There are times when the decisions of my world really upset me. Now that I am in the process of looking for schools, I am constantly being driven crazy by the fact that there are people alive today that think that because they are of a different race or heritage that they are more deserving of money to go to college. It brings me back to our finals in my sophomore Civics And Economics Class. One of my black classmates, Raymond began his presentation by holding up a sign that said "College Admission." Below that were illustrated the academic progression of both a white and a black student, both with 1400s on their SATs, and 4.0 GPAs. Raymond then proceeded to try and convince the class that in the case of this kind of equality that the college in question should undoubtedly choose the black man, that the college could easily just slide the black student an extra two bonus points and accept him into college because his ancestors had encountered a harder time in this country than the white student's had, and that the white student's ancestors were had probably once owned his ancestors as slaves anyway.
Not only is this intensely stupid, but it isn't at all fair. I happen to know for a fact that my ancestors were from Ireland and Germany and never owned slaves. They were Quakers, thanks very much. So why should it matter if maybe your ancestors were enslaved by the Southern whites of this country? You aren't enslaved now. There were plenty of white people that supported the equal rights movement and helped black Americans to gain their rights. The Civil War and the peak of slavery was over 200 years ago. Not something to be complaining of now in my opinion.
The word slavery doesn't even have anything to do with black Americans. It comes from the Slavic people who were white by the way, and enslaved for generations and generations. You don't see them bitching about it. Furthermore, white slavery is even more rampant in this day and age than any kind of ethnic slavery. So why should anyone's race have a bearing on the kind of scholarships you are elligible for.
In all seriousness, the scholarship competition was my biggest reason for joining this website. I'm 18, I'm female, I'm white, I'm middle class, I have a German/Irish/Welsh heritage, and none of my family has ever gotten far enough in college to score me that old alumni's kid card. As far as college goes, I haven't got anything to go on. That doesn't mean that I don't need money for college. What that means, is I haven't got anything going for me in that respect. My best friend even went so far as to legally change her ethnic status from white to Native American in order to receive greater opportunity for scholarship money. Personally I feel that this is all kinds of wrong. I understand the need for balance in our education systems, but the system has become a racist one. In this day and age, you think that we as Americans would have learned to grow beyond racial lines, but obviously not.
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I completely agree. I am commemerating black history month at the Universiry of Kansas by running an opinion piece on the same subject. I will put it on the front page perhaps after it runs ( I cant before then though otherwise I cant run it in the school paper).
Francesca Chambers
Let me start out by stating that your argument has some valid points. Point one, it is unfortunate that middle class American's have such a difficult time affording college. Not to say that poor Americans do not also suffer from a difficult time affording college.
I have to disagree with your assessment of the hypothetical situation the Black student describe. It seems like you are dealing with affirmative action rather than ability to get Scholarships. They are not one in the same. A majority of scholarships that are for a specific race are that way because they are privately funded. Thus, the donated decides the merits that are needed for this scholarship.
Now if you are angered by Affirmative Action, I can understand your position. But, you must understand that Affirmative Action is the counter balance of an educational system that is highly geared towards select groups of individuals to succeed in. (i.e. whites) If you believe that the American education system should be equal. Which means that across the broad all schools receive the same amount of money, have access to the same resources, have the same quality of teachers, and etc. Then with this new found equality all students are equal. Thus, all students can be judge with no special preference given. Now do you believe that this is actually the case within America's Education System?
I do have to disagree with the notion that slavery is the reason there is Affirmative action. Rightly, the reason there is Affirmative Action is because of the inequality that is apparent within the American Educational System. The Civil wasn't 200 years ago, it ended in 1865.
Please reform from saying that slavery has nothing to do with Black Americans. Are you assuming that to be a slave you have to be a person of Slavic descent. Which, in the first place is not the origin of slavery... The word, yes but not the practice.
I know plenty of middle class black families that are in the same boat that you are in. The idea that there is some limitless supply of scholarships available for blacks is wrong. There are same but you still have to qualify for them, you are not just getting them because you are black.
