The Inequities of Holistic Review

The Context of Standardised Tests

In this episode, Felix dismantles the mythology surrounding standardized test scores, arguing that the "magic number" of 1400 has been dead since 1995. Anchoring the analysis in the history of the College Board’s "Recentering," he explains why comparing a parent’s 1980s score to a modern student’s result is mathematically impossible. The episode exposes the "Illusion of Intelligence" through the cautionary tale of Governor Merrill, illustrating how inflation, not aptitude, drives rising averages. Felix challenges the STEM-obsessed mindset by arguing for the "Supremacy of Verbal Scores," explaining why admissions officers at elite institutions often prefer a high Critical Reading score over a perfect Math score. He breaks down the "Calculus Factor" and the reality of collegiate workloads. Finally, the episode pulls back the curtain on "Score Choice," revealing that colleges embrace superscoring not for equity, but to engineer their own U.S. News rankings, while providing a modern strategy for testing volume. (00:00) The "Good Old Days" Illusion: 1941 vs. Now (04:34) The Broken Curve: Why Recentering Happened (07:50) The Governor Merrill Anecdote: The Illusion of Intelligence (13:14) The New Elite Threshold: Why 1400 is Average (19:09) The Supremacy of Verbal Scores: Why 750CR > 780M (26:54) The Score Choice Trap: Institutional Self-Interest (31:25) Modern Strategy: Volume, Ceilings, and the Georgetown Exception --- Elite College Admissions: The Context is hosted by Felix Fong. Felix is a current international student taking a gap year due to compulsory enlistment in his country's military service. He is a need-seeking applicant that was admitted into the University of Notre Dame Restrictive Early Action and is applying to top schools in the Regular Round as well. Felix has a wealth of knowledge on the college admissions process, not just the strategies but the context of how it came about as well, setting him apart from other podcasts. He has also helped his peers gain admissions into Ivy League institutions like Dartmouth with average candidacies. The knowledge that Felix is sharing has been learned from books, other podcasts, articles and essays. His advantage is that he is able to see things from a student's perspective as he is one himself. Do reach out via email for any queries! Felix will be more than happy to respond, either via email or through a podcast episode if it is an important question. Email: ⁠hello@elitecollegeadmissions.info [hello@elitecollegeadmissions.info ]

The Inequities of Holistic Review

In this inaugural episode, Felix deconstructs the opaque world of holistic review, challenging the assumption that elite admissions is purely meritocratic. Anchoring his analysis in Stevens’ Creating a Class, the episode explores the "Fairness Paradox" — how the gold standard of "individualized consideration" structurally favours wealthy applicants who possess the resources to manufacture compelling narratives. Felix introduces the "Diamond Ring Theory," explaining how officers move beyond "core sorts" (academic cutoffs) to make "finer distinctions" based on the emotional "hand feel" of a student's story. Through the contrasting stories of Brian, a wealthy student with a polished narrative, and Jennifer, a high-achieving public schooler with a "thin" file, the podcast exposes how the "machinery of storytelling" often outweighs raw grades.  Ultimately, it argues that while the system is susceptible to privilege, it remains a fundamentally human process where admissions officers actively navigate these inequities. (00:00) The Fairness Paradox: Why "Individualized" Isn't Equal (05:14) The Resource Gap: Public vs. Private Counselors (09:27) The Diamond Ring Theory: Coarse Sorts vs. Fine Distinctions (15:00) The Machinery: Can You Buy a Better Story? (24:10) The Counterpoint: Can Admissions Officers See Through It? (29:02) A Tale of Two Students: Brian vs. Jennifer (35:04) The Human Element: Accepting the Flaws of the System --- Elite College Admissions: The Context is hosted by Felix Fong. Felix is a current international student taking a gap year due to compulsory enlistment in his country's military service. He is a need-seeking applicant that was admitted into the University of Notre Dame Restrictive Early Action and is applying to top schools in the Regular Round as well. Felix has a wealth of knowledge on the college admissions process, not just the strategies but the context of how it came about as well, setting him apart from other podcasts. He has also helped his peers gain admissions into Ivy League institutions like Dartmouth with average candidacies. The knowledge that Felix is sharing has been learned from books, other podcasts, articles and essays. His advantage is that he is able to see things from a student's perspective as he is one himself. Do reach out via email for any queries! Felix will be more than happy to respond, either via email or through a podcast episode if it is an important question. Email: hello@elitecollegeadmissions.info [hello@elitecollegeadmissions.info ]