Professor Robert Summers at Cornell Law School banned laptop computers from his thinks qualified lawyers need to possess a broad array of complex reasoning abilities.

Still, at the most selective schools, where thousands of candidates may submit identically high grades and test scores, a marginal item like the essay may serve as a tie-breaker between two equally qualified candidates.

The university has poured resources into peer counseling to help students from inner-city schools adjust to the rigor (嚴格要求) and faster pace of a university classroom –and also to help minority students overcome the stereotype that they are less qualified.