Here are some telling numbers about legacy students and their acceptance to a few top universities across the nation. At UPenn the overall acceptance rate is 21% the acceptance rate for legacy is 41%. At Princeton the overall acceptance rate is 11%, the rate for legacy is 35%. At Stanford the overall rate is 13% where as the legacy rate is 25%. At Harvard the overall acceptance rate is 11% but the acceptance rate for legacy is 40%. Why aren't people complaining about this? Is it because the primary beneficiaries of this type of affirmative action are White? I do not want to belive that is it but unfortunately I think that is the sad truth.
Since the late 1960s there has been a definite back lash against Blacks and Civil Rights. Nixon's successful Southern Strategy demonized Black Americans and the "activist judges" who enforced Civil Rights legislation. Since then the progress of the 1960s has been rolled back gradually. Affirmative action has lasted 40 years but it has been badly battered and bruised. It's attackers hide behind ideas of fairness and eqaulity, not realizing that AA leads to just that. Before the implementation of AA Blacks made up less then 5% of the college population. By 1990 that percentage swelled to 12%, the percentage they held in the general population. The Black middle class continues to grow exponentially and Black representation in top professions is growing. AA works, plain and simple. With numbers out on the disparity between Black and White males, however, it is painfully clear that we still have some work to do. I would like to reach out to White opponents out there and ask them to think critically about the policy. It is not as prevelant as you think it is. It doesn't make much difference in the admissions process. It does NOT just benefit Blacks or Hispanics but those with different ideological perspectives, geographic backgrounds, legacy students, and many more. Our country is diverse and our top professions should represent those different backgrounds, not just racially but other factors as well. Race is truly A fact and not THE factor in admissions process and you should remember that before you attack it. If you are going to attack it then at least be consistent: oppose AA for race, legacy, donation gifts, geographic differences, ideological differences, etc.