<p>I’ve been going to a “diverse” school for high school and I transferred from an All AFrican American elementary school. It was a BIG change for me, but it turned out for the better. Yes, comments about AA do come up, and you may face racist people at your college, but don’t let them discourage you. There are plenty of people NICE people out there, and they all aren’t african american! My advice: do your best in college, IGNORE ignorant people and haters, and try to meet new people that aren’t exactly like you, because you can learn a lot from them.</p>
<p>Affirmative action is total crap…and the reality is that most minorities (excluding Asians) in top universities like cornell are there somewhat or mostly because of their ethnicities. This is total garbage and needs to stop. I can’t help the fact that I’m Asian. You think that because you’re black/hispanic you deserve a spot in a top university more than me even though I have higher academic? Totally absurd garbage. To hispanics/blacks that rely on their academics to bring them opportunity I am sorry you had to read that. Affirmative action will stop. Survival of the fittest.</p>
<p>^ lol dude you’re so ignorant, and you don’t even realize it.</p>
<p>If you wish to contradict me contradict me properly. I admit that my survival of the fittest statement was fairly ignorant, but in general my arguments are quite justified. Frankly I’m tired of being pushed around by academically unqualified URM’s and losing out on admissions, scholarships, etc.</p>
<p>@dylandlima ; you keep using the word “unqualified.”
tell me, please … what makes someone qualified and unqualified?</p>
<p>Okay. Let me give you an example of something that happened in my high school, maybe you’ll understand my frustration. So, my cousin, his name is Conrad (Asian), he got a 2390 on his SATs and a 3.99 unweighted and 4.8 weighted GPA, with many extracurriculars and awards he also had great recommendations. He graduated with 13 AP classes and 4/5’s on all of the exams. He got nothing in scholarships. A URM(African American) student had a 3.6 UW/4.1W GPA 1950 SAT no awards, 3 AP’s, and shabby EC’s. The URM got $18,000 in scholarships from the UNCF. My cousin applied to HYPSM and got rejected by all except Yale. The URM applied to HYPSM and got accepted to all except MIT, he even got accepted to Harvard! Is this easily justified without AA? True story. Seriously.</p>
<p>First off, you can’t blame AA on that one incident. Your cousin sounds like a machine … not that that’s a bad thing. (It’s actually a compliment). A number of things could’ve happened. His personality and integrity may have been questioned. Do you know the hard core facts of those recs and did you read them? What about his essays? His short answer responses? I highly doubt you analyzed his whole app. All of that stuff comes into play and with Ivy admissions, every detail is accounted for. And you’re saying only Yale like it’s a bad thing. People would DIE to get into Yale … it’s marginally different from Harvard in terms of academics so I would say he did pretty well for himself. </p>
<p>What’s the story with those Asians who got into HYPSM, all in one application cycle? What is your answer to all of those students who are lucky enough to achieve that? That’s what it is too, most of the time … LUCK. It doesn’t come down to credentials all of the time and definitely not URM status for minorities; I learned that by looking back at those who came before me. There’s so many things that go into the pot of college admissions, it’s astounding. And besides, HYPSM all communicate with each other. That’s a known fact. Only like .002% of all students nationally are able to get into all of them.</p>
<p>So now I’m going to give you a story … There were two students in my high school last year; one a White male and another, a Black female who happened to be my best friend. They both applied to Harvard, both dual-valedictorians. The guy’s SAT score was a 1980 and she scored a 2320. He got in and she was rejected. (She ended up at Pton btw.) How do you explain that? Quite simply, that’s just the way colleges are these days … you never really know, nor can you really predict.</p>
<p>I actually did read his common app, I read his essays, I was outside the door of his interviews (aunt took me along), and they were all solid. But anyways he’s at Yale now so doesn’t really matter.</p>
<p>I think I’ve proven my point here; on to the next …</p>
<p>I think your point has been proven also; moving on…</p>
<p>“Survival of the fittest.”</p>
<p>Hey, remember that time that someone said that?..;)</p>
<p>Yes I rememeber;)</p>
<p>dylandlima: Since you are so fired up about URMs getting an advantage, why aren’t you fired up about whites who are rich legacy admits getting an advantage? So, it’s okay with you that a privileged white kid with from a powerful family, let’s say his/her last name is “Bush,” can get into Harvard with 500 SATs but it’s not okay if a poor black or Hispanic kid does it? </p>
