<p>a diverse class really is necessary - it’s part of what makes Cornell unique. I can’t say I agree or disagree with AA, there’s many pros and cons to the issue (for instance, I’d like to work in a diverse company with people from everywhere, but I don’t like the notion of “lets pick candidate B because he’s black”). Lately, a bit of a move seems to be happening in AA; more specifically, race is only one part, income is also being looked at. I think looking at income is very important for Cornell. Lets face it, many people at Cornell are loaded, even the minorties … as my one black friend put it, “the black population here is surprsingly privelaged”. I’m not speaking for all or trying to generalize, but financially, Cornell doesn’t quite match the US population.</p>
<p>I think Cornell gains much more from using AA than it gives up. A white person saying “they must have given my spot to a black kid” doesn’t really work because it’s not the truth. I’m not sure i’d use the “make-shift patch on an old scar” analogy - diversity is something that’s necessary for Cornell, whether it be for race, income, legacy, what state you’re from, what sport you play, or what experiences you bring to Cornell. AA is just a small part in the big picture of diversity that Cornell has been developing for years and years.</p>