[AmishDude]

But my experience as a college interviewer leads me to think that once you get past that first thought, the student's real worth becomes apparant in the course of time, and the quota cases soon self-select out of truly competitive situations.

That's actually the problem. A minority student who would have been a star at USSB gets into Berkeley and struggles -- either dropping out or taking a wimpy major.

[NativeNewYorker]

I even told one kid, who had a clue but not the tools to survive Cornell, that I would be hurting him if I egged him on, because it would be futile given the abilities of other students there.

I encouraged him to attend a lesser school, and then transfer when he was ready.