<p>i don't think it qualifies as a hook....but it is cool anyway..</p>
<p>Who is your ancestor BTW?</p>
<p>An essay would have to reflect more on you though, not just a(n) historical analysis. Did you find that out or did your mom tell you or something?</p>
<p>Well my parents told me when I was like ten or so, therefore I didn't really have the chance to find out by myself. Hence, I dont think I want to write a whole essay on that topic. Incorporating it into my personal statement maybe... but it wouldnt really fit.</p>
<p>However, I did make a presentation on him in English class, so I could ask my teacher, who is writing a letter of recommendation anyway, to mention my presentation and maybe my family ties (and that his pictures are hanging in a Harvard art gallery). This would also solve the problem of proving that I am related to him, since out of a teachers "mouth" it is a lot more credible.....</p>
<p>You're all screwed.
Being an immigrant or a minority is not a good thing, nor is it valued at Harvard.</p>
<p>Minorities are overrated.</p>
<p>Minority this, minority that. Minorities only exist in the minds of people who need excuses to cover up for their incompetence.</p>
<p>So, let's get down to the point. What's really going on? Why are "minorities" so underrepresented? And why are Asians not included with minorities? (Because the term minorities is actually a word for people who cannot succeed on their own, and must use excuses/claim that they are victims of an unfair system). Come on, there are less Asians than either African-Americans or Hispanics in the U.S. </p>
<p>But of course, saying that Asians or whites are naturally more talented is racist. So that means minorites aren't working as hard. But that's racist too!! How can you say minorities are lazy? You can't say that, because there is no proof for that statement.</p>
<p>So that leaves one possibility for the lack of minorities in higher education. Society and the educational system is unfavorable to them, and are not giving them enough opportunities. But still after all of the affirmative action and advantages in admission, minorities are underrepresented.</p>
<p>We give them unfair advantages. They still don't accomplish much. That leaves them two choices. Either their cultures don't value education as a necessity in today's society, or they're stupider.</p>
<p>It's the former. They just don't value education that much. I don't have any proof to back this statement up, but the only alternative is that they are subpar in intelligence, which is not appropriate to say in any forum, or in life, period.</p>
<p>And it's not a government conspiracy of the evil white man either. The educational system is clearly liberal right now, especially universities.</p>
<p>There's only one thing to do. Since minorities are not working as hard, don't give them privileges. Level the playing field for everyone. When the minorities realize that nobody's going to help them except themself, they will figure out that hard work is the path to success, not making sneaky excuses. Success is achieved by hard work without excuses, and plenty of mental suffering and pain, unfortunately. Cultures that embrace and acknowledge these values succeed, and the converse. Minorities CAN succeed, they just need a radically different attitude, and the US educational system is going the wrong direction. Liberals and conservatives, they are too soft; we need to have major reforms.</p>
<p>What I said above is right, and EVERYONE knows that deep down inside. In conclusion is that minorities have a culture that doesn't emphasize education as much as Asian and Causasians. You don't give a hungry man food, you give him a job.</p>
<p>Immigrants are another story. They have a reason to be given help, because their location and unforseen circumstances have put them in an unfavorable situation. Minorites are born that way. There is no inherent disadvantage in being black, nor is there an advantage in being white.</p>
<p>Pretty much, the advantages that are given to minorities should be HELPING them. The welfare system is supposed to get people back up on the ground, but it is often abused. The same thing is going on here. Affirmative action is supposed to get a particular race back on its feet. But it has been perverted into a system that is remaining in our educational system because we're simply too scared to tell the minorities to work hard, and politicians fear the backlash and anger from the minorities (which are completely unfounded).</p>
<p>I truly admire my black and Hispanic friends who work hard, not using their minority status as a crutch. These are the people who will accomplish a lot. Life's not always a college admission. One day, these people will be in the workforce, and then, they will have to actually earn the job. We need to prepare EVERYONE for that time, and that will only be accomplished by being to the point and sensible about educational policy. In politics, good intentions are not always the recipe for success. We must realize that while affirmative action is a noble goal, that it won't work, period. Therefore, we must restructure our system.</p>
<p>That's all.</p>
<p>Affirmative action needs another generation or two before it's time to re-evaluate.</p>
<p>"There is no inherent disadvantage in being black, nor is there an advantage in being white."</p>
<p>There IS an inherent disadvantage in being black. People often believe stereotypes about the African-American race, and use this stereotypes to make prejudicial misconceptions. I am African-American and I have experienced it. </p>
<p>My family is upper class and I go to an extremely affluent school, that I recently moved to. And when I requested to be in AP classes, I was denied. Not because of my lack of intelligence, (35 ACT, National Merit Semifinalist, etc.) but because of my race. No one can tell me that race was not the issue (because it most definitely was.) I live in a notoriously racist city, and I am the only black student at my school taking the most rigorous course load. I had to fight in order to even be placed in the AP classes i wanted to take. </p>
<p>Therein lies the inherent disadvantage of my race. The school officials actually had the gall to tell my parents and I that I could not handle the difficulty of their classes, because I did not have the proper educational background (i.e. I was african american). So, you cannot tell me that there is no inherent disadvantage in being African American.</p>
<p>Secondly, your comment that African Americans are given unfair advantages is also false. African Americans have been unfairly treated since the conception of this country. (It was only 40 years ago that we finally secured the right to vote unimpeded by poll taxes, etc.). In addition, African-Americans have been put into a perpetual cycle of poverty, due to the conditions caused by slavery and racism that has still not ended. 30% of African Americans live below the poverty line. But less than 10% of white Americans do. Thus, in order to make up the almost 300 year gap between African American rights and Caucasian rights, African Americans deserve their advantage. </p>
