Well, I was both crafty and lucky...I chose a good school that really, really, really wanted black students.
While I got into Yale and University of Chicago (respectively ranked 2 & 1 at the time), both of them were extremely expensive. Chicago in particular was my fave...but they had made some bad land deals, so much of their scholarship money had dried up at the time.
I went to UT, which for me was both a state school AND ranked 16th in the nation...they were happy to get me with my scores. They had also been trying to erase a reputation for racism. There were only 20 blacks in my class of 500+, and the frats had a reputaion (well deserved) of being the most violent in the nation. In fact, while I was there, a large-ish posse of them shouted racial (and other) epithets at the student body president (a black lesbian) while she was speaking at a peace rally.
In broad daylight.
On the campus' scenic main walkway. (You know, the one where in 1966, Charles Whitman in the tower claimed many of his victims.)
Without retribution. Without even FEAR of retribution. (And there was none.)
And this was in the 1990s, when white students were claiming reverse discrimination about being denied entry into the lawschool.
mmmmmMMMMmmmm- DIXIE!
I suspect your sibs are the victims of the fact that there are many more minorities entering lawschool these days, and that there is even less scholarship money to go around.