The College Process from the Point of View of a Really Good Mascot
Daniela Plaza, ‘20
November 2019
As I sat down to work on this article, I wondered how to go about capturing a nuanced experience in the space of a few hundred words and package it in a way that would be accessible for anyone who would read it. Then I realized I do that with myself in all my college supplements.
This is a piece that is going to describe my experience applying to college as a person of color. I wish I could say that what inspired me to write this was the intent to comfort other students who might be going through the same experience during this process. Unfortunately, that was not what conceived this article. Instead, what inspired this article was the large amount of privilege that surrounds me, and the lack of recognition and appreciation of that privilege. I am not here to discount anyone's experience, we are all suffering through the same process and that is not to be contended. Rather it is meant to shine a light on the experience of those who must struggle through it differently, and allow those with privilege to realize a few things. Yes, you are privileged in the process, no, that doesn’t make you a bad person, but yes, you have an advantage, and you will definitely benefit from it.
Before I go on, I think it’s important that I define what I mean when I say you are privileged in the process. Defining privilege alone could warrant its own article, for it is a long- spanning and institutional divide that goes back to what middle and elementary school you went to. But I digress, privilege in this process is the simple possession of knowledge. Did your parents go to college in the United States? Do they have any idea how the process works? Do they have the ability to help you and support you reach your goals? Do they realize the importance of supporting you and helping you reach your goals? Do they realize that this is not an individual, but a team sport and that they should not leave everything to you? If you said yes to any of those questions then congratulations: you are already leagues above me in terms of going to college.
Now, I don’t mean to make this a pity party for myself, but I want to emphasize to people how these simple things are taken for granted and that they are privileges not afforded to everyone. The participation of your parents is something incredibly overlooked by those who have their support, while being something essentially missed by those without it. You feel like a one man army walking into battle with a blindfold on and a blunt knife fighting against an army geared to the teeth. If your parents can help you fill out the FAFSA, CSS, write any supplements, or even just help you construct your college list, remember that you have been given a resource that cannot be substituted by any single individual.
In the title of this article I wrote that this is from the point of view of a really good mascot. The first place I saw that term being used in the context I use it now was in 9th grade Literature of the Americas when we were discussing Malcolm X. From my vague memory of it, ‘mascot’ was what Malcolm called himself when he was being praised by some of his white neighbors for being an exemplary black person. They thought: you’re doing so well for yourself, despite who you are. Well, I use that in a very similar way here. As a student of color applying to these competitive and highly regarded institutions, I feel the need to present myself as who I am despite my identities. I am a latina who managed to excel in academic pursuits. I am the child of immigrants who managed to do well in school and make something of myself. I am a person who, despite all the boxes I tick when filling out the profile on the common application, has managed to succeed. My use of the word managed is very intentional here. I am someone who has surpassed my oppression, and that is something I make absolutely sure to tell my colleges whenever I get the chance. I’ve often said I’m milking my oppression when explaining it to my friends. I have certain ‘cards’ in my deck that I can use to appeal to the diversity that a school wants. Whether the college be genuinely interested in diversifying their school is irrelevant, but they have forced us to monetize our oppression for their benefit and interest.
That being said, I am sure as hell good at making my oppression bite sized and serving it to colleges. I have learned how to play this game, and I am gonna use it to my benefit. But again, even that is something that I have the privilege of doing. Like I said, in this process privilege is just the possession of knowledge, and knowing the best way to present myself is an advantage that I carry over many others. Applying to college is just a game of what do you know that others don’t, and how do you leverage your opportunities to work in your favor.