End Legacy College Admissions
Affirmative action != unqualified, so I think the application of the term here is off, but on the subject of legacy admissions (topic of this thread), the practice should be ended. However, there are some issues like donors/maintaining endowment via legacy admissions. Should that be a motivating factor for accepting students?
For nearly a century, many American college and university admissions officers have given preferential treatment to the children of alumni.
The policies originated in the 1920s, coinciding with an influx of Jewish and Catholic applicants to the country’s top schools. They continue today, placing a thumb on the scale in favor of students who already enjoy the benefits of being raised by families with elite educations. Of the country’s top 100 schools (as determined by the editors at U.S. News & World Report), roughly three-quarters have legacy preferences in admissions. These anachronistic policies have been called "affirmative action for the rich" and "affirmative action for whites."
Affirmative action != unqualified, so I think the application of the term here is off, but on the subject of legacy admissions (topic of this thread), the practice should be ended. However, there are some issues like donors/maintaining endowment via legacy admissions. Should that be a motivating factor for accepting students?