Reconsidering "diversity" in college applications
Description
My high school used to give out class awards. In all subjects, students were recognized for their outstanding performance during the year and presented a trophy, and usually a relevant book. During one of these annual award ceremonies, my English teacher said, “We have no way to measure intelligence, but grades are the closest we can come.” When I think about the word “diversity” in the college context, I ask myself what it means and how it is measured — much like how I questioned my teacher’s understanding of grades as the closest measure of intelligence. Diversity is obviously something valued — by administrations and students alike — but it often seems like simply a box to be checked, not an expression of one’s unique experience.
This paper has been withdrawn.
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