Welcome to life, kids...

Mr.PheaNiques-0000001

Thanks for an ill-informed unwarranted and unwanted political comments.

In other news, 894 kids have just been disowned/taken out of the Will.

Wow. UCLA just Vassared more students than will be in Vassar's freshman class.

Seems to me someone from that college needs to get an education!

@krestov

Not a problem, anytime I can assist, just let me know...more that 200 undocumented (illegal) students will attend UCLA this year, while 900 (mostly US / Cali citizens) are being told....uuuuhhhhhh don't start packing just yet

UCLA is a public school, and it shouldn't be that difficult to get in. If there is not enough room for these students, then the State of California needs to do something about it. I could understand if it were USC, but UCLA? This is not right.

The mistake is inexcusable. The students need to be admitted as an apology. They can easily be assimilated into the remainder of the incoming freshman class. With college attrition rates what they are, no one will notice the influx of extra students by the beginning of the sophomore year.

@Gregorovich: I don't think you are even aware, but UCLA is pretty hard to get in... the minimum GPA is 4.2...

University of Virginia is a public school too, but it's harder to get into than some of the ivy leagues. Just because a college is public, doesn't mean acceptance is easier. All it really does is lower the pricetag for in-state students.

Bounce all of the illegals out of the state university system and give the slots to legal American CA residents. It is absurd that legal American citizens are being kept from attending a state funded institution by the admission of illegal immigrants who are being granted both in-state tuition rates and financial aid by our liberal governor and legislature. Our tax dollars should not be going to subsidize the education of people who are not even in this country legally at the expense of legal American students. As absurd as this may sound to those who do not live in CA, this is exactly what our idiot liberal controlled state government is doing.

JS - I completely agree that illegals should not be given precedent or funding for any state school. Out of state legal American applicants, however, should not be discouraged though. There are a lot of socio-economic reasons why state schools need to hit a certain quota of out of state applicants.

In-state applicants already do receive important benefits, including lower tuition and a higher quota number for admission.

chris-65 Yeah, I'd bet money they are all "White" kids, not the right color to get in. Racism is fine if it's against Whites.

It's obvious that you never attended or applied at any college. And for you to make the ignorant statement:

Racism is fine if it's against Whites.

Shows that you are a major part of the problem in this country and definitely not the solution. There are CALSTATE colleges that have waiting lists of up to one year because of all of the applicants. It has nothing to do with race, but weak minds like yours look for the easiest solution just to make yourself feel better. The sad part about your ignorant post is you actually have people that agree with you. People like you think the world is of/by/and for you exclusively and no one else that doesn't look/act/think like you is entitled to anything because in your little mind it's all about skin color.

It's hard to believe the amount of tuition money that is generated in to these schools and staff members accidentally makes a big mistakes like these? 849 of them! They'll keep their jobs with no regrets!

@JS in SD

Maybe the legal students should have worked harder than the undocumented students in high school. I thought U.S. was a capitalistic society where if you work harder and beat others in the competition, you get the reward. Some of the undocumented students, who were admitted to the school because they had better gpa and sat score, beat out other legal students even though legal students had all the advantage on their side.

Ummm, you guys do know that it is illegal in California to use any sort of affirmative action in the case of college admissions, right? The effect of this has been to dramatically decrease the number of people of color who are admitted (and probably who bother applying--but that's a different issue) and to increase the number of European Americans who are admitted.

Further, the DREAM act does not become active in California until July of 2012. Also, anyone undocumented (remember that "undocumented" doesn't mean "illegal"--it means one doesn't have a birth certificate, which is typical both of poor Hispanic citizens AND people in Appalachia) has do be on the path for citizenship.

So, we are talking about . . . what? The likelihood that a student who is undocumented would have a 4.0+ GPA and score high enough on an SAT or ACT to get admitted to UCLA is not tremendously high as undocumented students usually do not live in the best school districts and often have lives that are unsettled. There may be a few, but it isn't terribly likely that there are many.

If you knew what you were talking about, then you'd know that people of Asian extraction (few of them are undocumented) are the ones who are disproportionately represented in California schools. If European Americans are not as highly represented, it is because European Americans flee elementary and secondary schools with a large number of Asian students because the Asian students so dramatically out-perform the European Americans. It is rare for European Americans to admit that their lax parenting and limited respect for education has anything to do with this--no, it is "overbearing" Asian parenting and the "fixation" of Asians on "adhering to strict standards" and not being all, you know, touchy-feely and anti-establishment.