Going back to the situation that a black guy named Raymond stated. If a private University wants to diversify its campus, is that wrong? If they are tied and 95% of your campus has the same background, it seems to be logical to want to expose people on your campus to people of different backgrounds. Also Affirmative Action also helps you because you are a female....
It's impossible to be an artist and a bread winner at the same time. Sometimes I think I oughta chuck the whole business.
-Amiri Baraka
That is not necessarially true. The diversity scholarships htat universities give out are not privately funded a, and b the only merit is that you be better than the black kids, or mexican or whatever. A black person could theoretically be half as smart as a white kid and get a better scholarship than the white kids who are smarter than him because of this.
Francesca Chambers
That is not necessarially true. The diversity scholarships htat universities give out are not privately funded a, and b the only merit is that you be better than the black kids, or mexican or whatever. A black person could theoretically be half as smart as a white kid and get a better scholarship than the white kids who are smarter than him because of this.
Francesca Chambers
Okay, I can see your point. I can understand where you're coming from. But there are some things that you don't touch on that really are prevailing ideas in today's distribution for college scholarships.
I am a white female. My boyfriend is hispanic. He doesn't do anything. Granted, he is smart, but his GPA doesn't speak out what he can do academically, nor does he try to correct that. He tends to be lazy, and honestly, it bothers me sometimes. However, I work my ass off. I have taken almost every AP class I could and still managed to keep a 4.0 GPA. My statistics are better. I have more community service. However, because he is hispanic, he was offered a 12,500 scholarship to a school a few cities away from here. I was only offered 7,000.
Now please tell me that's fair.
Wow, I've actually been in the exact same predicament: I had an Hispanic boyfriend who received a full-ride scholarship to an AA college (UC Santa Cruz). But, his father worked several hours away and often came home coming down from cocaine, he lived in a double-wide trailer with 11 siblings, could never come to see me because he couldn't afford insurance, etc. If he didn't get a scholarship, he would most likely never continued his education. It doesn't seem fair, but whole purpose of AA is to level the playing field for those who have been historically (and still are, often times) disadvantaged. It is difficult for a school to look individually at all applicants and be able to discern a well-to-do African American family from a struggling White family, etc. Sometimes it goes wrong- I know of someone who won't even have to pay for graduate school, largely due to his hispanic race, despite how he neglected school to become president of all of our school's most pointless organizations.
It's not always fair, but in some ways, AA really is necessary to narrow the gap between those who have been truly disadvantaged and those who do also deserve scholarship money, but may not need it as much.
-Alex Kovash
Are you sure about the term "slavery" I am more than sure that the term is used in biblical hebrew when referring to the Israelite Slaves in Egypt. Regardless, I totally understand. When I applied to college (im a sophomore at FSU) I ran into a million road blocks when applying to college. Each scholarship my high school posted was for some group of people- none of which I fell into.
Even worse, I found myself attempting to discuss why I dont accept affirmative actions- from a minority point of view-- without being a black minority american.
I'm middle class, white, Jewish, and only a 3rd generation American. While some of my neighbors great grandparents DID have slaves, my relatives were in Poland, Germany, and Israel (2 of the 3 countries they were being massacred in).
It's hard, but if you did well in school, volunteered a lot, or did something super special you'll make it through, like the rest of us, off loans! woooo
The problem with the people who believe Affirmative Action is bad is that they seem to think that it has any sort of measurable affect on the percentage of African Americans in certain schools. The problem is not Affirmative Action it is the fact that America seems obssessed with ivy league schools, and high ranking schools. Which are dominated by whites that went to Prep-Schools and are kids of Alums. Until we realized that education should not be seen as something that can be measure by the amount of money an instution is endowed with, then we will need Affirmative Action to balance this inequality...
Also, I do not like to get into discussions on whether a certain group of people suffered more so than another. It is degrading...
It's impossible to be an artist and a bread winner at the same time. Sometimes I think I oughta chuck the whole business.
