My partner is currently applying to graduate school. As a straight, middle-aged, white male, we’ve had concerns about affirmative action initiatives getting in his way. His application package far exceeds the minimum requirements and average applicant stats for each program he applied to. However, I still don’t believe the concern was unfounded, as one rejection letter stated openly that all remaining seats were to be allocated to minority students. Because in 2022, an impoverished white male who has worked hard to overcome the limitations of his permanent disability is considered privileged. Sigh. Anyways…
He just received his first interview invite. This particular program had 2,500 applicants vying for the 30 available seats. Assuming the school interviews for double the number of seats available, he’s in the top 2.4% of applicants at one of the most competitive programs in the country. He is very thoughtful, well-spoken, and articulate so I have no doubt the interview will result in an invite to join the program.
Though this may not be the program he ultimately choses, it felt like a huge success to have jumped through the fiery hoops of woke academia without getting burned. We’re still waiting to hear back from ten more schools. He’s wary, understandably, of more “sorry, our two white seats are filled” emails. It seems many institutions of higher education are prioritizing equity and diversity over competence. In the field of medicine, particularly, I believe this is a big mistake. But that’s a topic for another day.
After many years of watching my partner propel himself forward through his hard work, there is something so satisfying about having an external party validate those achievements. With the prevalence and persistence of equity and diversity initiatives, he has never felt confident that he could overcome the supposedly nonexistent reverse racism. But he did. And I am so proud! Hopefully, this is the first of many invites in the coming months.
existential ergonomics 
Congratulations to him – and way to go with the tenacity!! Looking forward to hearing about more/future Wins for Whitey!
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You’re right about healthcare being a major player in this push. We want doctors to look like the communities that we serve. Then, we look at medical schools and see that the racial distribution is great (artificial), but then we realize that we don’t have enough of a certain race because they don’t apply. I’m worried that people will be paid to go into a profession they have no interest in or skills for just to make an organization look good.
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Yes, I share the same concern. Diversity is a good thing in many contexts, but it seems foolish and shortsighted to focus “diversity” on the spectrum of skin color, where life experiences and challenges overcome contribute far more to a discussion. And, it’s hard to write this for fear of being crucified, but now that I *know* schools are actively and openly discriminating against white men, I’m going to be more inclined to choose white male doctors in the future because I now understand how the system works and that those chosen were the best of the best.
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I was actually reading application requirements the other day and they said that it’s a very competitive program with only a couple of people being admitted, but if you’re a minority – you should apply…
And then I heard a Dean say that they are working not only on recruiting minorities but also on KEEPING them. That’s when we start lowering educational standards and again – try to keep people where they might not want to be…. INSANITY!
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Yes, it’s really a tricky and frustrating situation. I understand individuals don’t equal access to educational resources and have sympathy for them; however, I know that there *are* funds and resources available to those how put in the effort. I truly believe the focus needs to be on “equal opportunity” rather than “equal outcome”… improve public education, offer scholarships, or provide mentorship opportunities so we can bring minorities up to meet the bar, rather than lowering the bar. It’s perhaps harder, but likely a much better long-term strategy.
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Congratulations to your partner!
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Thank you!!
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