Affirmative Thoughts

Maria Ramos (not her real name) sat gleefully with 6 acceptance letters to medical school: Columbia, Cornell, NYU, U Penn, Downstate and Syracuse.

I sat next to her with zero letters even though my GPA, MCAT scores, and extracurricular activities exceeded hers.

And the degree of burn was exacerbated by the fact that no matter which medical school she chose to attend, the tuition would be waived or reduced.

Maria hadn’t competed for a seat--the seats were competing  for her.

Our game of musical chairs was rigged in her favor—with the truth being that her destination was reserved.

It is a bee that has been rumbling around in my bonnet since April of 1982.

It’s the same bee that was squashed by the Supreme Court last week when the Michigan law to ban affirmative action was upheld.

And while I have  evolved to be okay with things like tuition abatements, scholarships based on ethnicity and free academic tutoring/intervention for the underprivileged,  I cannot buy into anything other than academic merit being the tipping criteria for college and professional school  entry.

I cannot help but think that admission should be blind—in every way--- including to legacies and star oboe players.

Brainpower should be the only affirming action.

I believe in diverse thinkers-- housed in diverse (or not) outer coatings.

And I do so, even if such beliefs ironically makes me a little bit racist.