-Amiri Baraka
Affirmative action is not only useless, it pits race against race, each vying for the few prized seats in good schools. First of all, there is NOTHING wrong with wanting to go to an Ivy League school. You get what you pay for. Education is important, and so is the institution from which you recieve that education. The degree from a CSU (California) is not nearly as valuable or meaningful as one from Princeton because the quality of each respective school is different. Allowing blacks entrance to a university to fill some quota or to enhance the "racial ballance" of a campus is absurd.
I tend to disagree with your assertion that a degree from a state university (you mention CA, which actually has some really good schools) is less valuable or meaningful than one from Princeton. Sure, if you go into a job market like business, the name might give you a leg up. But if you're going to graduate school, you have a chance to get in anywhere (lesser so in out of state schools), and in the end, you'll all graduate with the same degree. Sure, I might not have to work as hard to graduate with honors as I would at Harvard or Princeton, but chances are, I'd do well at both schools (mine and the Ivy League). So why didn't I go to an Ivy League school? Well, I didn't want to be in debt when I graduated with my Bachelors, which I won't be at my school, since my mom is paying everything I can't get in scholarships, which amounts to about $2500 a year. Second, I didn't want to go to an Ivy League school, and not have any free time to spend with my family and boyfriend because I was too busy studying. I can only imagine how hard I'd have to work if I was actually in a class where the grades were curved. Third, since my mom was being deployed in my first year of college, I wanted to be close to my little sisters, and no Ivy League is close enough.
But I digress. My point is that most times, the name of your school plays little in competing for a graduate school position. What matters more is your GPA, your test scores, and your activities in college. After all, most people that go to college don't go to an Ivy League.
~C
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I have nothing special to go on either, and it makes getting any scholarship money really tough, specially as I'm going to an entertainment and film school.
At this very moment, somewhere a committee is deciding your life, only you weren't invited
Similar boat here. I'm 19, I'm female, I'm white, I'm middle class, I have a German/Irish/Welsh heritage, and the alumni's kid card got me nowhere.
This is all very interesting how race correlates to scholarships. Personally, I recognize that we all came from Africa and there is no "race". Setting aside money for "African-Americans" only promotes racism on their part by them singling themselves out.
Although.... if we didn't have scholarships to even the playing field and diversify schools that would be ___. (bad? boring?) Perhaps we can change it to culture instead. Or maybe that still wouldn't solve your/our problem....
They make scholarships for people from all walks of life. There are not just "black" and "slavery" issued scholarships. Sorry, if that is all you happen to run across when you are searching for scholarships. And if you find it so unfair...., write to Bill and Melinda Gates and other philantropists that give money to black and other races than white and see how you come out.
It is very cold-blooded to get on here crying about something like that. I am black and I have yet to get a scholarship. Mainly, because I dont pull the race card. I will continue to milk student loans and pay it back.
Where do you all get this from that "African Americans get money set aside for them" If that was the case, dont you think that there would be an overwhelming amount of blacks in attendance in colleges?
Ouch!
I hope you didn't misunderstand me when I said, "Setting aside money for 'African-Americans'". I meant it more like using somebody's "race" as a requirement for a scholarship.
It is good that you have not used race to get a scholarship but that are a lot of African Americans who DO milk the system. And I ma not saying that to be racist- I am hlaf black myself. I am saying that because I see it all the time.
Francesca Chambers
Did it ever occure to you that maybe the reason there aren't as many minorities in college is because they aren't qualified? I.E. poor grades, low SATs, no extra curricular activities?
And don't start crying about how they are so disadvantaged and they don't get the same shake as white students. Plenty of poor minorities make it without public assistance because they want better for themselves.
This is why Applications should be evaluated in a vacuum, with no heed given to income or race.
Has it occurred to you that blacks may not have been qualified because their schools were poorly funded, or because they had to hold a job to help buy supper? Maybe slightly lower SAT scores might be due to the fact that one didn't have the money to spend on a private tutor, or weren't even exposed to an SAT prep class that many others do. It's just to level the playing field. Perhaps the emphasis should just be on socio-economic background, and not necessarily on race, because race isn't really the important factor.
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. -Albert Einstein
Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.
