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I think it’s a reasonable argument that if Harvard takes society’s tax dollars, they should take anyone from society that scores highest in objective metrics.

I think it’s a reasonable argument that if Harvard takes society’s tax dollars, they should take anyone from society that scores highest in objective metrics. If they stop taking tax dollars, perhaps making up for the loss of tax dollars with their $39 billion endowment, then they should be able to discriminate based on race as they do now. I live in Boston, my wife is Vietnamese, and I have a lot of Asian friends in the upper-echelon phd crowd. No one I know is supporting Harvard and their bias.

munchbunny 8y ago
Speaking as an Asian immigrant who grew up entirely in the US system and competed in this system, I have very mixed feelings about the lawsuit. There are several problems that I see as common threads in the overarching discussion. 1. You will never be able to find a set of objective metrics that feel both holistically fair and are objective to measure. As an example, most top universities' admissions processes weigh your achievements against your family conditions. Single mother, and you grew up taking care of your younger siblings? Yeah, you won't need as good grades and you won't need to be president of five clubs. 2. Let's say you do try to establish objective metrics. What happens is that the same groups of people who currently do well in the college admissions game will just learn to play the new "objectively measured" college admissions game. Once again, the ones who are able to spend money on college consulting and who are able to practice for the test will do better. That's just status quo with a different yardstick. My own opinion... I would have supported having a lawsuit like this in a different political climate. I do think that Asians get an unfair deal that should be examined, already discounting for just the fact that with a 6% acceptance rate and the fact that it's Harvard, you will always feel shafted for wanting to and not getting in regardless of actual qualification. However, right now I absolutely detest that people in my community are letting the conservative segment of America use this issue to drive a wedge between Asians and other minorities. That's not what Asians in the US need right now when the fight is more about protecting minority rights in a democracy. Wrong fight at the wrong time.

munchbunny 8y ago

Speaking as an Asian immigrant who grew up entirely in the US system and competed in this system, I have very mixed feelings about the lawsuit. There are several problems that I see as common threads in the overarching discussion. 1. You will never be able to find a set of objective metrics that feel both holistically fair and are objective to measure. As an example, most top universities' admissions processes weigh your achievements against your family conditions. Single mother, and you grew up taking care of your younger siblings? Yeah, you won't need as good grades and you won't need to be president of five clubs. 2. Let's say you do try to establish objective metrics. What happens is that the same groups of people who currently do well in the college admissions game will just learn to play the new "objectively measured" college admissions game. Once again, the ones who are able to spend money on college consulting and who are able to practice for the test will do better. That's just status quo with a different yardstick. My own opinion... I would have supported having a lawsuit like this in a different political climate. I do think that Asians get an unfair deal that should be examined, already discounting for just the fact that with a 6% acceptance rate and the fact that it's Harvard, you will always feel shafted for wanting to and not getting in regardless of actual qualification. However, right now I absolutely detest that people in my community are letting the conservative segment of America use this issue to drive a wedge between Asians and other minorities. That's not what Asians in the US need right now when the fight is more about protecting minority rights in a democracy. Wrong fight at the wrong time.