Ok, then how about "family wealth" as a negative criterion?

[intrepidity]

Because that is the actual factor that 1) gives certain students tremendous academic advantage; and 2) can often be directly associated with historical discriminatory practices in this country.

If we cannot look favorably upon certain racial/ethnic criteria, then how about subtracting points for those who inherited undeserved advantages?

(lol, I know, as if. All those learning institutions depend on that wealth, which highlights another intricately tangled mess within education.)

[Ocelot II]

1. That's a tricky one. I think colleges can still consider low income as a factor,

and make more scholarships available, but subtracting points for high income might be questionable - you can't assume that every child from a well-off family is a dumb, privileged stoner, even though plenty of those do get into college on their family name and money. I would hope that colleges figure out a way to help underprivileged high school students who can't afford the private schools that give the rich kids a leg up academically, by offering free or low-cost college prep courses. There are ways around this dilemma, and the colleges have been anticipating it. I got an email this morning from one of my alma maters expressing their disappointment at the decision and stating that while they will comply with the law they will also do everything they can to ensure "a broadly diverse student body."

[Model35mech]

2. what about we encourage admissions to look at strength of character

in the guess about whether a student has the 'stuff' to succeed after admission?

Those who have struggled and overcome would get to score a 'homer' rather than those who were carried around the bases on the shoulders of others, only to jog half-way home after passing 3rd.

Subjective information already plays a current part in admissions, and this would only be a different kind of subjective information gleaned perhaps from a personal essay and references asked to comment specifically on character issues indicating probable success at the institution.