-Holocaust Muse
So what if the black kid didn't get a SAT prep class. He can't go the library and check out one of the myriad of prep books himself? so what if the kid went to a poorly funded school. He can't seek after school programs to better his education? so what if the black kid had to work to make supper. Many kids have to work full time and make good grades. A classmate at my school was homeless for the better half of his senior year and he graduated with a 3.6 (he was from mexico, by the way...didn't really speak english).
Lo que les digo a ustedes malditos negros...aunque ustedes hubiesen tenido mala suerte anterior, eso no les da el derech de quejarse sin avanzarse.
To all you blacks...just because you were disadvantaged before doesn't give you the gumption to sit back and complain without trying to make a go of it.
That's exactly what Affirmative Action is supposed to reward- those who have overcome adversity to take responsibility for their own lives and make the best of it either way. It doesn't support laziness.
The point is that if one person has a 3.6 because they were too drunk off their ass at a party to study for any exams, and because their family has hired someone to do this person's chores for them while they participate in community service and extra curriculars, and another has a 3.6 because they worked two full time jobs to support his one-parent family, and, quite frankly, couldn't have studied more, then who do YOU think would deserve a scholarship? That is at least the GOAL of Affirmative Action, at least historically.
Unfortunately, one of the more accurate indicators of this kind of situation is race. However, not every white person is swimming in money, nor is every minority sleeping in their car. This is why many affirmative action policies don't work. And I'm pretty sure I said, at least in another response in this blog, that AA should be tailored toward socio-economic status, rather than race.
Other policies try to use a class ranking percentage to determine who is "worthy" of admission. But who are the people who are in the top two percent? Generally, those whose lives have catered to climbing up that ladder- those who go home to a warm meal and bed at night, and quite frankly don't need money as desperately as those who are struggling.
It's too bad that not every state school is Harvard, where a panel can sit and examine every applicant's life up until that point. And, as a white female myself, it is difficult to understand that what I consider "hardships" are completely relative to my own naiive experience. So, the system isn't perfect, but hopefully it went to your friend's benefit.
-Alex Kovash
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. -Albert Einstein
Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.
-Holocaust Muse
"They make scholarships for people from all walks of life. "
No, Actually they do not. The majority of the scholarships that I have applied for and denied the money, are because I am not a "minority." That should have NOTHING to do with my eligibility.
"There are not just "black" and "slavery" issued scholarships. Sorry, if that is all you happen to run across when you are searching for scholarships. And if you find it so unfair...., write to Bill and Melinda Gates and other philantropists that give money to black and other races than white and see how you come out."
They do not donate to them because of their race, but their situation. Africa does have an AIDS problem, black or white makes no difference in this situation. If there was a predominately white country with such a large AIDS problem, I'm sure Bill and Melinda Gates would help them out, too.
"It is very cold-blooded to get on here crying about something like that. I am black and I have yet to get a scholarship. Mainly, because I dont pull the race card. I will continue to milk student loans and pay it back."
Then you are a responsible person. You cannot deny that there are others who do pull the race card, and are enabled by those who do think that slavery and minority-ship DOES have something to do with it, and really think that just because they are their race, they deserve extra funding.
"Where do you all get this from that "African Americans get money set aside for them" If that was the case, dont you think that there would be an overwhelming amount of blacks in attendance in colleges?"
At my college, there is. A lot of them I know ARE on full rides on grants from the university (to broaden their ethnic percentages from whites and asians to whites asians and blacks). I know you want to think it doesnt happen, but it does. I compared my academic record, financial status (how much my parents and i make combined), and financial aid we recieved. No joke, my GPA in high school was 1.2 more than hers, my family income was over 10,000 less, and she recieved more general grant money from our school than I did. You tell me there isn't something wrong with that. And guess what, my GPA is still over a point higher than hers, and our financial situations are the same again this year.. she still recieved over 5,000 more than me in FREE money AGAIN. Sorry, but you cannot pretend it isn't the truth.
Perhaps the answer is to remove the Race/Ethnic Background boxes on applications, etc or everyone just write in Human. Levels the playing field for all students... at least race wise. Of course that brings in the entire affirmative action thing.
