Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford • Hacker News Board

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#11

Post by michaelochurch » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 7:33 PM UTC

This has the potential to be really devastating, and not because of a few stray lawsuits (if that) that won't go anywhere. It threatens to put the most powerful brands in this society on trial. People understand that there's some socioeconomic corruption in the process, but still have the idea that admissions are 85-90 percent academic. If contrary information gets out there, it could have a major effect.

What will be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a very short amount of time is that the non-academic "character" component of admissions isn't "partly" socioeconomic but almost 100% socioeconomic. And that's a huge brand risk.

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#12

Post by WBrentWilliams » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 7:34 PM UTC

It would be interesting if a group of students applied for their applications en mass (say, the entire 2012 admitted class to a University in the US) and performed statistical analysis on the resulting data. I wonder if any great numbers of students would be willing to breach their privacy to allow such a study to be run.

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#13

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 7:50 PM UTC

fgblanch wrote: post #5

Any source about which federal law is? or if it does apply to other universities such as MIT or Harvrad?

[deleted]

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#14

Post by crm416 » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 7:54 PM UTC

I'm a little confused--the article mentions that letters of recommendation must be turned over, but I believe that's only the case if the writer explicitly waived confidentiality (see http://www.naceweb.org/public/ferpa0808.htm).

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#15

Post by ig1 » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 8:06 PM UTC

This is pretty much standard practice in Europe.

If you're storing/producing an information about an individual as an organization you have to operate on the assumption that the individual has a right to read it as in most cases they do.

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#16

Post by gpanger » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 8:18 PM UTC

Okay so how do I get my file?!

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#17

Post by Alex3917 » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 8:23 PM UTC

clarkm wrote: post #6

The newsletter from The Fountain Hopper (who appears to have discovered this) has some more interesting details: When you apply to Stanford, your application gets assigned at least two admissions 'readers.' FoHo knows you get a third (specialized) reader if you're a legacy or a 'minority' (though we're not too sure how that's defined). We also think you get an additional reader if you're an athlete or development kid…

> FoHo knows you get a third (specialized) reader if you're a legacy or a 'minority' (though we're not too sure how that's defined). We also think you get an additional reader if you're an athlete or development kid (i.e. you donated $$$).

This is how pretty much every major university does admissions, so not especially interesting. The one thing to note though is that athletes usually only get a boost if the coach actually goes to bat for them as part of the recruiting process, you're not going to get extra attention just because you played a sport.

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#18

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 8:46 PM UTC

ig1 wrote: post #15

This is pretty much standard practice in Europe. If you're storing/producing an information about an individual as an organization you have to operate on the assumption that the individual has a right to read it as in most cases they do.

[deleted]

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#19

Post by gwern » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 9:12 PM UTC

gpanger wrote: post #16

Okay so how do I get my file?!

http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c9d7a555374df02a66219b57...

Apparently you mail a letter to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with strong language referring to FERPA.

Re: Students Gain Access to Files on Admission to Stanford

#20

Post by tfang17 » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 9:25 PM UTC

Current Stanford student here willing to answer any questions.