AA - How do you feel?

College Confidential Community
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<p>Personally, I have no idea how I feel. I am Middle Eastern, and my family has gone through many hardships. My parents even had to watch the Soviet Union kill their brothers. My father fought in the Afghan-Soviet War for seven years. Lives in my family are still threatened because some of them are politically active. I live in the US, and I have been kept from going to school every once in awhile because my life was threatened. My mom had to deal with losing her job, her entire way of life, everything she loved, and leaving the one country she ever loved. She lost 5 of her 6 brothers and her father. My parents have gone through so much, and they have never once asked for help.</p>

<p>So, when I see some of my friends who supposedly benefit from AA, such as a friend who is Hispanic or African-American, I have mixed feelings.</p>

<p>Some of them have not experienced the hardships my family has. I have been discriminated against, but, living in S.CA, some of them have not. Some have had what would be considered "easier" lives in terms of the outside world. I understand that, for instance, slavery was a huge issue in the US for a ridiculously long time, but I hardly ever see my African-American friends feel anything about it. They seem like they don't even care that it happened to their ancestors. Others, however, have experienced hardships largely due to their race. I have friends who went through hell to come to the US, legally or otherwise. </p>

<p>And I don't understand the argument that it is done for a more diverse student body. I guess, to me, I feel that that is absolutely ridiculous. I just don't understand why race matters -ANYWHERE. Why does it matter in life? Why should it matter? Cultural differences are always a great thing because you learn more, but different races does not guarantee cultural diversity (which, if anything, is what should be aimed for).</p>

<p>I guess it is too much to ask for that colleges aim for that or for intellectual diversity or something...Too many applicants. You can't meet all of them. & it is difficult to keep track of or to even measure. I don't know >_></p>

<p>And why do people get so upset over it? I don't understand that either. You didn't get rejected from XXX school because you are XXX race. And you didn't get accepted that way either. We don't even know how much colleges care about it (albeit, I'm sure it varies from campus to campus). Maybe they put very little emphasis on it, maybe a lot. We have no idea. And, let's remember, that the college employs them. A college is basically a business. Who are we to say how they should be running their businesses? The government has restrictions on businesses explaining that they shouldn't discriminate between genders, races, etc. Yet, just because it is a non-profit company, it doesn't have to follow the rules?</p>

<p>It doesn't make sense to me, but in a way it does. I don't know.</p>

<p>What's your opinion? And, please, take the time to explain why YOU feel that way (personal experience?)</p>

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<p>Well, I'm not black, but I have a very similar history to yours (I grew up in the middle of the Bosnia war). And I still feel race DOES matter! Not only in terms of how overt racism black and hispanic people have to face today, but also in what kind of economic situation they on average still live in, how much support they can get from home regarding being motivated, helped and pushed onwards, etc. I think you need to really take the time to ask and understand how race still matters for minority students today to get the full picture. And, not to forget, there are STILL ridiculous imbalances when it comes to how few key societal positions are held by minorities - AA is a way of breaking that cycle, making all races active in shaping society at higher levels, giving kids of all races role models, etc.</p>

<p>I understand it is frustrating to see less "able" students surpass me and you in the admission process, but this is something we have to accept for the greater good. Personally I find it petty to deny the need for AA.</p>

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<p>Well, then, do you think it should be a bigger factor in admissions? How about in jobs? I mean, maybe it should. I understand that AA is probably aimed at a long-term effect, but maybe it should be done more often and with a greater intensity to balance it out a little sooner. Or, at least, show more people now how helpful it is...or people should be patient? </p>

<p>And thanks for replying. I agree with what you're saying (though I am still iffy about the overall picture).</p>

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<p>Prediction: This thread will have 500 replies.</p>

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<p>I feel that there shouldn't be 23784902348902348902384 threads talking about the exact same thing.</p>

<p>As for AA, I think it's a load of bull. It's hopelessly outdated, and I loathe its principles. I'm a junior in high school, so I don't exactly have too many experiences with it. Race matters just as much as you let it matter -- no more, no less. I don't let it matter. I don't care how "little" it effects the decision process -- as long as it exists, there is no claim to equality. People should stop pretending that tipping the scale to favor minorities makes anything equal.</p>

<p>100% Chinese.</p>

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<p>^^^ yes yes yes yes yes this is exactly what i feel taggart
the acknowledgement of race as a factor only promotes the idea of racism, in my opinion
mixed black spanish and moroccan here</p>

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<p>I agree with Taggart (especially with the numerous threads).</p>

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<p>Honestly, it does not matter what you think right now. Unless you can vote no one cares. So if you feel strongly on one side or the other then make your decision on election day. It ****es me off the amount of people that don't vote when they can.</p>

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<p>I hope you aren't referring to me. I did vote for the first time and I will contine to do so until the day I die.</p>

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<p>Not at anyone specifically.</p>

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<p>Okay 10 char</p>