There are a crap load of scholarships set aside for Native American students. But, I'd rather get a scholarship because I earned it, not because I'm half Native American.
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
"May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the warm rays of the sun fall upon your home."
I'm white, of German descent, and have very little hope of getting a good scholarship. But, even if they did have a scholarship exclusively for whites (which they can't, because then everyone would be up-in-arms. equality? bah.), I don't think that I'd like it.
I don't think that race is a good basis for a scholarship. Ever. It should depend on the person, not on the person's ethnic affiliation.
TxY
What bothers me about racial distinctions most is that it is based almost solely on how you look (unless you have a ton of legal documentation, etc. to show otherwise and go through a lot of paperwork). I am classified as "white", although I'm actually mixed Asian and white, because I happen to have brown hair and big eyes. I wish people would realize that racial separation in this country is based almost entirely on physical appearance, and that it is totally wrong.
--Princess Vera
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Love and charity are the basis of all that is good in this world.
HONEY, we all work hard, i am hispanic, and have worked very hard for obtaining scholarships...it only takes brains, stop complaining, and keep applying, you have a better chance of obtaining financial aid, and getting paid more money...c'mon look around!--the reason why minorities are more encouraged and get more money for college is because half of us drop out even if we have a high GPA and high SAT scores, reason is because we are taught to work after high school and to support our elders or younger siblings, so..you are middle class it is easier for you to pay a grant... you don't have to support anyone, your culture is different. so, keep making A's and applying for scholarships...besides the fact that you don't get looked at upside down like us minorities do, when we apply for a grant or any financial aid..anyway..much love!
You should do something about it. Like write to the head of whom ever is in chage of it and ask why, or try to get your school to stop promoting scholrships like this, or whatever. Personally, I am black, middle class and I have to get student loans. I don't EVEN apply for a scholarship thats only for blacks or mexicans or whatever because it's not right. I work and I try to save and I try to apply for grants and enter essay contests or whatever. I feel bad for your situation. Surely we can figure out a better way to handle this whole situation right, like um, equality maybe? :)
If you want I can send you some links for scholarships that I've looked at.
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"When people say, "I’m so tired it's not even funny" or "my head hurts so much it's not even funny", why would it even be funny in the first place?"
I never thought it from another perspective. I just try to find scholarships that fit me. If they are for african american only or minority only...I would think that it would be to intice(sp) minorites to go to school. Or disadvantaged people (mostly minorities) to go to college. I dont think a race issue was the intent. But i dont know. A scholarship is a scholarship. I compete with anyone. I need the money just like the next person.
Conformity is the jailor of freedom and the enemy of growth!~JFK
Well, there has been talk of removing Affirmative Action. Let's see...try to imagine a world without affirmative action in the workplace and our schools. Would minorities be put into good jobs and good schools at the same rate with or without affirmative action. Absolutely not. Some places may have quotas that they need x amount of minorities or whatever but take away affirmative action and I guarantee you that many minorities will not be hired. School wise, I am not sure. Maybe, the rate of minorities enrolling in good schools would drop a little. But in the workplace, it's definitely needed. It also helps encourage diversity.
Another thing in regards to your scholarship search, there is many an Italian and Irish organizations that hand out scholarships so I am sure that you can find one for your nationalities also. Just like there are organizations that hang out scholarships only to Puerto Ricans and people argue why not for all Latinos. You have to find them and search for them. They are there. One way of finding them is go to google and type in irish american scholarship or german american scholarship and opportunities pop up (By the way, I know this for sure since I just did it).
And no, our societies are not equal. There is racism, most of it now isn't like it was before. Before it was blatantly obvious but not some people are unconsciously racist which is worse because these people do not even know they are racist. People judge others by the way they dress and the way they talk. Who gives the right to say that this is the right way to speak and we should dress like this? Who is the dominant group of people who decides what moral values one should have? Who decides what is equality in the first place? Usually white people.
I just want to say you are completely wrong if you think that whites decide what is equal and fair. Whatever group is in the majority decides what is equal and fair. And if you go to a school that is 60% black like my high school student population was and with strong black leadership, guess who decides what is equal and fair? Not the other 40% of students.