<p>Also, only SOME africans americans do not value education. But not our society as whole. The US has numerous Historically Black Colleges with numerous students. So African Americans do value education, or these institutions would not thrive or be successful. </p>
<p>Finally, to say that African Americans "still don't accomplish much," just shows how limited your thinking must be. Oprah Winfrey, an African American, is the richest female in the world. Barack Obama, one of the only black Senators and a Harvard graduate, is already being hailed as a democratic contender in the 2012 Presidential race. Johnnie Cochran, also black, was the most successful and sought after lawyer of his time. African Americans are also the most prominent football and basketball players in this country. And I could go on for hours listing the accomplishments of blacks. </p>
<p>So, next time you consider posting something, make sure you've done your research and have actual proof to back up your claims, rather than using useless syllogisms riddled with unfounded fallacies.</p>
<p>naj,</p>
<p>First, simply because past African-Americans suffered, doesn't mean that their descendents should benefit. What if some white kid could prove that his great great grandfather was given the death penalty when he was really innocent? Should he get a break in college admissions? </p>
<p>Second, you bring up the poverty line thing. That is exactly why AA should be based on socioeconomic status, NOT race. Those 30% African Americans below the poverty line should be on equal footing in admissions with Whites below the poverty line. But are they? No. I can almost guarantee you that one of those 30% African Americans with a 1400 on the SAT can get into Harvard on that alone. But that's not true of Whites.</p>
<p>Slavery and racism has crippled the development of the African American race, thus they should be given aid in order to help them advance to the level of whites.</p>
<p>I'm sure that a low income white student that gets a 1400 SAT would be accepted to Harvard. The fact that they excelled in spite of their status would be equally as great as any African American.</p>
<p>the problem is unless you walk through your local neighborhood ghetto. Unless you walk through Africa, South America (yea there are people of african descent), and the Carribean. Unless you look at life through a darker skin hue. Unless you can really imagine how much pain and hurt the SINGLE GREATEST CATASTROPHY IN HUMAN HISTORY has impacted the hearts and souls of every black person worldwide. Unless you can understand why blacks in the cities live for today and today only. Unless you can understand why WE ALWAYS ARE IN A UPHILL STRUGGLE. Unless you can understand that up until 50 years ago EQUALITY was nonexistant. Unless you can understand how the struggle of an individual is nothing in comparison to that of a race. Unless you can understand how shameful and hurtfull it was to be considered 3/5ths of a human. Unless you can understand the confusion in a black mans psyche. Unless you hear thoughts and a heart pounding from within the skin of one whos ancestors originated in africa. CAN YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND OUR STRUGGLE. </p>
<p>That is the central point in Understanding DC, a mission sponsered by DC METRO Blacks and Jews, who by they way have similar feelings and experience. Its really no point to argue about Affirmative Action since its very hard for somebody WHO IS SO FOCUSED ON GAINING ANY EDGE IN THE ALL INCLUSIVE ALL IMPORTANT COLLEGE ADMSSION GAME, to understand. </p>
<p>Just stop arguing. Its pointless. How many hours have people wasted ranting about Affirmative Action. It may or may not be good, depending on if that person is in some sort of competitive situation or not. But its nothing we can do anything about. Let is run its course and in 20 years like Supreme Court suggest it will be phased out. I support it, you may denounce it, be would should agree to disagree to save some humanity, unity, and endless hours of bickering. Moderator Close Please for civility.</p>
<p>Thank you Biz, I was just about to write that I was too exhausted to argue this point further.</p>
<p>Umm....affirmative action is not there to fix previous injustices, because it is not focused on the black race. It is there to help underrepresented races to gain more footing in colleges, and this is evident in the fact that all underrepresented minorities benefit from AA, not just blacks. Therefore any argument that seeks to justify AA using past grievances done against a particular race is illogical.</p>
<p>good point, but it is something, and in Americans society especially from the black point of view, WE WORK SO HARD TO GET SO LITTLE. </p>
<p>BUt yes PALEEEEEEZE STOP DEBATING. Please stop. Its worthless. I mean go to sleep, just forget about. Take a stroll, UNITE, be free. Have glee. Go for a pee. Do something. Just dont focus on AA, because inevitable you have some good points, i have some good points, but eventually we have to concede that this is worhtless since we are not authorities. The nation needs to confront this, NOT CC. Dualityim i would love to share a coffee with you and debate this in some starbucks, but i am sooooooooo tired of this argument. listen man your a great student, if someone got in using AA then let it be, good for them good for you, now cant we all just get along.</p>
<p>Brady-and white people aren't</p>
<p>Please refrain from turning this thread into AA flame land. I like this thread, and I would very much like to see it remain in existence. </p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>My hooks are disrupted educational background, first generation university goer, ran away to england to study at 17, did national service for 3 months in Greece, and my favourite author is writing a reccomendation for me. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if these hooks will be enough to counter my 410 in mathematics... I got 730 in CR and 660 in Writing, with a 12/12 on the essay, so I'm not a complete dunce, but I havent studied mathematics since I was 18 (it's not required in England). Oh and apparently I interview well... Go figure! Still, as a lot of people say (it seems to be the recurring theme on CC) if you don't bother applying you'll never know!</p>
<p>how old are you now, arioch?</p>
<p>wow a 410? Dude retake it, seriously. Just get an algebra II book, I suck at math too, but there's no reason you can't improve that score unless you are ESL. Maybe a tutor or something...you've got till January.</p>
<p>"if you don't bother applying you'll never know!"
Yup!!...no harm in applying.</p>
<p>BTW who is your favorite authour??</p>