<p>Well, title is pretty much self-explicative.</p>
<p>Have you ever been through a situation in which an URM classmate (NOT in regard of admissions) stole you a place for which you (or a friend of yours) were better qualified/suitable for the sake of promoting diversity or whatever?</p>
<p>I remembered I once was not selected for an outreach program and my mentor, who happened to be close of the projects chairman, told me that even though I had the best credentials and presented a strong SOP, they would prefer to select an specific female student with a Native American background because of her career plans and because that would be a groundbreaking on Native American achievement within the Department and School.</p>
<p>It was not a big deal for me (otherwise Id have taken it upper on the food chain), but nonetheless I was annoyed. I put reasonable effort and was motivated toward the position (no $ involved) and had far more matching requirements with the official announcement; then someone took it because of the sake of being born in a reservation.</p>
<p>Now, I regret no to have taken the matter more seriously if I had told my mentor how angry I was, there could have been a non-neglectable probability of having the decision overturn in my favor. I didnt like that student though, as even before the incident she made extensive use of the born in reservation card instead of working hard. She even dared to ask for schedule adjustments so she could travel to an ancient ceremony in the finals week! However, she was everything but traditional, she only used to take advantage of her situation when convenient.</p>
<p>Were you ever victims of an URM spoiler student?</p>
<p>(full disclosure: depending on ones interpretation of Hispanic, I could be classified as it).</p>
It bothers me when people complain about that because Christian holidays like Christmas are made a huge deal of and we get a month off, or a week off in K-12. Muslims, Hindus and often Jews and other religions don’t get breaks for their holidays, they have to miss class and make up work like they’re sick. Imagine if Christmas was during your Final - wouldn’t you ask for time off?</p>
<p>Anyway to answer your question, no, i’ve never felt a minority has stolen a spot from me.</p>
<p>I met a student that literally could not write and could only barely read, and she was on full diversity scholarship. It is not entirely unusual around here. It kind of ****ed me off-- both that she got a scholarship while I am $50,000 in debt, and that the Detroit Public School system failed her so horrifically. I highly doubt she’ll even be able to graduate. That scholarship money would be put to much better use improving the schools so that those kids actually have the skills to be successful in college. The way they’re doing it just seems to me to make the situation look better without actually making anything better in a lot of cases.</p>
<p>So you’re angry because a poor minority from the country’s worst school district got a scholarship that pays for, at most, half of their tuition? Chances are that even after said student’s scholarship he/her has an equal amount of debt. And he/she must deal with being in an academically intense environment without proper preparation. It seems kind of silly to be angry at this student, imo.</p>
<p>No, they got their entire tuition, room and board, and books filled-- no debt. I am more angry that they just get scholarships to put them into colleges, so that no one can b*tch about inequality, rather than actually giving them a fair chance at education. Some illiterate college students may be able to go above and beyond and manage to catch up, but most can’t. It’s not fair to her that all that is being done for her is a free ride to a place she has little or no chance of succeeding in-- it almost feels like they give people like her the scholarships so they look good for having diversity, rather than to actually help them succeed. If nothing else there should be a program at the school to provide extra support to students who come from these districts. The fact that she got a scholarship and I didn’t is really a minor, secondary issue-- I just feel if they are going to waste the money they might as well give it to a student who is likely to graduate, though I would RATHER they put it to use helping that student succeed instead of effectively throwing them into a shark tank. It just seems like a waste to give a $40,000 scholarship to a university to someone who can’t read and give them no other special supports to actually bring them to university level. If they were spending money to do THAT, I wouldn’t care at all that she got a scholarship and I didn’t, and in fact I would probably donate.</p>
<p>Oh no! The CC members have found out about Operation Invasion, the first attack in the plan for us to destroy the Caucasian race. Hurry my Black and Latino minions, to the secret lair!</p>
<p>Seriously, what’s up with the ‘I’m a victim because I’m a ORM’ posts lately? </p>
