TTPB starting "Hey let's all calm down a bit." You might have got in if you wrote your SOP as good as you write comments on thegradcafe for internet trolls.

Hey let's all calm down a bit. This is a forum for the entire world. As someone deeply experienced both (East Asian and American) cultures w. great friends from both, I feel like this is what happens when there is a clash of cultures. I want to emphasize that both cultures have great values and they share a lot of common traits, but different history and many other factors also bring in differences. So here are words I want to leave here if anyone reads. For American people: note that not all other culture emphasize diversity as US does, (this doesn't mean that they shouldn't but just mean that maybe this is not as pressing as an issue as it is in the States) so please try to guide them to understand the systemic racism you have identified and feel rightfully strongly should be corrected (but please, please, don't say "ivy tier personality"). For Chinese/other people: if you are applying to US schools, you have to play by the US rules. I realize that people are evaluated by standard tests solely and you think this is the ideal way to select the best among candidates, but you have to realize that the world is so much more complicated and intertwined in so many aspects that we simply cannot and should not just use one single dimension to evaluate a candidate. Again, if you are applying to US schools, you have to play by the US rules.

From a top 30 university. Low GPA, no research experience. Expected the rejection lol.

Wow the amount of racism in this forum is embarrassing. The point of affirmative action is not just about the racism a certain group faces. Black, Hispanic, and Native American people have gone through systemic racism and discrimination that started centuries ago and has survived headstrong till date and puts the majority of them at a LARGE disadvantage from the get go wrt various socio-economic factors. That is not the same thing as (typically) privileged upper caste Indians flying down to the U.S, or whatever the Asian equivalent is. I am Indian by the way, and yes I have faced racism in the US, we all will, and it sucks monkey b*lls. Don't contribute to it and don't be pompous enough to dismiss the talents and accomplishments of all the talented folks of marginalized communities because of their race, lol what even. It's okay to feel disappointed about a reject, but this sort of attitude is disgusting. Also at the Columbia CS people, it'll be rolling for a longg while so calm down.

TTPB: Do you think that the only minorities that are discriminated against are Black, Hispanic, and Native American people? Why don't the rest of us get affirmative action to make up for the discrimination we face? I agree that these racist comments are pretty ridiculous, but as an East Indian, I'm tired of universities, companies, and organizations gaslighting me about my own experiences with institutional and academic racism as if only certain groups can face it. I've heard similar sentiments from my East Asian and Middle Eastern friends as well who had to face great amounts of racism especially post-COVID and post-9/11.

Hi, to the racist below (ttrb), there is such a thing called systemic racism, and affirmative action is in place to set aside intentional space for marginalized communities in recognition of the intertwining of other societal and inequitable economic factors affecting them that make it HARDER to gain admittance. The whole point is to AMPLIFY. Btw, I'm white, and I'm hella not a CS major, but it bugs the absolute shizznit out of me when I see my perfectly-capable, insanely intelligent Black brothers and sisters discriminated against like that. Just leave them alone, please? Thx.

GPA is Master's. Applied for religions of antiquity, focus on Eastern Med/Christianity/a bit of early Islam

I have 2 offers elsewhere but this is my top choice as my family is in Boston. If you do not intend to accept your offer please let admissions know when possible and hopefully I can make a decision as well and clear my 2 offers for other people.