I was wait-listed at my state's school of science and math because I was a white dude. The two girls (Korean and black) who got in had lower grades, lower test scores, and fewer extracurricular activities. I didn't think anything of it until the black girl said it was probably because I was male and white (even though I was a first generation college student). They called eventually asking if I still wanted to come, but I'm glad I didn't go. None of my friends who did got into "elite" schools despite being ridiculously smart. Although I would have gotten a much better education there and probably done better early on in college. The school's diversity weighting system was apparently changed the next year because they admitted like 5 white dudes from my school. All of the kids who went there before me were basically doctors' kids.
I'm not against affirmative action as long as it doesn't put those admitted under it in an unfair situation (i.e. kids from terrible schools who won't be able to cope with the work). Certain schools admit unqualified applicants for athletic reasons despite the fact that they are not prepared for college.
Eh, I think women are discriminated against, though. They generally do better in academics, meaning that to achieve a truly representative sample you need to expect higher scores from them: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/education/09college.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
"At Brown University, men made up not quite 40 percent of this year's applicants, but 47 percent of those admitted.
Women now outnumber men two to one at places like the State University of New York at New Paltz, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Baltimore City Community College."
You make a good point about the fact AA screws over a minority of completely unprepared kids - its pretty unethical, particularly if the university is making money off them from football and stuff.
How so, EAP?
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