Comments by "JLH" (@Kyarrix) on "‘Affirmative Action for the Rich.’ Legacy Students Confront Their Privilege | NYT Opinion" video.

And yet they all checked the box. Every single one of them checked the box. I'm glad they're speaking up now but it would be so much better if legacy students didn't check the box. They probably wouldn't have gotten in without it. I used my privilege but now I want to make sure that others don't do the same. What happens when it's time for your kids to apply and you want to ensure them a successful career? Will you tell them not to check the box? How will you explain to them that you did?
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They believe in it after they benefited. They all checked the box. They all got in through legacy admissions. Railing against it afterwards doesn't carry as much weight. It's good that they're speaking up, but each one of them benefited before they spoke up.
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@marcya4428 Why would they "lie" about what? When you check the box indicating that you are a legacy student you do so with the knowledge that this will almost ensure that you are accepted because the university wants to continue to benefit financially from your family. If you feel very strongly that legacy admissions are wrong, and they are, have the courage of your convictions and refrain from taking advantage. They did not. They checked the box, got into ivy League schools that they probably would not otherwise have been accepted to. It isn't lying to refrain from taking advantage of unearned privilege.
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@marcya4428 Yes, it should be about systemic reform but that does not negate the point that individual students, all of them, can decide to be ethical and refrain from checking the box. This is not an either or situation.
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@marcya4428 I'm going to assume that you or someone you know is a legacy student. I got into Yale law school without being a legacy student. I decided not to go because it was too expensive. I went elsewhere and I'm glad that I did.
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