Etu criticized the report's lack of attention to the problem of sexual abuse at the College. The Social Life Initiative Committee's report, citing the concerns of the College's Dean of Admissions Karl Furstenberg, is a direct insult to the members of the class of 2003. Beyond that, it underscores a troubling misuse of admissions statistics for political purposes. The numbers mentioned highlight defects in Dartmouth's admissions program that undermine standards of academic achievement in determining acceptance to the College. Sports recruiting in particular affects the averages considerably, with a large pool of athletically-talented students with relatively low test scores.
Athletic recruits lower the means, perhaps considerably according to anecdotal evidence.
Further, the College's racial preferences in admissions also take a toll. According to 1992 data, the average SAT score of black students at Dartmouth is 218 points below that of whites. Approaching the numbers from another direction, one must consider the effects of competition in the school-selection process. Regardless of academic programs, social life, or any other measure of a school's particular success, Dartmouth just doesn't have the name cach of schools such as Harvard or Yale. Based solely on marketing, Dartmouth loses in this respect.