As far as affirmative action ... if everyone worked hard in school, didn't drop out, went to college, etc ... then we wouldn't need affirmative action to diversify the workplace. Affirmative action wasn't meant to give jobs to people that weren't qualified just because the color of their skin wasn't well represented in that work environment. Or substitute school for work -- everyone has an opportunity to go to college, if they want it bad enough. Community colleges accept everyone with a high school education, and even some without. From there, students can transfer to a 4 year school. Nothing is preventing people from being successful besides excuses and the societal urge to cry victim.
~ Kayote
Visit me at http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kayote
Also, if a black person who is half as smart as a white person gets into a college or gets a scholarship mainly because he is black, it is wrong. However, does this usually happen? Not really. I come from experience as a black women who got into one of the best state schools in NY, SUNY Binghamton (the supposed Ivy of the SUNYs). It angers me when I hear a white person say I got in because I was black and he was mad because his average was two points higher and SAT score 20 or 30 points higher. Excuse me, colleges don't only accept based on grades. You have no idea what I have been through as an individual. You don't know what I have experienced to get where I am. Mainly colleges look at your entrance essays, some of which ask about life experiences, and can pick one person over that. They can also pick people based on what activities they had going on. I had a part-time job (10-15 hours a week), did track and field in winter and spring, and two other activities (about 2 hours a week) in my senior year of high school and three church activities which took up at least 3 hours of the weekend (most of the churc activities was volunteer work in the community) while maintaining a 91 average. And what did he do? Did soccer in fall and basketball in spring, volunteered only when he had to because of Honor Society requirements which I was also in. So ummm, who is more qualified? Yea, me. Not to sound cocky. So no I do not feel bad. I am not saying it doesn't happen when the less smart minority person gets in ahead of the white. I am saying that there are other factors that colleges and scholarships look at.
Secondly, even if you removed the race factor from scholarships and made them need-based, the majority of people getting them are going to be minorities. Yes, there are poor whites also but if you remove the race factor and make them need-based, they will still go more towards minorities.
"Secondly, even if you removed the race factor from scholarships and made them need-based, the majority of people getting them are going to be minorities. Yes, there are poor whites also but if you remove the race factor and make them need-based, they will still go more towards minorities."
Then at least the poor whites will get them and not be turned away because they aren't a minority. I'm fine with that. (Not that the majority of the needy are minorities, just even-ing out the playing field for the whites who need it too.)
It is possible to get a scholarship not based on race. I'm black, and I didn't apply for any race based scholarships and I still got a lot. All I did was make good grades. I would never pick a dumb black person over a smart white person.
Does hate really exist? Or is it just fear, anger, confusion, frustration, worry, greed, and jealousy all wrapped up into one?
The entire attitude of the entire 18th-19th century goings-ons between Black and White Americans is off putting to me. The Japanese internment happened in this century and STILL I don't see any Japanese-Americans bringing up the fact that their ancestors were INTERNED...which in my opinion is right up there with civil war slavery in terms of violation of civil rights. Yet, I haven't heard a Japanese-American say or even incinuate that because of what had happened they are more deserving of college money/scholarships/oppurtunities. Why is that? If you had the impulse to "jump the gun" and spout off saying Japanese Americans don't NEED the extra money as they are a more well-to-do ethnic group....you are wrong..this goes back to the 1980s "Japanese:the model minority" discussion. I think all people who truly desire the oppurtunity to hone their skills in their specific area of study are the ones most entitled to money/scholarships/oppurtunity...not the people who use their proud heritage as a crutch(even if they are blind to the fact that they are using it as if it is a handi-cap.)
