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Ask the Guru a question.Minority Issues
In the admissions process, how big of a factor is one's ethnic background/race? Does it matter if you have "minority status," or is that not really that big of a deal?
It depends on the school. Some schools have admission policies that take into account as a positive factor the ethnicity or race of an applicant. These policies have to pass constitutional muster. In general, affirmative action programs that give some sort of preferential treatment to one's ethnic background or race are permitted provided that there is no quota or fixed weight given to that status. However, in light of the recent retirement of Justice O'Connor from the Supreme Court, the future of affirmative action plans is more in doubt. Justice O'Connor was the swing vote in a case decided in 2003 that upheld the use of race as a positive factor in the admission process as long as it is part of an individualized and holistic review of an applicant and no fixed amount or value is assigned to that factor. If Justice O'Connor is replaced by a more conservative justice, the Court may be more likely to restrict or possibly even prohibit affirmative action programs when the next case dealing with such programs is presented to the Court.
If one is a member of an ethnic minority, is it wise to list this information on college applications, SAT tests, etc.? Are such students important for some colleges’ quotas? But more importantly would it be right to exploit one’s heritage for an advantage in college admission? To look at me, one would never guess I am Native American. My parents have told me that it will be my choice to make this distinction or not.