Affirmative Action - Engineering

[tim_drake_13]

I was recently accepted into the electrical engineering department at Georgia Tech with my tuition paid for, a salary GTA position, and a fellowship. This opportunity is beyond anything I expected. I am getting a degree in Applied Physics with minors in computer science and applied mathematics from a mediocre state college.

 

When I applied, I had:

3.83 GPA

GRE scores of 161 quant, 155 verbal, and 4.0 writing

research experience with chaotic circuits

chemistry research with gas phase ions

Oral presentation of Chaotic research

Poster presentation at ACS national conference for chem research

Potential papers this spring for both pieces of research 

Relevant courses of E&M 1 and 2, and Analog electronics.

 

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that my resume doesn't warrant this kind of offer and I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into how likely it is that being white and from the United States has significantly helped me get this opportunity in a field that (I think) is dominated by oriental and middle-eastern students and professors

 

I'm not trying to complain about being offered this great position, but rather I want a little peace of mind before I'm too hard on myself.

Edited February 19, 2014 by tim_drake_13

[clandry]

I was recently accepted into the electrical engineering department at Georgia Tech with my tuition paid for, a salary GTA position, and a fellowship. This opportunity is beyond anything I expected. I am getting a degree in Applied Physics with minors in computer science and applied mathematics from a mediocre state college.

 

When I applied, I had:

3.83 GPA

GRE scores of 161 quant, 155 verbal, and 4.0 writing

research experience with chaotic circuits

chemistry research with gas phase ions

Oral presentation of Chaotic research

Poster presentation at ACS national conference for chem research

Potential papers this spring for both pieces of research 

Relevant courses of E&M 1 and 2, and Analog electronics.

 

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that my resume doesn't warrant this kind of offer and I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into how likely it is that being white and from the United States has significantly helped me get this opportunity in a field that (I think) is dominated by oriental and middle-eastern students and professors

 

I'm not trying to complain about being offered this great position, but rather I want a little piece of mind before I'm too hard on myself.

Unless you're underrepresented (Blacks, Hispanics primarily), a woman, or a combo of the 2, you shouldn't suspect your gender/color 'helped' your gain admittance. 

[starofdawn]

... what.

[ilovephysics13]

Those are excellent statistics/achievements. You should be proud-- you definitely deserve your acceptance.

[TakeruK]

I feel like you do not understand the purpose of affirmative action programs, nor do you understand "unconscious bias". There is a lot of literature online where academics discuss these issues in our academic world and how to implement effective policies in evening out the "playing field" for people of all backgrounds. 

[scottdickson86]

I don't think it matters how you got in. It only matters how you'll perform under the program, and how you'll finish it.