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Is it Fair to Expect Fairness in College Admissions?
I'm not the only one perplexed by the concept of justice in college admissions. It is a concept about which exhaustive speculation exists. Affirmative action cases languish for years in the highest judicial systems. Race, class, gender and privilege all incite vigorous-often aggressive conflicts in discussions about college admissions.
Which leads me to wonder aimlessly-who said college admissions should be fair?
In a recent NPR interview, former president of the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), Jim Jump, noted that, "uniqueness is kind of the hidden currency of college admissions".
In the race to be the best of the best, many students lose sight of the notion that colleges may not always be looking for the same "best". In their bid to create a diverse student body, universities aren't likely to simply be searching for a bunch of high test scores. When dealing with thousands of equally qualified candidates, colleges have the option of picking the most interesting of the cream at the top.
Jump refers to this notion as "building a class full of differences, rather than admitting a bunch of individuals". This subtle distinction may be a tough sell for students trying to figure out "what it takes" to get in, and for the college preparatory services promising to give them that answer.
Universities are there to provide a service, and students are expected to pay for it. Universities generally have the discretion to order generic ambien online select who they want to be a part of their institution-much like an employer gets to choose who it employs. Why then, the assumption that the process should be fair?
If we see college as the gateway to success in society, it would feel good to believe that it isn't restricted to a privileged few. But the reality is that colleges owe nothing to society. The concept that admissions should be fair is one resting on a moral imperative, not a practical one.
Labels: Is it Fair to Expect Fairness in College Admissions?
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