Why don't Democrats make a bigger issue out of college legacy admissions?

bluestateguy

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:06 PM
Original message

Why don't Democrats make a bigger issue out of college legacy admissions?

It would seem like a great issue to rally the working classes. The notion that someone should get into the college or university of their choice just because their parents went to school there is just wrong. The only presidential candidate I recall talking about this in 2004 was John Edwards. Why not propose a bill in Congress that bars federal aid to any college or university that uses preferential treatment for legacies in the admissions process? Let 'em compete fairly like everybody else.

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KT2000

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:12 PM
Response to Original message

1. I don't think anyone

would have to dig to far to find out that Democrats benefit from legacy admissions too. There are some issues that are not partisan, especially those having to do with opportunities for their children.

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Cleita

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:14 PM
Response to Original message

2. Probably because it isn't a political issue. Colleges can

decide how they want to accept admissions. A better way would be to make education in State Colleges and Universities tuition free. This way admissions would be based on grades, SATs and other criteria important to the institutions involved.

It worked well in the University of California system before Reagan shot holes through the system with the help of the Hearst family. This way the best high school students were selected for admission because of their accomplishments not their pocket book.

Now, the University's educational standards have been considerably eroded in order to get students who can afford to pay.

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TreasonousBastard

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:20 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. New York City worked the same way...

and when I went to City College, it was free to all who could pass the admission requirements. Then, things changed with Open Admissions and the school that Ed Koch, Colin Powell, and I went to pretty much went to hell. It now costs a lot of money for a little education.

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unblock

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:21 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. i think my alma mater has finally gotten it right

Edited on Mon Mar-13-06 06:22 PM by unblock

princeton's admissions is needs-blind and they NO LONGER give student loans. they give GRANTS instead. i.e., if you can't afford princeton, then the effectively just lower the tuition for you, drawing down on their endowment and other assets.

afaik, they still give a small plus in admissions scoring for legacies, but that's not the end of the world. it's certainly much less of an issue these days, as it's not only the filthy rich who can get into places like princeton.

disclaimer: i myself am a legacy, but my father's a professor; so, no rolling in bucks over here.

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Tanuki

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:15 PM
Response to Original message

3. Interesting point

If I remember correctly, Bush got blindsided with a question on this topic at a Minority Journalists' conference, when he had just criticized affirmative action, and actually said he opposes legacy admissions (despite the hypocrisy ionherent in his own personal history). It would be great to hold his feet to the fire and ask what he has done to put his money where his mouth was in the meantime.

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FARAFIELD

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:19 PM
Response to Original message

4. IM A LIBERAL AND I LOVE THEM

Edited on Mon Mar-13-06 06:41 PM by FARAFIELD

I went to UCLA and my wife went to NC State (and the vet school as well). If the girls cant get into an IVY league school why shouldnt they be able to either of those? Seems fair to me. My wife and i didnt take advantage of were WE could have gone so its only fair that the girls should be able to. What peopel SHOULD be focusing on is the hypocricy of people like bush that LIKE legacy admissions But are AGAINST affirmative action, im for both so there!

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Appalachian_American

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:35 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. That just seems like such a republican viewpoint.

No offense. Much. But if something benefits you, then you're all for it as opposed to the greater good of everyone else.

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FARAFIELD

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Mon Mar-13-06 06:39 PM
Response to Reply #7

8. Hmmmm

Well i will certainly keep that in mind, heaven forbid, ANYTHING benefits ANYBODY, but truth be told its a right we have for attending those schools. I could have gone to Tufts or U PENN and my wife could have gone to DUKE or UNC but we both wanted something else. And just because you didnt like it ill let you know that My mom or dad could get them into TUFTS or U PENN if I wanted to. Ill tell you what sounds republican, when people only give a shit about themselves and not their children. Id love my kids to go to my school if that seems unfair then so be it, thats just the way it goes, and its one of the few "privaleges" that us common folk have.

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