<p>Hi, I’ve been hearing about a few open house’s at Amherst and also a couple of diversity weekends in the fall. They are for any under-represented student with good grades. I think it’s a good idea to have the campus not be so homogeneous, but diverisity is more than color, money and other things seperate people more. A friend of mine has a sister that attended an Ivy League school (first to go to college in her family) and was from a middle-class (under 70,000) income, no fancy schools, prep tests, summer camps or schools, and held her own very well. She said she reminded herself she was doing it “cold” compared to the others,and it made her feel empowered when a few jerks had to “remind” her she didn’t have a nice car or a boat. Like most she found a niche, but I wondered what others thought of colleges trying to diversify in all areas as long as the playing field is fair. Does a few extra points from taking a test 3 times(and a prep class)really make that student smarter than someone that scored a bit lower with 1 test? I applaud admission departments that look at the student as a whole. I wish everyone well in getting into Amherst and I hope you get out of it what you need.</p>
<p>i hate to be cynical, but i doubt that any college is truely enthused with the idea of diversity. essentially, from an economics standpoint, they are having to compensate for the relative poorness of some of their students by granting financial aid (as opposed to building, investment, etc.). in addition, if there are two students, one perhaps slightly smarter, but white, and one very close, but a minority, they will take the minority - hence, theoretically, "decreasing" the level of the student body (intelectually). my point in all of this that universities are pandering to the pervasive political correctness that has suffused the country.... in the end, old rich white men run the universities, and though they may be obliged to encourage and recognize diversity, this is likely because it is in the interest of the preservation of the college and its status, as opposed to any sort of genuine ideological motivation - think carefully about who runs colleges....</p>
<p>I do see what you mean and agree, but I don't think it brings the colleges down. Many young men and women, given the chance, (like my friends kid) rise to the occasion. Intellect can be judged many ways and just test scores don't always show it. You don't have to read many articles or know many people to see examples of that all over. The kid that got by in high school and excelled in college, sometimes transfering to a better school. I've seen the opposite happen too. (pressure?,no help anymore?) A guy that works with my husband got in Yale with a scholarship (policemans son) did very well, especially after his freshman year, and was much higher in his class than some "trust fund" kids that had parents that had a lot of money or "hooks" to help them in. But, that said, without their money that college can't run. But they get a LOT of it, and I think they can spread it around. Someone with sub-par grades shouldn't get into a competitive school, but I am talking about minor differences that can be contributed to outside help and atmosphere. You worked very hard and I hope you enjoy your stay at Amherst.</p>
<p>I wrote my additional essay for Amherst about diversity, and a lot of it was about why I (a rich white male) believe in affirmative action.</p>
<p>OK. Look at me, for instance. I got a 1500 on my SATs on my first try, but only after I took a pricey prep class. I have a bunch of activities, but there is no way I would able to do as many if my parents didn't have the money to pay for them or the resources to transport me from place to place. I do well in school, but I also go to a private school where I can ask teachers for help if I don't understand something. I have not had to overcome hardships- my parents are very supportive and I have a stable home environment. Colleges MUST acknowledge that some people have these advantages and other people do not. If I didn't have the prep course or the money to pay for activities or a private school with excellent college guidance, etc, then my stats would not look as good on paper. THIS is why AA is needed; to make up for unfair advantages and account for disadvantages. There are other reasons (like the importance of diversity and the historical disenfranchisment of minorities in America), but this, to me, seems like the main one.</p>
<p>You said what I was trying to say, beautifully. You have a maturity in your understanding of life that some will never have. I hope you enjoy your years at Amherst. I will be visiting with my family in May and look forward to it.</p>
<p>Debruns: were you talking about me? If so... for the record, I did not get into Amherst yet. It's actually not my top choice. I was deferred from Yale (my top choice), and after Yale, I think Haverford, Brown, Vassar, and Wesleyan rank higher than Amherst for me, although I would def. visit Amherst before making any decisions (that is, of course, only if I get in). Here is a piece of my essay for Amherst, which actually isn't my main rationale behind AA, and keeping in mind that there is a lot of background in the essay about my experiences with diversity (my main story was about the diversity celebrations in my school): </p>
<p>I have heard people say that diversity celebrations are counterproductive because they emphasize our differences instead of creating unity. I disagree vehemently. It is only through discussing our differences that we realize what makes us similar. When I hear people opposing affirmative action, I feel troubled. I imagine an Orwellian world in which pride and heritage are suppressed, where people cannot state who they are. A college is a community of individuals, not numbers, and practicing race-conscious admissions allows applicants to present their ethnicity as part of their individuality.</p>
<p>Topic of Amherst Supplemental Essay </p>
<p>For me, diversity is not a political slogan or a theoretical goal; it is an absolute necessity. It is impossible for students from any particular background to engage fully the racial and ethnic dimensions of American culture in a setting that does not approximate the racial composition of the society as a whole.</p>
<p>From an essay published February 26, 2003, in the Chicago Sun-Times by Frederick E. Hoxie, Amherst Class of 1969,
Amherst trustee, Swalund Professor of History, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</p>
<p>I commend Amherst for putting this statement directly out there and I really wonder how many prospective students give musch thought to the question and are willing to honestly answer it. My daughter attended the Amherst Student of Color Open House Weekend at Amherst in Fall 2003. She also chose this as her supplemental essay when she applied and was accepted to the class of 2008 though in the end she chose to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>bj,</p>
<p>I second Debruns. I think that no matter where you ultimately end up, you will be an agent for positve change in the lives of others.</p>
<p>I was at the diversity weekend last year.... it was fun.</p>
<p>I did think you got in, but you have many great colleges lined up. I live near Yale and have many friends and aquaintainces that are affiliated with it. There's good and bad at Yale,like in all universities. As far as the neighborhood (which I run in weekly) I don't see it as scary as others that come from other areas. I also don't go out late at night alone, but no place is really safe. There is a lot of wonderful places and things to see in New Haven.
I will looking with my son at Wesleyan this month and Amherst later on. He also wants to look at Brown and maybe Haverford.
I think that your excerpt was very good and as I said before, you have a grasp and empathy beyond your years.</p>
<p>Debruns: Thank you. That's very nice of you. If only you could become an omnipotent admissions officer at all of the schools I applied to and then retroactively admit me! (hahaha) </p>
<p>I think that the hostility people feel towards the admissions process and the goal-driven society we live in is directed towards affirmative action, and the hostility people feel towards affirmative action is then directed towards the minorities themselves. This saddens me. People get so caught up in victimization and lack of control that they feel from the college process that the rage is directed towards undeserving targets. Implicit in most criticisms of affirmative action is the fear that you will not be admitted, and that someone else will take your place. Well, the fact that someone else may be "taking" my place really doesn't bother me. I would much rather not get into my first choice school than still be suffering from generations of oppression. People who bemoan the "injustice" of affirmative action need to take a step back and realize that what the are complaining about is really quite minor and almost trivial.</p>
<p>The power wouldn't be worth the gray hair. : )</p>