What else do u expect at UC Berkeley? I knew there was something...odd...about the school. Demographics aside. Take a look at the Los Angeles Times article, UC Berkeley Admissions Scrutinized: Study finds hundreds of highly qualified applicants were rejected in favor of freshmen who were 'marginally academically qualified.' If this isn't affirmative action then I'll be damned. Don't tell me you didn't see it...

Some excerpts for the lazy or slow-computered:

UC Berkeley, the University of California's oldest and most prestigious campus, admitted hundreds of freshmen in 2002 who were "marginally academically qualified" at the expense of many more highly qualified applicants, according to a confidential report obtained by The Times.

The preliminary analysis of UC Berkeley admissions, prepared for the UC Board of Regents, showed that nearly 400 students were admitted to the campus in 2002 with scores of 600 to 1000 on the SAT entrance exam, far below the 1337 average SAT score for last year's admitted class. Sixteen hundred on the test is considered a perfect score.

The report also shows that more than 600 applicants with scores on the SAT of 1500 or above were not admitted, along with nearly 2,600 others with scores from 1400 to 1500. Berkeley officials say many of the rejected students with high SATs had relatively low grade-point averages.

Overall, the document finds, the admissions process at UC Berkeley "might not be compatible with [the school's] goal of maintaining academic excellence."

...

Richard Black, UC Berkeley's assistant vice chancellor for admission and enrollment, said the students with the 600 to 1000 SAT scores were accepted largely because they "made the most of the opportunities that were available to them."

He explained that a "substantial portion" of the accepted students with low SAT scores were underrepresented minority students from California's lowest-performing high schools.

"We're in the unfortunate position of not being able to admit some truly outstanding students, and that is difficult for us," Black said.

UC Berkeley officials said the largest group of rejected applicants with 1400-plus SAT scores were denied admission largely because of their lower grade-point averages. This group, university officials said, also took fewer semesters of honors and Advanced Placement courses, which allow students to gain college credit in high school if they pass certain exams.

Yet statistics provided by UC Berkeley officials on Friday showed that these rejected students actually had, on average, higher grade-point averages and more semesters of honors and AP courses than the students with SATs in the 600 to 1000 range who were accepted.

...

The report also surprised several higher education researchers around the country. One said he was "flabbergasted" that UC Berkeley would admit significant numbers of students scoring below 1000, particularly those in the 600 to 800 range.

"I'm not a big supporter of SAT scores at all," said William G. Tierney, director of USC's Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis. "But if you sign your name, you get a 400."

Patrick M. Callan, president of the nonprofit National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in San Jose, said the number of students with SATs below 1000 who were admitted "certainly raises a question about what the actual selection criteria are used in the university."

I'd like to say...I told you so. Comprehensive review = affirmative action. I said it from the get-go.