<p>I understand how you might feel about people being give certain advantageous for reasons that have little to do with test scores and GPAs, but if you’re going to *<strong><em>ed about one type of advantage, you should be *</em></strong>ed about all of them. Don’t denigrate advantages given to one group but say nothing about advantages that have for a very long time been given to another group. </p>
<p>The reality is America has never been a true meritocracy. Asians were treate like ***** for a very long time in this country, and are still discriminated against once they get into the workplace. How? They’re considered technical whizzes, but being a technical whiz is not good enough to be considered a people leader, someone who can lead an entire Fortune 500 company. There are a couple of prominent Asian CEOs of top companies (most are women) but that’s it. How do you think people rise to the level of CEO (of a company they did not start)? By submitting test scores and GPAs? LOL! I’ve worked for four Fortune 500 companies, including three Fortune 50 companies, and meritocracy is defined very broadly. That is, test scores and GPAs are left at the door the day you are hired. It’s all about alliances. You have to be good but you don’t have to be the smartest or brainiest. You have to make the right connections, alliances, relationships. You math score on the SAT won’t help you. A lot of it is who you know. Have you acquired a powerful mentor inside the company who can bring you along with him or her? </p>
<p>America is not a meritocracy, not for any group. America as meritocracy is a myth, and it’s a myth conservative politicians love to sell to people dumb enough to believe it. Meanwhile, those same movers and shakers are granting all sorts of advantages to individuals and groups they happen to like and discriminating against those they don’t like. That’s the way it is.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You have no proof to back up your statement that “most” URMs are there because of their ethnicities. You think HYP would want to lower their academic prestige by just admitting anyone? Of course they wouldn’t. They would have nothing to gain by doing so. It’s true they want to diversify their student body, but not at the risk of losing their reputation for academic excellence.</p>
<p>When I hear people talking about AA they always seem to bring up the word “deserve”. Like URMs go through life scheming to do poorly in school, then apply to Ivies to snatch away a spot from an Asian or white kid. Let me tell you right now. NO ONE THINKS LIKE THAT. I’ve never met any black/Hispanic person who feels entitled to attend an Ivy League school. I’m not saying that there aren’t people want to use their race to their advantage, but there’s a big difference between taking every opportunity you can and feeling entitled.</p>
<p>dylandlima- I would suggest you think about what you are trying to say, before you actually post it because you above post has no evidence or reason that would make it valid. Also, you come off as someone who is very ignorant and prejudice through what you posted. I am not saying you are, but you that you come off as being that way.</p>
<p>I hate how this thread has failed to answer the OP question lol. Because I’m genuinely curious! I read a lot of college reviews complaining about “self segregation” and want to know the extent that it effects college students. Does anyone have any feedback?</p>
<p>As a black male this thread makes me cringe. There is no such thing as racism in school. If you act loud and obnoxious as many blacks do, you will obviously be looked at in ways that are not particularly positive. Act as smart as you are and there will never be problems.</p>
<p>Or at least that was my experience. And I went to a Texas high school tee hee. It’s all psychological, just classical conditioning.</p>
<p>“If you act loud and obnoxious as many blacks do” -bitesize </p>
<p>Wow they must’ve really kept you in check at that Texas school, huh? Way to further stereotype your own ethnicity and perpetuate the problem. :/</p>
<p>Hm, I figured someone wouldn’t bother to read the entire post and say that.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Also, since when did many mean even a majority? There are many intelligent african people at the school I went to. I was just saying that many of them (bottom quarter) just acted loud and obnoxious for no apparent reason. </p>
<p>I fail to see how I am furthering stereotypes by just telling you my observations.</p>
<p>Yep, bitesize is correct. If only black people acted correctly, there would be no racism. After all, its our fault! We’re able to control it and we choose not to!</p>
<p>And just because you get high scores, doesn’t mean you have a “spot.” You’re not entitled to anything. You haven’t been cheated.</p>