Admit Veterans to Elite Colleges

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/opinion/admit-veterans-to-elite-colleges.html

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To the Editor:

Re “Elites Neglect Veterans,” by Frank Bruni (column, Sept. 7):

I am one of the lucky veterans who got to attend an elite private college. An obvious obstacle Mr. Bruni does not mention is the scarcity of qualified veterans, especially when evaluating them against academia’s usual metrics.

In the Marine Corps, I could always safely assume that I was among the smartest people in the room. When compared with my classmates at Pomona College, however, my intelligence is nothing special.

The difference in book smarts between the two demographics is staggering. In comparisons with traditional Ivy League applicants, even the brightest service members are unlikely to be competitive. The only way a significant number of veterans are going to earn admission to America’s elite colleges is if those schools change their standards.

Undoubtedly, veterans diversify classrooms and the greater community with their perspectives, but how much is that worth? Should they be forgiven 50 points on their SAT scores? How about 100? These are the questions that admissions officers must ask themselves, because finding the right compromise will benefit everyone.

TREVOR PONTIFEX

Claremont, Calif.

The writer, a former Marine sergeant, is a junior at Pomona College.