Winner
Smrithi Senthilnathan, 17, from Chennai, India, chose a guest essay from the Opinion section headlined “I Teach at an Elite College. Here’s a Look Inside the Racial Gaming of Admissions.” and wrote:
I’m an Indian high school senior. Applying for college will probably be the most brutal experience of my life, and I have tons of things to worry about without considering whether schools will only look at my application through a diversity lens.
My conflicting views on affirmative action stem from recognizing its importance in the fight against institutionalized racism, while also grappling with the concern of being admitted for the sake of a diversity quota and not actual merit.
Dr. Harper expresses my standpoint perfectly, discussing how affirmative action has fostered a society focused on capitalizing on their race.
I don’t want to write my personal statement about race. I want my essay to convey my passions and personality, rather than factors I cannot control. However, I would also want admission counselors to take into account the opportunities I missed out on because of my identity.
Essentially, both proponents and critics of affirmative action want the same thing: equality.
The only possible solution is evening the playing field. Instead of making reservations for historically underrepresented communities, remove the barriers that prevent these people from being on the same level as the dominant classes.
Although I understand this might be idealistic and not achievable in the next few decades, I am hopeful for a future where this dream will become reality.