Federal civil rights officials last week said that school districts and colleges and universities may legally consider race when making decisions about school assignments, admissions and other programs that are designed to increase diversity and reduce racial isolation.
The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education jointly released the new, more flexible guidelines that are meant to clear up confusion on how and when race can be considered in the wake of three earlier U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
As Early Decision/Early Action decisions are rolling in, the topic of race in admissions seems to be everywhere I turn. While it is justified and admirable for a school to consider race as it aims to create a diverse student body that will result in a diversity of ideas and prepare it's members for a global world, there is one thing that really bugs me. I HATE when people say that someone "only got in because they are a minority." From all I have seen, the most competitive colleges only accept well-qualified students. Schools like Harvard, where my sister is a sophomore, receive applications from many more qualified students than they can accept. From that point they look to what makes one student stand out above another. It may be that you are a legacy, or a gifted athlete or musician,it may be that you have done amazing benevolent work or scientific research, or it may be that you have succeeded despite your difficult circumstances. Legacies and recruited athletes have the highest admit rate of all. Yet, I rarely hear people griping that "he only got in because their Dad went there or because of football." My sister's fiancé is graduating from Harvard. He is Puerto Rican and he was a recruited athlete, but he was ALSO valedictorian of his high school class!! Being a minority certainly may give you an edge, but it is an edge given ONLY to those who are completely qualified and those who the school are confident will be strong contributors to the student body. So enough already!
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