that she couldn't become a doctor because she didn't get into UM. Really? I'm pretty sure there are a lot of doctors out there who went to schools that aren't as highly ranked as Michigan.

My cousin lives in New Mexico and he got into UT with grades that probably would not have gotten him in if he lived in Texas. I think Texas's plan is probably a good idea with bad execution.