The big picture in admission The big picture in admission
Adela Chipe
April 15, 2003
A diverse student body is a good thing for college students preparing for the real world. But when I say "diversity," I'm not just talking about race or ethnic background. Diversity comes in many shades, including income level, athletic ability, geographic origin and whether or not an applicant's family members are alumni.
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide soon if the University of Michigan gives too much weight to the race factor in its admissions practices. Minority applicants there are given an automatic 20 points on a 150-point scale. The question is whether that system is an acceptable way to take race into consideration, or a violation of the notion of equal rights.
What student would want to say that he got accepted into a school just because he is a minority? One's race is nothing to be ashamed of, but it obviously shouldn't be the only factor. For example, how much bearing does my Hispanic-mixed background have on my potential to be a college student? Should the University of Michigan, or any school for that matter, award extra points for it?
To me, awarding points seem a little too close to what the 1978 Bakke decision outlawed -- namely quotas. Bakke says admissions policies may take race into account as one of many factors determining who gets in and who doesn't. I have always been a believer in assessment beyond numerical devices. People should not be judged solely by their race; nor should they be judged solely on class rank or SAT and ACT scores. A point system such as the University of Michigan's is callous.
A good university should look at the total picture in deciding whether a student could be a strong contributor to campus life. The nonpartisan Century Foundation suggests colleges implement income-based affirmative action because it is more politically popular and easier to defend legally than race-based programs. That fact depresses me.
Lawyers and lawsuits should not weigh so heavily when a university such as Michigan considers its admissions strategy. How many lawsuits could be brought against the school with Policy A, race-based affirmative action, compared to Policy B, income-based affirmative action? But, like the other kind of diversity that schools value, income diversity is needed too.
The Century Foundation proposal seems to confirm what the American way tries to refute: that living conditions are beyond one's control. We all struggle, and we all wish someone would give us a break. Students should also remember that barriers placed in front of us go beyond income level or race.
They may be barriers we placed ourselves, in our sleep, as we dreamt about the greener side of the fence. My advice to high school applicants, rich or poor, minority or not: Turn your perceived barriers into advantages. Work as hard as you can -- and then some. When you apply to schools, be as honest and as charismatic as possible. Don't let schools assume for you what your background will promise.
Tell them -- by painting a rich and complete portrait of your talents. I once talked a police officer out of giving me a ticket for running a red light by confessing that my lousy sense of direction and habit of running late made me overlook the light.
He laughed, and I sensed he related. He let me go. So don't be quick to judge what will get you in and what won't. It should not be just your race or dazzling SAT scores. If a school is worth its salt, it hopefully will be looking at the complete you
Chipe is a sophomore at the University of Indianapolis.
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