Not to start an argument about the pros and cons of the Texas Top 10% ruling, the numbers here equal those of the ivies proving once again the author is full of hogwash. Also, setting aside the tweaking of the law that goes into effect in 2011 that adds in minimal SAT scores and what amounts to limiting UT to the top 8%. Now, with that obligatory statement out of the way...
In Texas, which has a 5% Asian American population, we have a law stating that if you are in the top 10% of your graduating high school class, you get automatic admission to the state university of your choice. Let’s look at UT in Austin. The Top 10% made up 80% of the incoming 2008 freshman class. Asian Americans made up 18.1% of the 2008 undergraduate population and 15.5% of the total UT student population. Those percentages are very similar to those from the ivies in the article. Since Texas has this law, it leaves very little room to racial profile - which is exactly why we have the law. Bottom line, the author is an idiot.
http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ima/sites/default/files/SHB08-09Students.pdf
the problem is that not all schools are equal. Top 5% in some schools is like the top 20% in others.