I agree that race should be removed from the application process. I know that one of you stated the needs-based scholarships would still go to minorities in general, and I am okay with that. I think we should all have an equal chance at college, no matter what race. I understand that cultures are different and some are taught to work right after high school, but maybe it is time for a change. if not, oh well. it is the culture to drop out, that should not be a factor in who gets the money. i know that some schools are poor and thus are not looked at as highly, so some minorities have good grades, but wouldn't get in because their school isn't as "impressive" and "rich". well, that is where the extra stuff comes in. as the one woman said, she worked a part-time job, volunteered, was in extra-curriculars, and wrote a great essay. well, then that is what should be looked at more highly than a student who did nothing extra but got good grades at a prep school and a student who did all of the extra stuff and got good grades at an inner-city school with a worse reputation. i'm a mutt, so i haven't had any personal experience trying to get scholarships off of race, but i know a girl who applied to a college as a white person and got wait-listed then found out she qualified to apply as a native american, applied again, changing only the race box, and got in right away. this girl has no significant life experiences, and knows nothing about a different culture than white. she got in the way she did, solely due to race. that display of backwards racism disgusted me.
I think we are all arguing for the same thing: an equal opportunity to education and funds. i am a woman. i already have an advantage over someone exactly like me only minus a vagina. i hate that. i never want to be put over the top of someone exactly the same as me because of my anatomy and some stupid quota. if two people are the same, further research should be done.
I'm black and I honestly feel guilty about getting scholarship money just because of my race. True, I need the money but my race shouldn't be the first thing that's looked at! I know a girl (she's white) that graduated 2 years ago and she can't afford college and is having a really hard time getting a scholarship. She's finally resorted to learning a new instrument that will definitely earn her money. It sucks that she's had to wait 2 years to go to college just because minorities tend to earn a large percentage of scholarship money.
There's some place in the US that doesn't give scholarships based on race and everyone functions just fine.
In this day and age competition is something that is encouraged. We are all looking for something to get us ahead of the person next to us. Race or gender should not be something that determines who moves ahead in this game we call "life". Intelligence and experience should be the only things that determine who we are or who we will become. Yes different races have endured hardships, but today everyone has the ability to go to college and get a job. Whether that means having your parents pays or going into debt with loans. We all have the ability to be great in life, but just because someone is of a certain race or gender should not determine their success.
I agree with you and with the majority of the people who have commented before me. Scholarships shouldn't be given out based merely on race. We don't earn money by flaunting ourselves saying, "Give me money, I'm [enter race here]." We earn money by utilizing our greatest skills and talents to our advantage. A scholarship should be given out based on how well a person meets the criteria to deserve that particular scholarship-- and a criterion should not be racial background. Nor should it be gender. Or height, weight, and shoe size, for that matter. After all, isn't our height, weight, and shoe size as much a part of us as our race?
I have to say I disagree, despite the fact that Affirmative Action hurts me. I am biracial, half-Korean half-Welsh/French-Canadian and the quotas set by Affirmative Action actually limit my ability to enter into a prestigious college. Many schools have the quotas set so that only the specified percentage of the campus may be each minority (these guidelines are often based on national percentages). Unless my profile is phenomenal, I won't be accepted into top schools, because my scores will not be as high as others in my racial grouping.
However. Affirmative Action has considerably less to do with American slavery than it does with the institutionalized racism that dominated all sectors of this country. African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic-Americans...need I go on?...all faced this to an extent that the Caucasoid "races" did not. Yes, there was slavery in other countries. Yes the world "slavery" has in origins in the Slavic language. Yes, there was discrimination against immigrants, Jews, and Catholics as well. However, it was not legislated discrimination. Please recall that not only were blacks enslaved for some 250 years (historical consensus is that the first "slave," who just happened to be African Creole, entered North America in 1609), they were disenfranchised for another 100 years and counted as a mere 3/5 of a person when they were treated as anything more than mere chattel. Even any outcry from interned Japanese-, Chinese-, Korean-, Vietnamese-, etc-Americans (any remotely Asian peoples living in the United States were interned) pales in comparison.
Furthermore, minorities make up the majority of the impoverished in this country, even if you don't count illegal immigrants. Most minorities still live in urban enclaves and in the slums of towns and cities. Let's face it...who's really living in the wealthy suburbs with the outstanding school districts? Who can really afford to send their children to private school? Who really mortgages their homes and takes out student loans to send their children to college? It's the white middle class, as you self-classify.
