"Somewhere, the standards are lowered," he adds.

But Kristal O'Bryant '98, president of the Black Student Association, says comparing merit by test scores is pointless.

"If we were starting from a place where we were all equals, that would be one thing. But we're not starting at the same point so the idea of a meritocracy is moot," O'Bryant says. "Standardized tests aren't an accurate measure of a student's ability. In order to get somewhere like Harvard, you have to overcome a lot of discrimination. To get to that point shows your drive and ambition."

"Racism is not dead. There's a lack of images of successful Black people, or a lack of images entirely. You don't see Black people in story-books, or commercials," she continues. "Even at Harvard we're not isolated from racism--these things take a toll on your self-image, self-esteem, and confidence. Black people who make it often work even harder than white people who make it, and it's unfair to say we're not qualified.

Other students echo O'Bryant's concern.

"I don't think anyone has a case that Harvard minorities aren't qualified. If anyone isn't qualified, it's the legacies," says Kevin C. Murphy '97. "There's another sort of grandfather clause working here, and if you want to find people who aren't qualified there are other places to look besides minority students."

A recent Maryland Supreme Court ruling which struck down race-based scholarships in the state's university system has brought the contentious issue of affirmative action once again to the forefront of public debate.

And the issue is perhaps even more divisive, more hotly debated here than in Maryland.