A Fair Path to College

hvccgolf
Wed, 09 May 2007 11:11:36 +0000

weenie - I posted before I saw your post.

For good or ill, our entire society is based on a merit system. Frankly, I’m far more concerned about high school juniors who cannot write a coherent sentence or do basic math than whether a given val or sal does to Yale or Ohio State. If an underpriviliged kid has some proper mentoring, there are tons of opportunities for them - there is money available, de facto “diversity goals” available to them, etc.

In my view the hurdles to college for underprivileged kids are only symptoms of much deeper problems. Those problems revolve around failed homes, poor schools, a lack of interest in academic achievement among some groups (evidenced by huge high school drop-out rates), parents who do not grasp, or care about, the necessary investment of time or attention to the college process, etc.

While I understand it is not politically correct to cite some of these issues, many wish to point to “The Process” as the culprit. Expressions of concern by college presidents - who complete aggressively in their own “merit” rankings - will not overcome this issue.