Pros And Cons Of Affirmative Action

Nevertheless, while naysayers focus on the limited drawbacks of affirmative action, they fail to recognize the positive impacts this policy is facilitating. Affirmative action allows admissions officers to consider a student’s application in context with their background and upbringing. Stanford alumni Ben Kaufman agree that “there is absolutely no ‘reverse discrimination’ present when a child of Mexican immigrants with a 3.5 GPA who had to work two jobs through high school is offered admission over an incredibly comfortable kid like us with a 3.9; there's only recognition of vast differences in background and advantage.” Undoubtedly, it is even impractical to compare two applicants that hail from the same state. An African American student

The socioeconomic ladder is difficult to climb, especially starting from all the way at the bottom. African Americans and Hispanics make up the majority of the bottom rung on this ladder, and while “other groups experience hardship and discrimination, few non-black and Latino young people suffer handicaps of similar intensity” (Strauss). To move up the ladder, attaining an education is an essential element. However, underrepresented minorities would never get access to the leading universities without the assistance of affirmative action. It is misguided for circumstances that are out of a student’s control to dictate their future. While minority students may be slightly less impressive in comparison to their Asian American competitors who devote their entire life into building the perfect resumé, they still deserve a chance to gain acceptance into prestigious colleges. Sonia Sotomayor, a Puerto Rican first-generation college student, has personally experienced the benefits of affirmative action. Growing up in the public housing project of southern Bronx presented Sotomayor a number of challenges, and during the application process, applying to the Ivy League schools seemed like a lost cause to her. Still, she hopefully applied Princeton University under affirmative action and got accepted. Graduating with distinguished honors catapulted her to Yale Law school, and eventually led to her being the first United States justice in the Supreme Court. When asked about her achievements Sotomayor modestly claims that, “I am an ordinary person ... blessed with extraordinary opportunities like the affirmative action policy which has allowed me to pursue my dreams” (qtd. in Keck). Without the help of affirmative action to initiate her journey, Sotomayor would never be in the position she is in today. This further enforces that affirmative action is a