• Sorry, that’s the process
• Sorry, that’s what they told me to do
• Sorry, those are the rules

This is bureaucratic speak for … “Sorry, kiddo … I know it doesn’t make sense, but you can’t do anything about it.” I hear these types of replies every day, usually when I am being told bad news.

I was reminded of this, when I read that the University Texas has a policy to automatically admit any Texas High School Student who is in the top 10% of their class into their 7,200 freshman class.  After the top 10%, other students would be considered for any leftover openings.

UT is trying to change their policy so that 60% of the spots (4,320) will be filled automatically by the top 10%.  How they determine which of the top 10% should prove interesting.  Do you think it will be like a lottery?

By placing quotas, the administration is taking the easy way out.  When a student calls and asks why they were rejected, you can bet they will hear, “Those are the rules … we just follow the process … etc.”

Rather than creating a process tree of blank rules, UT should invest their time in understanding how to fairly evaluate students across multiple variables like:

• Grades
• Test Scores
• Sports
• Clubs
• Charities
• Writing ability
• Long term interests & goals
• Life experience

I can hear administrators thinking … but that’s hard work …

I know.  Anything worth doing, is worth doing well.  At least that’s what I learned in high school.