I hate affirmative action

<p>I didn't get invited to an interview for a full-ride at a state university. That's fine, but the next day I found out that someone who has an SAT score that's 250 points lower than mine and a GPA that is .5 lower than mine got invited. He's Black. I'm angry !!!!</p>

<p>I feel that affirmative action is just an excuse to screw us over. The majority of the scholarships already go to athletes who are mostly Black and Hispanic anyway. So what is the point in giving them the unfair advantage in academics? If they really wanted to increase diversity, they would also get affirmative action for Asians in sports.</p>

<p>Just felt like ranting here.</p>

<p>happy black history month.</p>

<p>I kind of agree. </p>

<p>My friend who has worse SAT scores than I do and a worse GPA than I do got a full tuition scholarship at TCNJ. We have similar ec's so that's not a factor. He only got the money because supposidly he is hispanic. That is B.S. cause it is he is as white as can be. Is great grandmother "happened" to come from Spain. First, I don't think being from Spain should count as being hispanic. Spain is european...they can get over that fact. Second, I won't post his last name here but it is in no way spanish. If you were to hear it, it is one of those names where the person's heritage is obvious. He says it was his fathers side to. </p>

<p>I belive him I just think it's crap. He has lower stats than me but got a full ride when I don't even consider TCNJ a safety...it is a mach school if not a low reach.</p>

<p>Clarence Thomas loves you too!</p>

<p>well, lets flip the sides. Being a minority myself, i dont mind it all, but I do think its a good program, to a limit. If their scores are wayyy lower than a white persons then it isnt fair at all to give them the full-tuiton. But if the stats are similar...idno. Alot of minorities in the country cant afford a college tuition, so colleges pick them.</p>

<p>There are just as many whites that can't afford college tuition - expenses don't know race.</p>

<p>My parents are divorced and I live in a one-bedroom apartment with my mom on a teacher's salary. Many "minorities" live in mansions and make six figures. Race should not be a way to assume someone's need.</p>

<p>I agree to both sides. It sucks for white people but its great if you're a minority.
The only thing I hate is when I get a bunch of financial aid stuff. I swear its just cause I'm hispanic. My friends don't get this kind of stuff.
Oh, my last name is nowhere near spanish (its German)... does that mean i'm not hispanic...? Oh wait, my mom's maiden name is Dominguez. We are both caucasian looking, although she was BORN in Cuba.
So those latter factors shouldnt matter.</p>

<p>Oh,and there are asians in sports. I know for a fact that 2 university of Nebraska volleyball players are from China, and im pretty sure they both have scholarships</p>

<p>edit: I can see where you're comming from a77899.. My mom (cuban) grew up middle class whose parents were banking people while my dad grew up with 4 brothers and sisters on a grocery clerk's salary</p>

<p>yeah, the guy I'm talking about in my case could def. afford it. He could afford it more than I could. for instance, he just bought himself a really really awesome Mustang. I am getting a crappy civic with 160,000 miles already on it and a door that's falling off. </p>

<p>I do think it would be nice to give them more money though. I thikn minorities should earn their way in the same as any other person. Then if they can't afford it, I understand if more financial aid is given to minority students. I just don't agree with using race to determine admissions.</p>

<p>Diversity is valuable, and minorities have been oppressed in America for centuries, legally and socially. You're either sheltered or in denial if you think that those problems no longer exist.</p>

<p>Don't be bitter because someone you deem "less worthy" got more money than you did. Maybe you should have just done better. Sorry if this sounds terrible, but I'm sick of people with superiority complexes who are convinced the world is out to get them. Have you ever been a minority in a white-ruled society? I doubt it.</p>

<p>Don't judge someone if you're not either on a scholarship committee yourself or totally knowledgeable about their full background.</p>

<p>Also, to you guys who are saying that the people who get the minority scholarships can afford it already, remember that statistically those people are anomalies.</p>

<p>If you want to eliminate the concepts of unfair treatment and inequality - don't attempt to fix it by causing more. This new system is no more fair or correct than the previous treatment of those minorities. </p>

<p>I'd personally be offended if I knew I beat someone out because my skin is not white. But not everyone wants to be judged on their actual credentials.</p>

<p>leah, i dont know if you were specifically talking to me when you said those things but I am going to respond to them anyway. you said "Don't judge someone if you're not either on a scholarship committee yourself or totally knowledgeable about their full background." Well in this case, I do know this guys full background. I've known him since we couldn't even talk yet and he has lived down the street my whole life. His family is like a second family to me and always have been. I even call his mom and dad exactly that, mom and dad.</p>

<p>
[quote]
There are just as many whites that can't afford college tuition - expenses don't know race.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Affirmative action would be better if it focused on economic opportunity instead of skin color.</p>

<p>Asians have been oppressed for centuries in America as well and I dont see any minority benefits they get.</p>

<p>^ They get minority benefits at colleges that are not predominantly asian. For example, Chapman University has more latinos than asians.</p>

<p>leah377: If diversity is so important then why don't they try it on the football field or the basketball court? They can start by taking Asians who can only bench 150 lbs and run a 5.5 sec dash instead of Blacks who can bench 300 lbs and run a 4.5 sec dash.<br>
Of course racism still exists today and it always will. There are as many haters against whites and Asians as there are haters against minorities. Affirmative action is not going to fix that problem.</p>

<p>Hey,
I wasn't directing my comments at anyone specifically. Sorry if it seemed that way! A couple things:</p>

<ol>
<li>Asians are not under-represented in college admissions.</li>
<li>Without affirmative action, schools would not be diverse. This issue has been studied: what conditions would result if affirmative action in college admissions were eliminated? As it turns out, white people would not be very affected at all. African-Americans and Asians would be affected most of all (and very few African-Americans would be attending top colleges). </li>
<li>Affirmative action works to help proportionalize race representation in business and politics. If more minority students are able to attend top colleges, they are also able to receive better jobs. It is still true that African-American men make approximately 80% less money than white men with similar degrees. 60 years ago, this number would have been even more ridiculous. It is affirmative action that can take the credit for even beginning to level the racial playing field. Affirmative action is a plan that needs to continue in order to actualize its main goal--equal representation proportionate to the U.S. census.</li>
</ol>

<p>"Affirmative action would be better if it focused on economic opportunity instead of skin color."</p>

<p>Remember, colleges are a business, they want diversity, they don't want to lose money.
But, when it comes to scholarships, including merit aid, I think there should be preferential treatment to those who couldn't otherwise afford it. </p>

<p>For instance, I live in a fairly high-end neighborhood, but obviously there are still going to be people who do not have a lot of financial assistance. </p>

<p>The people who have the most amazing grades...half have parents buy them tutors, and SAT prep classes, and consultants and blah blah. The other half earn their grades fairly. </p>

<p>The students who have these rich parents, don't need the merit aid, but will get it because it's handed out so readily. I would rather that merit aid go to slightly less outstanding students who NEED the scholarships. But then, this contradicts my statement that colleges are a business, because the merit aid usually brings in students who hadn't considered the college an option. </p>

<p>I'm rambling now, but you get it. For Affirmative Action to work, there should be some sort of background check involved, or something, so that the full understanding of minority oppression could be seen.</p>

<p>Not this crap debate again...</p>