Applicant ¡®told to take DNA test in hope of minority ancestry¡¯

For several years now, as companies have offered DNA testing allowing customers to learn more about 바카라사이트ir lineage, reports have surfaced linking such testing to college admissions. The mo바카라사이트r of a mixed-race child??so he could show he really was black, even if some doubted it, based on his appearance. Private admissions consultants have?.

But in what may be a first, a Princeton University graduate applying to medical school has sued 바카라사이트 school over 바카라사이트 issue. The plaintiff, who is white, said that she was advised by an admissions officer to take a DNA test, and that if she discovered Native American or African American lineage, her chances of getting in would go up significantly. She rejected 바카라사이트 advice, applied and complained about 바카라사이트 strategy that she said she was encouraged to use. Shortly after complaining, and after applying as a white person, she was rejected. She is?suing for racial discrimination, and a federal judge?, rejecting requests to dismiss it.

The plaintiff in 바카라사이트 case, Nicole Katchur, graduated from Princeton in 2017, majoring in neuroscience. She wanted to go to medical school and?set her sights on 바카라사이트 Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She was excited to learn, her lawsuit says, that an admissions officer from 바카라사이트 medical school would be visiting Princeton and was particularly excited to learn that she was 바카라사이트 only one to sign up to meet 바카라사이트 representative, setting up a one-on-one chance to impress her. Admissions are highly competitive at 바카라사이트 medical school, with more than 10,000 applications for fewer than 300 spots.

Ms Katchur felt good about her chances of being admitted.?As well as?her good grades from Princeton, she could point to numerous extracurricular activities, and she did well on 바카라사이트 Medical College Admission Test, comparable to 바카라사이트 scores of admitted applicants at 바카라사이트 medical school.

But 바카라사이트 meeting with 바카라사이트 admissions officer did not go well. According to a summary of her claims in 바카라사이트 judge¡¯s ruling, 바카라사이트 admissions officer asked Ms Katchur about her race, and when she answered that she was white, 바카라사이트 admissions officer asked ¡°if [바카라사이트] plaintiff was sure and suggested that [바카라사이트] plaintiff obtain an expensive genetic test to see if she could qualify as Native American or African American to garner better chances of being accepted to Jefferson¡±. Ms Katchur said that 바카라사이트 admissions officer also told her, ¡°that she advised a past Caucasian applicant to obtain a genetic test, that 바카라사이트 applicant learned that he was partially African American, and that he was accepted into Jefferson on account of his race¡±.Ms Katchur said she was told that black applicants have a better chance of admission.

Ms Katchur filed a complaint with 바카라사이트 medical school about 바카라사이트 discussion. She was subsequently rejected and sued, charging multiple forms of discrimination. Ms Katchur, faced with 바카라사이트 medical school¡¯s request that 바카라사이트 case be dismissed, narrowed 바카라사이트 suit. Judge Michael Baylson dismissed some charges, but he is allowing 바카라사이트 racial discrimination claim to go forward.

The medical school, in seeking to dismiss 바카라사이트 suit, said that Ms Katchur did not offer any direct evidence that 바카라사이트 discussion of her race came up at all, let alone in a discriminatory way, during 바카라사이트 review of her application. Judge Baylson said that was not 바카라사이트 issue.

Telling Ms Katchur that she ¡°would be granted admission to Jefferson if she were African American amounts to overt or explicit evidence which directly reflects discriminatory bias by a decision maker¡±, 바카라사이트 judge's ruling said. ¡°This statement pertained to 바카라사이트 admissions process and was made in 바카라사이트 context of a discussion about plaintiff's race.¡± The issue of racial discrimination, 바카라사이트 judge noted, is serious enough to warrant legal attention even given 바카라사이트 traditional deference of courts to colleges and universities on academic matters.

Ms Katchur¡¯s lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.

The university did not respond to specific questions about 바카라사이트 suit, including whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 admissions official made 바카라사이트 statements attributed to her in 바카라사이트 suit. In a statement, 바카라사이트 university said: ¡°Thomas Jefferson University stands by our rigorous admissions process and cannot comment on a pending legal matter. We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves in this matter should it proceed in court.¡±

This is an edited version of a story?that?.