It is fun when European Americans blame African Americans for not working hard at school, but then turn around and blame Asian Americans for working too hard at school.

But, no, there is no affirmative action in the California university system. The DREAM act isn't active yet and probably has had little if any effect on UCLA admissions--it is likely to have a lot more effect on community college admissions, and that is usually an open admissions system. If European Americans aren't doing well--it's a lot more likely that this has to do with a lack of focus on academics and coddling of their youth. Have a great day.

Also @JS in SD, you said that undocumented/illegal students are funded by our tax dollars. Are you saying that because you're assuming that those students don't pay taxes?? I'm pretty sure they pay sales tax, which is a form of taxation. If paying tax is a requirement to be eligible for state funding for school (going by your assumption), shoot, all South Koreans, regardless of being legal/illegal/undocumented, should be eligible for state funding for school in U.S. since Samsung and Hyundai pay huge amount of taxes to U.S. government.

Exactly what I was thinking...

Even more F-ed up was that cheating scandal on Long Island NY a few years back where a dozen or more kids with lousy grades but rich parents hired that one guy to take the test for them. They then got into prestigious celleges, but here's the kicker: None of them were subsequently booted off campus; they all got to stay put where the cheating put them.

Adam, that's because the way the SAT board words is they do not confront or discipline cheating. They are trying to change that little bylaw given what that guy did (forget his name).

Exactly Leatherneck,

It will be funny to listen to these dumb@!$%#s that think they "deserve" to go there now because someone made a mistake and thought that they were smart.

"Sorry to inform you, but you're not as smart as you think you are and will not be admitted to our school"

Why do they have to be single parents? Why not 1788 parents file a class action lawsuit?

IndianaEngineer: Would it help if I just say

5 4 3 2 1 Update to this News story: 894 families have filed a class action lawsuit against UCLA.

@Leatherneck It is all about symantics, not the facts...you should know that.:)

Racist undertones aside, do you know how scholarships work? Because this comment makes it seem like you do not.

Raymond-1126037

Perhaps you should look up the way colleges work instead of making politicized comments. Overseas places at UCLA do not use tax payer money and pay up to 5 to 10X the tuition instate attendees pay. So adding to the economy and the economy of the school.

Judging by the comment and the fact that it appears to be written by a funk out from Middle School, any knowledge you have of college life is probably gains from watching TV.

Not doubt Raymond collects our tax dollars instead of contributing to them.

I know how they work Ruken, they ask you your race, your GPA and your income. If you're White you go to the bottom of the list, I know, I have two degrees. I had a high GPA but was the wrong color for grants and scholarships and entry to many racist colleges and universities.

Not that it matters, but Illegal immigrants (undocumented) do recieve instate tuition and are eliglble for most available scholarships, if they meet certain criteria...and there are additional private funds reserved only for "undocumented" students at many Cali Universities...the Supreme Court just upheld the Cali-law granting them instate prices...maybe those 894 are the lucky one after all

Why is it every time someone says/writes something that can interpreted as anti-minority, people automatically assume the person is a racist? While we don't know the exact reason for the foul-up in this case, Raymond's point has some truth behind it. At some/many/most schools, being a minority gives you preference over a non-minority, in some cases the minority student is less qualified. This is wrong. The way it should work is state residents should have first shot at admission, regardless of race. If there is still room, then open it up to US citizens, again regardless of race. If there is still room, then and only then should foreigners be given consideration. Above all, qualifications should not be adjusted for the advantage of one group over another. If you want to eliminate racism, eliminate special treatment for minorities.

@hard

easy...The LibDem Progressives can only exist in a world where there base of support continues to believe that the world is out to get them...well that and the fact that the mentioned group no longer has the mental capacity to debate pertinent facts and resorting to name calling is their only true "skill"

Mr Phea, you are not making pertinent facts, and neither is anyone else claiming bias against whites. You are only spouting racist, xenophobic none sense. Minorities don't get "special treatment" getting into Universities. But, if you feel "minorities" get special treatment at colleges, then apply at a historically black college, and you will get so-called "preferential treatment."