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<p>Can you give any examples where she used the ‘born in reservation’ card instead of “working hard”? Your idea of working hard and hers may be two different things. And so what if she “dared to ask” for adjustments to participate in an ancient ceremony? How did you know she was lying? Did you stalk her after school and follow her every movements? She has the right to ask for adjustments for religious reasons. You’d be whining and fussing if you couldn’t participate in your religious activities (assuming you practice a religion) because of finals. And what the hell does “everything but ‘traditional’” means? You expect every Native American to dress in animal hide and feathers in their hair 24/7? Why should she have to prove her Native American beliefs to you? You’re nobody but her classmate, not some authority figure (although you seem to think that).</p>
<p>You, my dear, sound like a whiny, secretly racist, ignorant child. With that attitude, you certainly didn’t derserve that spot at the outreach program.</p>
<p>I should create a thread that says: “Have you ever felt that at least one ORM classmate always frown in disgust and envy when you achieve a high position in a club, society, ect.?” That’ll probably hit a few nerves with some of the members on here.</p>
<p>How is someone who can’t read expected to keep up with university level work? If that’s the case I don’t know why we even bother going to school before college at all, we might as well just go straight there.</p>
<p>I’m not even saying that she doesn’t belong in college, just that it’s foolish to pay for her to come only to leave her to fend for herself when she is grossly unprepared. Personally, I think that’s criminal. Underprivileged students need to be given REAL opportunities, the money doesn’t do them much good if they aren’t even supported well enough once they get there to succeed. By all means, give her the money, just help her once she gets here so that she doesn’t just sit and fail until she quits. THAT part is what’s wasteful, both of money and of a potentially good student.</p>
<p>The money is a real opportunity. When most families hear “college”, they hear “debt.” To be able to go to college without worrying about the money is incredible, especially when you have none. </p>
<p>Also, I don’t believe you when you say she can’t read or write. Your college didn’t pluck this girl out of the ether. She managed to send in an application just like the rest of you.</p>
<p>I could use a diversity scholarship. Oh, but I’m horrible at math. I guess I don’t deserve a chance at college then since it would be a waste of money to pay the way for someone who can’t do long division. Damn.</p>
<p>Are you serious TwistedxKiss? If you’re telling the full truth, then wow, that’s messed up. How can anyone, no matter their race, economic status, or life story possibly get into college without knowing how to read and write? In that situation, your shock is understandable.</p>
<p>Maybe they’re being tutored along with going to college? And when did you meet her? Was it a long time ago and now you’ve heard of her success or was it recent? She could’ve gotten tutoring befoore going to college.</p>
<p>Well, I can’t force you to believe me. I edit her papers for her and they are barely legible, she is a junior now at Eastern Michigan with somewhere around a 2.0. I’m not saying the money isn’t an opportunity, just that it’s a half-assed one-- because it is. If the university is going to accept her they should be willing to do better for her and provide supports to help her bring her education to the appropriate level, and they won’t do that because no one is making them. As long as they accept her no one will complain, and nobody’s going to give it a second look if they give her a scholarship, too. That’s not doing right by anybody, that’s just trying to shut people up about whether or not they are equal opportunity without actually attempting to create equal opportunity. I do not mean to say that they shouldn’t have the scholarship, I am saying that universities and the government need to do MORE for education to make the scholarships really count. I don’t understand why everyone is getting so upset with that, there must be a misunderstanding.</p>
<p>It’s funny you should mention being able to do long-division, comiclover, because I am dyscalculic and have a 7th-grade math level and nobody gives a damn about me, either. But that’s okay, because my parents ate hot dogs for dinner for months to be able to afford me extra tutoring. I have no complaints about that.</p>
<p>In-state tuition fees: $11,848
Room and board: $8,924
Estimated personal expenses: $2090</p>
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<p>The University of Michigan doesn’t practices diversity issues to preclude complaints about diversity. It does it because it values diversity. If the U of M wanted to go the way of UC-Berkeley, they could. They chose not to.</p>
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<p>But some can and it’s impossible to distinguish those that can from those that can from academic records. At the end of the day it comes down to hard-work, dedication and intellect.</p>
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<p>There is. U of M has a bridge program and special classes especially for students like the one you have described. You’re making a huge assumption in believing that the University doesn’t have those programs.</p>
But that’s okay, because my parents ate hot dogs for dinner for months to be able to afford me extra tutoring. I have no complaints about that.</p>