<p>I think AA is a flawed system with good intentions. BUT, I think the government is seriously circumventing the real problem and using AA to say, hey, at least we're doing something.</p>
<p>I don't doubt that AA is extremely beneficial for certain individuals who wouldn't have a chance to stand out otherwise. Also, I don't deny that progress has been made, but the way I see it, it would be much more effective if the government raised the level of primary and secondary education <em>across the board</em> instead of focusing on a few select individuals (who, like many have said, might be part of the upper-middle class ALREADY). I mean, look at Harlem. Look at Dorchester, or places like Flint, MI (hey, don't judge. Michael Moore may be a propaganda machine but he makes good points). It's no secret that our public school systems in low-income areas are terrible, and it <strong><em>es me off to no end that the situation isn't going to be fixed anytime soon. I think AA is a step in the right direction, but it's not going to *lead</em> to any long-term benefits besides a whole lot of *</strong>ed off white and Asian kids. IMHO, it just seems to me like AA is the easy way out, and that the government isn't really dealing with the <em>real</em> problem here.</p>
<p>Peace.</p>
<p>"Is the rejection of somewhat more qualified candidates in favor of "under" qualified candidates because of race or socio-economic status inherently justified?"</p>
<p>That depends on your meaning of qualification. Are you basing it only on statistics? What makes one more qualified than another? Shouldn't one consider under the qualifications the context of the applicant? Shouldn't that include race and socio-economic status?</p>
<p>Okay I'm just jumping into this thread that seems to have taken on a different discussion than the title. I have the complaint of when people, in real life, complain about your scores/grades as not being fair. </p>
<p>A friend of mine overheard a girl I know (whom I consider a pretty good acquaintance, even friend)talking about my AP/SAT scores and how I hadn't studied as much as she did and she got lower scores and how it wasn't fair. I know people talk casually and it's not really an issue, but this seems to happen all the time when I tell people my scores/grades. I've decided to adopt the no score/grade sharing policy that another of my peers who gets questions about grades a lot has. I'm reluctant in doing this because it comes off to me as off-putting to say to someone that you don't share grades. I wish people wouldn't compare themselves and get all bitter about it, but such is human nature. </p>
<p>Sorry that this doesn't really have much to do with the thread...</p>
<p>Your experience does pertain to the thread's topic. I agree with you that people shouldn't compare themselves to others and consider it unfair when someone else does "better." It's like sports: don't be a sore loser (not that you are a loser but you get what I mean).</p>