Asians Make Up 41% of Undergraduates at UC-Berkeley. Is that fair?

Question

The population of California is only 12% Asian. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/07/news/asians.php

Answer 1

I was a member of the first class admitted to UC Berkeley after Prop 209 (the end of affirmative action) went into effect.

YES, I AM ASIAN.

And y'know what? I worked my a** off my entire life to earn a place in that university. I've had a lifetime of spelling bees, math competitions, piano lessons, sports teams, student council meetings, honors and AP classes and groundings for grades my parents deemed unacceptable (a B+ in math in junior high?).

I did well on the tests: 1350 (old) SAT, 31 ACT ... hell, I even took the ASVAB to cover my bases.

Tell me, do you think it would be fair to set the score bar at 1500 SAT for Asians, and 1100 for blacks? Hell, if I was black, I'd be insulted that the university didn't think I was capable of doing better.

And before you launch into the "blacks and Latinos often go to under-performing schools" argument, let me tell you I went to a high school in one of the poorest parts of rural California where nobody but me was Asian and the academic performance index (API) was 2 out of 10. I went to a lousy school, but I still managed to do well (incidentally, the other student from my HS graduating class to get into Cal is a Chicano). My parents pushed me hard, and I did everything I was supposed to.

Affirmative action was noble in its intentions, but time and experience have shown us that it only covers up a greater problem: deficiencies in K-12 schools. I understand that not everybody has the support of parents and community to encourage them to achieve academic greatness. For them, increasing the quality of their educations at an earlier level would be a priceless boon.

Sending unprepared and unqualified students into elite universities like Cal on the padding of affirmative action will not help them succeed when their competition has already had 12 years to get ahead. Instead, many will drop out or founder in their courses.

Answer 2

If they want to study and others don't, is that their problem? It's not like they get any help from Berkeley in admissions cuz of their race. They actually have it the hardest to get in. There are plenty of poor asians who have a rough home life yet they still make the effort in school.

Answer 3

I'm not sure...but if their grades merit it, you have no arguement.

Answer 4

Hell no
It aint their ******* country
just cause they breed like rabits aint give em the right to over fill our country
thanks.