Scholarship for White Male Students Only

While I do not think "Whites Only" scholarships are an adequate or appropriate solution, I have personally experienced this problem. I had a stellar GPA and pretty much everything else that you're told to have for gaining scholarships. When I went to the scholarship "box" with all the forms for various scholarships I suddenly found myself faced with the reality of the situation. As a white male, I really was limited in what I could apply for and there was nothing which I could apply for that people with other skin colors could not ALSO apply for, yet I was not permitted to apply for all the extra stuff they could. Flipping around the discrimination doesn't really help to end discrimination. Yes, I got to see what it was probably like for minorities in the past, but turning me into a minority in this situation wasn't just. I was a poor white kid raised by a single mother. I played by all the academic rules and was in the gifted classes, etc. I ended up getting a rather lowly rotary club scholarship provided from our local rotary club. At the end of things, I found myself saddled with huge debt and watched people who happened to have a different skin color get full rides despite having comparitively pathetic academic achievements both prior to and during their college lives. Perhaps we'd be a lot better off if every application were blank about race and people were identified by numbers or something and everyone could apply fairly. I can't help but think that giving anyone benefits due to their bloodline, skin tone, cultural affinity, etc. is going to be the way to right previous wrongs about favoritism. It's a tough situation, but I honestly felt disadvantaged by having white skin when it came to scholarships and that feeling did not come from any desire to disadvantage others.

ed243421 wrote:

MD97728 wrote:

r u kidding me? i live in the here and now and in my 'here and now' everyone is struggling including white males - and i have 3 of them to put through college! just because years and years ago white males were considered "privledged" certainly doesn't mean that's the case now. everyone is struggling - my son can't apply for a shit load of scholarships because he is who he is - white male. and not for nothing -- he had to 'know someone' to finally land a minimum wage job yet i know plenty who are minorities whose kids are 'eligible' for tons of programs and internships because they are not 'white.' i see quite a bit of reverse discrimination.

you want to live in the "here and now"
and forget about the "there and then"
because "here and now", it affects you
i got ya
white men are still the privledged
your son can't apply for a shit load of scholarships
because white men fucked it up for so many years
and lemme guess, the "someone" he knew enough to get him a job was white, right?
too bad he could not have done better in school
and received scholarships based on his ability and knowledge
and earn a living based on hard work and education
and not just from knowing "somebody"

Easy dude, the "someone" he knew to get a minimum wage job was probably a friend, that most likely already worked there. You have no idea how hard this kid worked in school and neither do I, so if you want to defend your point, you're not going to win anyone over here by belittling this woman's son.

Soulfire42 wrote:

While I do not think "Whites Only" scholarships are an adequate or appropriate solution, I have personally experienced this problem. I had a stellar GPA and pretty much everything else that you're told to have for gaining scholarships. When I went to the scholarship "box" with all the forms for various scholarships I suddenly found myself faced with the reality of the situation. As a white male, I really was limited in what I could apply for and there was nothing which I could apply for that people with other skin colors could not ALSO apply for, yet I was not permitted to apply for all the extra stuff they could. Flipping around the discrimination doesn't really help to end discrimination. Yes, I got to see what it was probably like for minorities in the past, but turning me into a minority in this situation wasn't just. I was a poor white kid raised by a single mother. I played by all the academic rules and was in the gifted classes, etc. I ended up getting a rather lowly rotary club scholarship provided from our local rotary club. At the end of things, I found myself saddled with huge debt and watched people who happened to have a different skin color get full rides despite having comparitively pathetic academic achievements both prior to and during their college lives. Perhaps we'd be a lot better off if every application were blank about race and people were identified by numbers or something and everyone could apply fairly. I can't help but think that giving anyone benefits due to their bloodline, skin tone, cultural affinity, etc. is going to be the way to right previous wrongs about favoritism. It's a tough situation, but I honestly felt disadvantaged by having white skin when it came to scholarships and that feeling did not come from any desire to disadvantage others.

This is very eloquently spoken, and I hope everyone on this thread takes the time to read it.

ed243421 wrote:

Big Drop wrote:

ed243421 wrote:

you want to live in the "here and now"
and forget about the "there and then"
because "here and now", it affects you
i got ya
white men are still the privledged
your son can't apply for a shit load of scholarships
because white men fucked it up for so many years
and lemme guess, the "someone" he knew enough to get him a job was white, right?
too bad he could not have done better in school
and received scholarships based on his ability and knowledge
and earn a living based on hard work and education
and not just from knowing "somebody"

Easy dude, the "someone" he knew to get a minimum wage job was probably a friend, that most likely already worked there. You have no idea how hard this kid worked in school and neither do I, so if you want to defend your point, you're not going to win anyone over here by belittling this woman's son.

i am not at all trying to belittle this womans son
sorry if it sounded that way
i actually mean it is too bad
i hope the best for him
as i do for the minorities and women that have been held back for so long

I understand. I wish there was a way we could stop seeing eachother in colors and start seeing eachother by the goals we set for ourselves. That would require time and patience, though, and far too few people exhibit those characteristics.

g under p wrote:

Maybe more Universities should make offers like this one we would not have to speak on this scholarship in Texas..

Harvard University Offers Free Tuition For Low Income Families

I told the children study up hard a college like Harvard awaits.

Reinforcing its commitment to opportunity and excellence across the economic spectrum, Harvard announced a significant expansion of its 2004 financial aid initiative for low- and middle-income families. Beginning with the class admitted this week, parents in families with incomes of less than $60,000 will no longer be expected to contribute to the cost of their children attending Harvard. In addition, Harvard will reduce the contributions of families with incomes between $60,000 and $80,000.

Peace

That is awesome. It's something that should happen more often. Believe it or not, there was a time in this country where a college education was free.

Im split down the middle on the issue, maybe cos i'm split in half by race too :?

Big Drop wrote:

Soulfire42 wrote:

While I do not think "Whites Only" scholarships are an adequate or appropriate solution, I have personally experienced this problem. I had a stellar GPA and pretty much everything else that you're told to have for gaining scholarships. When I went to the scholarship "box" with all the forms for various scholarships I suddenly found myself faced with the reality of the situation. As a white male, I really was limited in what I could apply for and there was nothing which I could apply for that people with other skin colors could not ALSO apply for, yet I was not permitted to apply for all the extra stuff they could. Flipping around the discrimination doesn't really help to end discrimination. Yes, I got to see what it was probably like for minorities in the past, but turning me into a minority in this situation wasn't just. I was a poor white kid raised by a single mother. I played by all the academic rules and was in the gifted classes, etc. I ended up getting a rather lowly rotary club scholarship provided from our local rotary club. At the end of things, I found myself saddled with huge debt and watched people who happened to have a different skin color get full rides despite having comparitively pathetic academic achievements both prior to and during their college lives. Perhaps we'd be a lot better off if every application were blank about race and people were identified by numbers or something and everyone could apply fairly. I can't help but think that giving anyone benefits due to their bloodline, skin tone, cultural affinity, etc. is going to be the way to right previous wrongs about favoritism. It's a tough situation, but I honestly felt disadvantaged by having white skin when it came to scholarships and that feeling did not come from any desire to disadvantage others.

This is very eloquently spoken, and I hope everyone on this thread takes the time to read it.

Agreed, that's very well said. I also got through school on student loans, still paying them off eons after graduating. But while the gesture would have been greatly appreciated, a $500 scholarship like the one in question just wouldn't have made that much difference: we're talking less than 10% of tuition in a single year (in a Canadian uni). I know that every little bit helps, but this isn't much help.

At first I assumed this topic was regarding full rides for the Golf Team.