Thanks Dave

It is very refreshing not having to prove my own points, my wife and kids are Filipino, and my "wife" of almost 6 years is also a post-op transgeneder...her and my adopted kids legal immigration, if it ever becomes possible, will likely take decades, and cost me 10's of thousands of dollars...so yes, Illegal Immigration and their preferential treatment is a personal affront to me...

This isn't a black and white question, it is a question of legal and illegal, and acces to education by those who are funding said educationa

...any knowledge you have of college life is probably gains from watching TV.

R. Scalzo - apparently, you have no more knowledge of college life than you accuse Raymond of having since you have no clue regarding English grammar.

Minorities don't get "special treatment" getting into Universities.

raddave - I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but your statement is false. Try Googling reverse discrimination practices at the University of Michigan, among others. I teach there and have witnessed firsthand the fact that admitting unqualified students on the basis of race, etc., doesn't help them in any way. They struggle from Day One to keep up in their classes because they don't have the foundation that they needed when they were admitted. The attrition rate is much greater than among students who are admitted based solely on their academic qualifications without regard to race or filling quotas.

@Krestov - You are the one who is uninformed. The governor and legislature in CA have seen fit to grant in-state tuition rates and financial aid to illegals who live in CA. I know this sounds absurd, but this is what you get with the liberal idiots we have in control of our government out here in CA. It is insane that legal CA residents who are American citizens are losing out on spots in our state university system to illegals, but it is a well established FACT that this is occurring.

Ruken...

I understand how scholarships work. What I DON'T understand is how illegal immigrants to this country can receive scholarships, tuition assistance, and ADMISSION to a PUBLIC, TAXPAYER FUNDED institution before US Citizens and more than likely California residents.

My daughter is one of the students that received this letter, we are American citizens, live in California and pay our taxes - but this still happened to her! It was an error, a mistake, I'm still confused why this is National news.

Mr.PheaNiques-0000001, Curious. What problems did you encounter adopting children with a post-op transgender person ?

I'll assume you are actually curious, and answer factually, if any portion of this comment seems confrontational, it is unattended...

That story has not been completely written yet...but actually almost none...It was in the Philippines, My wife got a call from a doctor or nurse (she is a nurse) from the hospital where an indigent mother was about to give birth...she was asked if she would be willing to accept the baby...she asked me, and I said to her, You know that I want kids, but it is your decision, because you'll be doing most of the work...she called the Doctor/Nurse and agreed to accept the baby...27 hours later the mother gave birth, 10 hours after that she had our Son CJ at home showing me on the web cam...the profile photo is from that day...three weeks later we got a baby girl the same way (patrisha)...she had to pay the hospital bill for both births (a few hundred dollars X2)...and that's about it...If your question was to specific to the Transgender aspect...that doesn't hold the same taboo in most of Asia as it does in the west...

As I understand it, this is the way in commonly happens in the PI and much of Asia...it probably didn't hurt that She was known by the Hospital and staff

Mr.PheaNiques-0000001, Adoption is difficult enough here in the US. Marriage to foreigners alone has its many problems. I know you have had and still do have your hands full. Good luck to you and your family.

Mr. Phea, I absolutely applaud your story. It's quite heartwarming and I do not mean that in any sarcastic manner. I post-op friend of mine recently adopted a baby girl and she's an amazing parent. The baby is an utter angel.

Now to illustrate how sometimes the UC system can be biased, I went to UC Riverside. I am half japanese, a bit of Russian, Iranian, Sioux Indian, Irish, and Czech. Most of my friends were Asian during high school so when I pursued UCR's Biomedical Engineering program I applied as Asian. Back then (dunno how it is now) you could only checkmark one ethnicity on the application. Clearly that doesn't apply in my case but because I identified with my Japanese heritage, I marked Asian. I was declined admission. I appealed, and because I have tribal papers, I also appealed to change my ethnicity on my app to American Indian. I got in instantly, and didn't pay a dime due to the sheer number of scholarships and grants I received.

I was affirmative action's worst nightmare since I could prove genetic lineage to each of my ancestral lineages. But it baffled me that I was denied as Asian but instantly admitted as American Indian. Granted UCR has a huge Native American presence, it's still something I look back on and chortle at.

First off, it's just 900 students. Secondly, if they ain't smart enough, they will fail out. I don't see the problem with admitting them--those who happen to deserve it will end up graduating, while those who shouldn't have been admitted will drop out after freshman year.

If the fundies have their way Plan B will be illegal.

