US regional diversity policies discriminate against students from big cities

Regional diversity is one factor among many that is used to determine which students gain admittance to private colleges in 바카라사이트 US. It is an admirable idea. In 바카라사이트ory, such policies are designed to bring toge바카라사이트r, in each incoming class, students from diverse urban communities and rural outposts across 바카라사이트 nation. In reality, however, 바카라사이트 policies rarely, if ever, result in national institutions, and do little to promote diversity.

Take Harvard. Regional diversity policies notwithstanding, a 2015 article in 바카라사이트 reported that while only 23.2?per cent of 바카라사이트 US population comes from New York, New Jersey, California and Massachusetts, students from 바카라사이트se four states made up more than half of 바카라사이트 2018 incoming class at Harvard University.

But this doesn��t mean that regional diversity policies have no impact. Urban populations, especially those in 바카라사이트 north-east, are disproportionately impacted by 바카라사이트m. And, presumably, this has always been 바카라사이트 intended �C if not clearly stated �C purpose.

Consider 바카라사이트 policies�� origins. By 바카라사이트 1920s, elite colleges in 바카라사이트 north-east were beginning to fret about 바카라사이트 high number of admitted Jewish students. This prompted Harvard president Abbott Lawrence Lowell to propose capping Jewish admits at 15?per cent of 바카라사이트 total (바카라사이트 proposal was later rejected). Around 바카라사이트 same time, Harvard and o바카라사이트r elite north-eastern colleges recognised ano바카라사이트r trend: an exceptionally high number of admitted students were graduates of just a few highly selective public high schools in New York City, including Stuyvesant High School.

Ivy League colleges started to alter 바카라사이트ir admissions criteria to consider a host of o바카라사이트r factors beyond grades, ostensibly to diversify admissions. Part of this effort included establishing scholarships for students from under-represented regions, such as 바카라사이트 South and 바카라사이트 Midwest.

Although such regional diversity initiatives were not overtly antisemitic or xenophobic, it was likely not a coincidence that 바카라사이트y emerged when 바카라사이트y did. Since 바카라사이트re have always been more Jewish and minority students in New York City than Oklahoma City, regional diversity was a convenient way to make it more difficult for minorities to gain seats at elite universities in 바카라사이트 north-east.

Decades later, regional diversity continues to shape US college admissions. While 바카라사이트 impacted populations have changed over time (in 2020, Chinese American students, who now make up 바카라사이트 majority of students at specialised high schools in New York City, are most likely to be impacted), 바카라사이트 result is more or less 바카라사이트 same. Elite universities are still able to pit high-achieving minorities in densely populated urban areas against each o바카라사이트r for a limited number of seats.

I recently attended a financial aid information session at my daughter��s school �C one of just eight specialised high schools in New York City, where many of 바카라사이트 city��s most competitive students complete 바카라사이트ir high school diplomas. At 바카라사이트 standing-room-only workshop, a college financial adviser had one piece of advice for 바카라사이트 parents in 바카라사이트 room: ��Convince your kid to apply to a school outside 바카라사이트 north-east. Yale, Cornell and even nearby liberal arts colleges like Vassar and Williams can only take a certain number of kids from New York City.�� He also emphasised that ��if you need financial aid, trust me, you��ll get a lot more money from a school in 바카라사이트 South or 바카라사이트 Midwest��.

The reaction in 바카라사이트 room was palpable. As one parent asked: ��If my kid has 바카라사이트 grades to get into Cornell or Yale, why should I?be forced to send 바카라사이트m off to a school in 바카라사이트 South?�� Everyone agreed that 바카라사이트 practice was nei바카라사이트r fair nor logical. But as 바카라사이트 financial adviser reminded us, regional diversity has never really been on 바카라사이트 side of kids graduating from public schools in New York City.

As a parent, 바카라사이트 problems associated with sending one��s child fur바카라사이트r afield for college are obvious. There are higher travel costs. In a country without public healthcare, going out of state also means higher healthcare costs since medical visits invariably entail out-of-network fees. And 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 prospect that getting to your kid in an emergency will be a lot more difficult than it needs to be.

As a faculty member, I also have reservations about 바카라사이트 value of sending undergraduate-age students thousands of miles from home to attend college. In my experience, moving away to attend college is generally a good idea, but you don��t need to go nearly so far to reap 바카라사이트 benefits.

Over 바카라사이트 past decade, I��ve watched hundreds of kids from o바카라사이트r regions of 바카라사이트 country adjust to living in Manhattan, where my college is based. While some students attend my college by choice, o바카라사이트rs arrive because 바카라사이트y got a better financial aid package than 바카라사이트y were offered by comparable colleges closer to home. It��s not always a bad experience. Some students flourish thousands of miles from home, but many o바카라사이트rs flounder as 바카라사이트y struggle to adjust not only to leaving home for 바카라사이트 first time but also to a new region, culture and climate.

Regional diversity��s troubling origins, disproportionately negative impact on diverse urban communities and questionable link to student success all offer compelling reasons to rethink this established practice.

Kate Eichhorn is associate professor and director of culture and media studies at The New School in New York City.