Does this seem FAIR to you?

<p>bump10char</p>

<p>I completely agree with Obstinate. </p>

<p>I don’t believe they accept minorities only because they want to be diverse. First, I believe it is a guilt factor. It’s like these two kids want cake- one’s rich and the other is off the street but they both probably want it just as bad. Then there’s the fact that the rich one can do twice as many amusing things as the poor one because, quite frankly, that poor kid doesn’t have the resources to do as much. Plus, that rich kid would be twice as likely in the future to give back to you in some shape or fashion, and quickly to boot. Who would you give it to? </p>

<p>Though the answer should logically be the rich kid, most likely you would give it to the poor kid. </p>

<p>Secondly, they look at minorities from perspective. If you haven’t noticed, and I’m sorry if you haven’t, many black students’ parents still distrust white people. Not many black relatives are going to urge their students to succeed in the white man’s world. Then there’s the fact that most minorities have only recently had a leg up in this country. Even if the last fifty years we’re getting along well with the high-achieving whites and Asian-Americans, you can’t cover the fact that most minority families descend from a long line of poor struggling peoples. Those families wouldn’t know a prep school if a pamphlet fell on their laps. I thought only until recently that a prep school was only in Japan. THEN there’s the fact that a large part of those poor struggling families are still poor and live in God knows what kind of underprivileged ghettos. Unless these kids should completely forget about fitting in with anyone, they are more than likely to undermine their own intelligence in a probably already horrible school system. </p>

<p>Third, and I believe this most of all, only getting the best of the best will most likely be Asians and whites, and would, in the long run, discourage minorities from achieving higher. Rap isn’t only popular with blacks or country is popular with mostly whites just because people grew up that way- rap is mostly by blacks and country is mostly by whites! And very few people (though most would loathe to admit it) don’t want to really tap into that other race’s territory, or lose identity with their own past. </p>

<p>You see all these colleges accepting the best of the best mostly white and Asian population and no minority would think to achieve that far. And in the long run, THAT isn’t fair. </p>

<p>Fourth, and last of all, most high-achieving Asian-Americans and whites could definitely go somewhere else. You’re white and made a 2700 on the SAT and didn’t get into Harvard because a less worthy (statistics-wise) minority was checked in the spot most probably means, from Harvard, you can go somewhere else. Get over it. </p>

<p>Anyone against AA that had the sort of average minority life and did they best they could believes that the always privileged white kid is more likely to get into college? You should, because it’s true. </p>

<p>College is not only for the students to get more education. It’s to encourage education overall. And by letting the white kids with probably average intelligence but had the numerous help of expensive prep get into all the fantastic colleges isn’t helping anyone. </p>

<p>While I’m on this, when I was little in Beaumont, Texas, the general belief was that only rich, smart white or Asian kids (even the doggone poor, averagely intelligent white and Asian kids thought this!). Most aren’t disillusioned until one) someone tells them they are highly intelligent (no one ever told my mother) or two) they get into high school with their not so great friends and habits. That is a factor some colleges take into account. Plus the fact dudes, no matter what you did in high school, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be all the same in college. </p>

<p>Has anyone ever even heard that the minorities probably accepted through some AA policy (such like me, probably) did bad for the school? Are they bringing the averages down? Are they dropping out at higher rates at those good schools? </p>

<p>Think of AA in the long run, guys. Try to make these race connections to the rest of life instead of just college and how you were ‘left out’.</p>

<p>Ignoring race and focusing on socioeconomic factors might be a better way to go than basing decisions on race.</p>

<p>If you believe that those “getting the best of the best will most likely be Asians and whites,” then do something about it. Struggle and rise above your means. Don’t rely on some AA restraint that allows minorities to “game” the system. There are also poor Asians and Caucasians that are in similar situations, only that they have a lot less a chance than poor (or rich ones for the matter) minorities at the top colleges.</p>

<p>What’s wrong with minorities not going to the top colleges? There are thousands of colleges in the USA, why should minorities get entitled spots at the tippity top without earning it?</p>

<p>Average intelligence? When someone’s scores are in the 0.1 percent range in the nation, I would question your definition of average. I think that at most top colleges, each and every student has a sort of quality that makes them stand out from the rest, be it in leadership, passion, intelligence, etc.</p>

<p>"no matter what you did in high school, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be all the same in college. " I agree. You can never be sure what anyone will accomplish in college. As a result, colleges tend to choose the ones that they think have potential. There might be some anecdotes about people who went to college with absolutely nothing and made something unbelievably awesome of themselves, but I would think that those are the outliers. The one in a thousand chances. What about the other 999 not so accomplished people? Accepting those with a proven track record probably has a higher ratio of success.</p>

<p>woami hit the nail on the head</p>

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<p>That’s what I was saying. No one thinks of minorities without thinking about their backgrounds. I don’t believe Harvard people are like, oh, you’re black. Tally it up, George!</p>

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<p>But to most minorities, and especially their families, colleges believe the best of the best are Asians and whites not because they are smarter, but because of their race. Then there’s the sadly held belief that Asians and Caucasians are naturally smarter than other minorities (especially if anyone were to look at IQ averages). ‘Struggle and rise above your means’? With what? A poor education system, poor support at home, and a college showing you that it is obviously out of your means? That isn’t laziness, it’s a socioeconomic foundation for your thinking. The idea is, you can’t achieve as much as they can. However, I totally agree with you that there’s a ceiling for those poor Asians and Caucasians. I believe that what bars them is the same thing for minorities, though it is probably the rich man that’s putting them down.</p>

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<p>I believe they do earn it. Goodness, have you known any minority on AA policy to be absolutely unqualified for where they are? I may not have been as good as any other Caucasian or Asian (not by a long shot) but I can’t help but say that I can still do as good in the future. How many unqualified minorities on this road apply to Harvard or Princeton or Columbia, furthermore on a whim? I’m not saying that more minorities should be AAed into every top college; it’s just that a college knows that many minorities could have done better if given the chance.</p>

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<p>I’m not sure what that percent range means… or what point you’re trying to make with it. Anywho, I say exactly to the rest. I don’t believe one person accepted to any top college was without one of those on point. </p>

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<p>That may be true, but it’s still sending the wrong message in the long run. I believe that a majority of people accepted to top colleges had lived/are living/will live average lives. But I also believe that those average lives come from anyone except the worst. And no top college is accepting the worst. Why make it such a big deal over people who will most likely just use the college as a good nametag on resumes? Why not chance those not so accomplished (as of the moment) people and see how far they would go? Or we could just accept all the naturally smart and privileged kids, let most minorities work twice as hard to get even to a fraction to where you are, and never see what those who can’t help but be discouraged eventually can actually do.</p>

<p>MODERATOR’S NOTE: </p>

<p>Thread closed, with link to the new FAQ and discussion thread </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/858679-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-7-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/858679-race-college-admission-faq-discussion-7-a.html&lt;/a&gt; </p>

<p>on this ever controversial issue, posted in a forum where it is more on-topic.</p>