What happens if some of those students already turned down their other options once they got this acceptance letter?

It was corrected in a matter of days. Who rushes right out to burn your bridges? This is a non-story.

Well, if - ifs and buts were candy and nuts it would be Christmas everyday :)

I guess the students need to revisit their other options still.....

If you are a student whose first choice was UCLA, you "burn bridges" immediately.

Well it could have been much worse..........the UCLA Medical Center could have sent out 900 notices telling people they had inoperable cancer by mistake..........so let's look on the bright side.

Sure. That makes sense...to a three year old.

Ooooo, your tough Scalbozo.

royalstar05 - like someone said on a different vine, you shouldn't be throwing stones since you don't know the difference between "your" and "you're" and the appropriate use of each.

ABC, i think i got my point across smartass.

ABC at least he called you a "smart"ass and not a "dumb"ass..............I have been called both..........I guess smart is better than dumb.

Not for free, man. Come on.

You must be a cheater from New Orleans. Idiot.

Bi {Polar you just can't help yourself with these idiotic comments. What would you have them sue for? A disappointment in life? Go back to your video game.

Lost time and money. Like any business, say your cell phone provider, they promised a service in a written document theat is legally binding for all other students accepted and then they were denied this service of providing an education. You mean get back to my business?

Stuff happens though. You can't just sue everyone for life's upsets. So many things are too expensive because the prices are inflated to hedge against lawsuits. Stop the madness, people.

And colleges do not promise anyone a career. They promise the opportunity of a career. If you pay $30,000+/year to major in Women's Studies, Indian Basket Weaving or something of equivalent nature, then that is your problem, not the school's problem.

I'd even go as far as to say that if you go to school for Liberal Arts, you better be prepared to pay for grad school because Liberal Arts doesn't mean anything in the real world.

If you go to college and actually major in something useful, like engineering, you will find employment.

And not have even half their credits transfer when they go to a real school.

Some of them may have already done that. It's all done electronically now. You get the letter saying you are accepted & immediately go online & decline the other schools.

God you're dumb. How many decades did it take you to make that first million yen?

Let's see. UCLA stands for University of California Los Angeles. I think it answers itself.

You honestly think that they should admit the students and pay them due to a clerical error? You haven't ever made a mistake? Those kids had not been rejected yet-they were notified they were on a waiting list, meaning they still have a shot (small one likely), but a shot none the less at getting in. I don't want to pay tax dollars for for a clerical error. And who said it was an overpaid paper shuffler that made the mistake? More likely, it was a clerk typist who makes much less than you or I and he/she should be fired? What the heck is wrong with you? I feel sorry that this happened, but STUFF HAPPENS!!! Luckily you don't represent most of the people out here.

AND compensate them for their mistakes

No problem. Make them document their loses. As they would be nothing other than a bit of disappointment, life goes on. They better get used to it.

It is not an "honest mistake". It is carelessness and lack of attention to detail. How do you know that students didn't cancel their backup school? If you really wanted to go to UCLA, you would jump right on it, not wait until May 1.

You wouldnt need to cancel your "backup" school, you simply wouldnt submit your letter of intent. You would of had to go to the UCLA site and submit your SIR, which when the students tried to, they would not have been able to because they had not in fact been accepted. This was one mistaken line written at the bottom of a financial aid letter. My daughter received it, but since she had already checked her status online the day they were sent out, she knew she was wait listed and she knew she would not find out any more information until May 1st. All the students who were wait listed would have known the same. My daughter immediately knew it was an error and it was confirmed when UCLA sent the correction out the next day. People need to get a grip! And everyone complaining that it was only 'white' students that were rejected - wrong again! UCLA is highly competitive, my daughter has a 4.2 GPA and scored 2100 on her SAT's - and she is still wait listed. It is ok though, UCLA's loss is going to be Cal's gain as that was her first choice and where she was admitted. Oh and UCLA rejected her best friend, but that is ok as well, Yale has not only accepted him, but offered him a full scholarship as well :)

Just because you might not "need" to, doesn't mean that some didn't. It would depend on the school.

@JS in SD

Maybe those legal residents, who didn't get in, should have studied harder than the illegal students. I thought U.S. was a capitalistic society, where if you work harder and beat others in the competition, the reward is greater. Illegals had obstacles in their way and they still beat out the legal residents and got into a prestigious university.