A letter I wrote to Cornell on the college application process. Thoughts?

Dear Cornell Admissions Office and Representatives,

I always thought that if I worked hard, put in the time, and made the sacrifices, one day my efforts would be rewarded and I would be accepted to one of the prestigious Ivy League universities such as Cornell. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that’s not how it works. I’ve learned that admission to a school like Cornell is not merit based; the best and brightest are not the ones who earn admission, but rather the wealthiest and most diverse.

Those who apply early decision (binding of course) are more likely to get in than those who apply regular decision. Thus the wealthy students apply early decision since they can afford going to Cornell regardless of how much it costs, while the less fortunate students are left with two options: apply early and face overwhelming debt or apply regular and give up any increased chance of acceptance. Many, such as myself, choose to apply regular since it gives them a choice of schools, the benefit of not being bound to a school they cannot afford, and a bargaining chip if they have offers from multiple schools. However, many, such as myself, were then routinely rejected while their less qualified classmates who applied early were accepted. I can attest to this firsthand as I watched multiple friends with lower GPAs, lower test scores, lower academic rigor, and fewer extracurricular activities get in to schools where I was rejected. It seems like the college admissions process is stacked against the middle and lower class and that’s because it is. Frankly, the system is broken. It exploits the less fortunate students, putting anyone who cannot afford to apply early at a severe disadvantage.

Furthermore, this disadvantage is exacerbated by the color of my skin. I am not black, Hispanic, Native American, or any other ethnicity needed for a school to reach their quotas. I am a white male and thus my merits and accomplishments are worth less than my more diverse counterparts. It sounds racist and that’s because it is. To paraphrase a man who once sought equality, I wish not to be judged by the color of my skin, but for my merit. Why is it that my friend, whose GPA and test scores were significantly lower than mine, was accepted while I was denied? On paper, looking at our two applications, you wouldn’t be able to figure it out. Meet us in person though, and the answer soon becomes apparent. He is Spanish and I am not. Well, I say good for him. He played the system and won. Yet, I also say that something must be said and you can call me a bitter, dejected, racist all you want, but it is deplorable that the better candidates are being turned away in favor of those with a more sought after ethnicity. Affirmative action is an egregious affront to those who have worked hard and toiled away, studying for hours in hopes of one day attending their dream school, only to be turned away in favor of a less deserving, but darker skinned candidate. This is a vestige of a society once mired in racism where minorities were truly placed at a disadvantage due to their ethnicity and it was necessary for them to have a slight advantage. However, society has progressed, times have changed, and now affirmative action is no longer the much needed aid it used to be years ago. No one should be placed at a disadvantage due to their skin color and ethnicity; even if they’re white.

Sincerely,

Leron f. Cluck