Not to add insult to injury, but I seriously question your friend's altering of the legal record for the sake of scholarship funds, particularly as there are thousands of brilliant, poverty-stricken Native American students who can't afford to leave the "Rez" to get an education. Hopefully, she doesn't take a scholarship that someone desperately needed.
Actually you have one thing going for you, you are a girl. I have seen many gender biased schoalrships, and they all have only been for girls. So you have at least that going for you. I Think I have it worse. I am white, no native american, male and middle class. So no FAFSA fro me.
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God gave you a brain. America gave you a vote. Use them together and wisely.
Also, to comment on the person who discussed Japanese-Americans. From what I know and from what I see online, the Japanese Americans got reparations. So I do not think that they really are the "model minority" for talks about scholarships, etc. But that doesn't mean blacks should be complaining about reparations for slavery which was goodness knows how many years from now. I also agree with the person who said that it's not really about being oppressed from slavery nowadays; it's more institutionalized racism. And yes, I believe reverse racism exists and it happens with acceptances to college but other things are also taken into account - things you might not have even thought of.
also...go check out www.fastweb.com
If you exercise your intellect rather than merely complaining about your (and other people's) skin tone, you'll find that there are a lot of scholarships for you.
I am not a racist person. However, I find it unfair that all the minorities out there can scream "racist" whenever they feel like...yet the whites can do nothing. For example: We have a Miss America, a Black Miss America, and a Latino Miss America. Rules states that you have to be African American to be in the Black Miss America and Latino to be in the Latino Miss America. But to be in Miss America it does not matter what race, color, or country you came from. So every minority out there gets two chances to be a Miss America winner...yet us whites have only one chance (if that.) This has created a problem (seeings how I come from a small town). We noticed that anything having to do with a minority is automatically funded (almost no matter what it is). I'm not racist like I said, but if minorities aren't racist either...then why are you so different.
-The One And Only-
I disagree...
Pretty much in general, with almost all of the original post. I really want to make a comment, but I just wrote something in my blog that has to deal with this EXACT same issue, so read that, and comment there.
giving out scholarships based on a person's ethnic background (there ARE scholarships for people of Italian descent, Irish, etc.-I know because one of my friends from high school who is half Italian/half Irish received two diff scholarships one for being Irish the other for being Italian, so you can't tell me they're not out there). The problem lies in assuming that a white person is already financially stable enough to afford higher education on their own, when that is not always true. Some scholarships are based on academic merit, some on financial need, and some on ethnic identification. All of these categories have their place, you just have to know where to look Spektor (and you have to look damn hard). ^_^ I wish you luck on your scholarship journey.
I think at this point in our history, Affirmative Action does more to separate the races then it does to "level the playing field." I personally know just as many struggling white families as I do struggling minorities...I think at this point in human history, we are all on the playing field together. I personally come from a very large, very poor, often hungry, white family. We are not a so called "minority" and yet, we do not have money! Some people seem to think poor white people don't exist...well yes, we do! I can tell you me and my sisters can use all the scholarships and opportunities we can get to make sure our kids aren't as hungry, disadvantaged and impoverished as we where when we where kids....
Hey i know your mad what ever and you people didnt own slaves cause they were quakers but dont bash all blacks there is alot of them thinking that should treat us as equal as the white asian any race i think that but i don't think you should forget about your past because if you don't remeber it comes back up again and till this day alot of people are still mean to any race i bet your parents or some of your friend hate mexicans because they take all there obs away or just don't like them i mean i know they don't have to pay axes and thats make everyone mad but some people of the same race dont like mexicans coming over ileagly they dont because they had to go trhough the goverment and work hard to come into this sountry and now they are getting a bad reputation. and i know it doesnt seem fair to you but it wasnt for for my ancestors but i not gonna blame anyone now and im gonna give respect to who ver gives it me but just because it happen over 200 years ago doesnt mean anything with theres alot st uff that happen over 200 or more years to country to make it what it is today its not the most perfect thing in the world but it is a whole lot better then most country so don't say some things because your mad you have to understand it irst from both point of views