race question on commonapp

For every student who has went through extremely complicated and trivial process of college admission, he or she will remember there is a question under the “demographics” section of the Common Application – “which describes your race or origin.”  Although it’s clearly stated that this question is optional and “no information you provide will be used in a discriminatory manner,” many students still try to optimize their opportunities to get admitted by manipulating their answers.  After all, if race question has no influence on admission officers’ decision making, why did they put it there?  Besides, many universities and colleges’ special emphasis on campus diversity make many high school students and their parents want to ask – are some races more desirable in terms of diversity than others?

Natasha Scott, a high school senior of mixed races posted her personal conflict on College Confidential – “I just realized that my race is something I have to think about.  It pains me to say this, but will putting down black help my admission chance and putting down Asian hurt it?”  As expected, nobody recommended Natasha to identify herself as Asian alone.  On her applications, Natasha marked only one box: black.  “I think that when you’re a stressed out high school senior, you’ll do anything that’s legal to get into college,” she said, “I must admit that I felt a little guilty only putting black because I was purposely denying a part of myself in order to look like a more appealing college candidate.”  Natasha is not the only case.  According to Haverford College’s new study, “nearly all of the students who do not self-identify their race on their admission applications are white.”  Worrying about their backgrounds of majority, many students simply skip every optional question that will reveal their races.

Now, the question is, how much weight will a student’s race take on his or her college applications?  Chris Munoz, vice president of enrollment at Rice since 2006, concluded when an admission committee encounter students with equally qualifying academic records, it’s the time committee members may say – “this kid has a Spanish surname.  Let’s see what he wrote about.”  Every year, for thousands of applicants who seem to be indistinguishable for college officers, their races will break the balance.  Mr. Munoz defended for admission committee that “they did not do it in an intentional way, but it’s just the reality.”  There is no doubt that students’ stories about their ethnic backgrounds and how underrepresented is one group in a college will influence, greatly or slightly, on the college’s final decision.

Realizing that some students incline to employ some justifiable tricks, Rice University tried to comply with the situation by asking “the unique life experiences and cultural traditions” in its supplement as an addition to race question, but still, by asking “unique cultural traditions,” students’ ethnic backgrounds play their roles in admission process.  Nobody will deny the importance and value of diversity in universities and colleges.  Diversity in real life can broaden students’ perspective on the world and enrich their personal experiences during college.  However, does all these benefits outweigh some small, random advantages some students may take over others?  During an online survey, 65 % people agree that race should absolutely have nothing to do with college admissions.  Only 16 % people agree that it’s important for colleges to have information to help them create a diverse student body.

It’s commonly accepted in U.S. that college admission process is like inside a black box and will never be a fair game, but race question has raised the unfairness to another level.  After high school students had worked so hard to maintain their academically competitive grades, took SAT or ACT tests for several times to finally obtain a good score, struggled about teachers’ recommendation letters, and spent plenty of time in extracurricular activities, they suddenly realized that their races, something they were born with and impossible to change, might have influence on their dream schools’ decision.

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