[Barry the Sprout]

Originally posted by Morgeruat: standardized testing like the SAT's and ACT's is supposed to even out the playing field for (cap)ability, to succeed, they measure intelligence, other things can and are used in the same manner to increase or decrease eligibility, ie honors society, sports, other extracurricular activities, race should not be a significant factor in choosing.

I'm not talking about simply the inherent instabilities in judging on the basis of marks - I'm talking about social differences. In general people from ethnic minorities go to worse schools, get a worse education, and are institutionally discriminated against (I know this has decreased but I strongly doubt anyone could claim it isn't still present to some extent).

Basically I agree with Thoran - it is a necessary step but not an end in itself - rather obviously. But I'm afraid I don't agree with you when you say that its not going to be needed for much longer. I think as long as we still have social discrimination going then we will need some form of "Affirmative Action". And that doesn't look to me like its going to end anytime soon. Don't get me wrong - things are getting better, they just aren't good enough yet.