Against All Odds | Teen Ink

Against All Odds

January 13, 2010
By vkwyman12 BRONZE, Houston, Texas
vkwyman12 BRONZE, Houston, Texas
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life's not fair, then you die."
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."-John 8:32


In my hands was a thin, white envelope. Getting an envelope this thin usually doesn’t mean the news is going to be good. My palms were sweating, my heart was singing the song of doom, and my brain felt wired and alive. I felt like doing the jitterbug. Right there on my lawn, but it wasn’t for a happy reason. I felt like weights were pulling down on me and I was falling through space. I almost felt, empty. I began to rip open the envelope like a savage, but the paper inside did not bring joy to me whatsoever. The letter told me that I was denied a chance to go to their school! The tears were flooding down my red cheeks. As I kept reading the little paper it said that a girl named Isabella got in, because she got extra points for her race. She was Latino! I don’t think it is fair to get into a school based on a person’s appearance, but it should be based on grades.

Many students each year get denied a chance to go to a great College depending on low test scores, or just an overall bad grade. Some cannot afford a high education, and some just do not try to apply themselves. But what if I told you that one can get into a school based on their appearance? How would your reaction be? To me, I believe that a person’s appearance should not determine their acceptance or denial into a school. There will be racist schools and non-racist schools, but there are also schools that are unfair. The University of Michigan gives extra points to students who qualify as a minority. How would you feel if you worked so hard in your life to get to this great school, but then got denied the chance to attend there, because a Mexican girl got twenty points for her appearance? Well this can be unfair in a way too, because these points are supposed to help those minorities, but what if points are given to those who do not need them? Then it just seems like a waste. There has and always will be racism, but it can get even worse if Colleges use affirmative action. People may wonder why that certain person got in. If it was for their appearance or not. This will cause controversy and many problems along the way. If we stop affirmative action before it spreads any more, then I believe that the College world will be fairer.

On the other hand, many people believe that affirmative action is necessary for many students. There are many children who come from bad schools who have sewers flooding the school and waste everywhere, and students who do not learn as well, because they do not have the appropriate material to help them learn. Should students coming from these bad conditions be given extra points? Many argue yes, because they feel bad for these young adults, but in order to be fair, I believe that no points should be given. A student who truly wants to go to a good school will do whatever is possible to learn the right material, and saying that you come from a bad school does not make you anymore less fortunate than a poor student who came from a good school. There are unfortunate kids everywhere, and sadly this is the reason that the Colleges are granting them extra points. There are many supporters of affirmative action, but I am not.

In conclusion, points depending on race, appearance, and gender are not necessary. The world is already full of hatred and racism, why add on to that? Determination is key to success. That is my motto. I don’t think it is fair to get into a school based on a person’s appearance, but it should be based on grades.



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