Color and Money: How Rich White Kids Are Winning the War over College Affirmative Action
“Books on the highly-charged issue of affirmative action are usually one-sided and inflammatory. Peter Schmidt’sColor and Moneyis a wonderful exception. It provides an honest and fair examination that is also passionate and illuminating. Schmidt carefully weighs the arguments for and against affirmative action and then lays bare higher education’s naughty secret--that for all its self-congratulatory embrace of diversity, poor and working-class students of all colors remain largely shut out.” --Richard D. Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation, and author ofThe Remedy: Class, Race, and Affirmative Action“For those concerned about why the march toward social justice in America has faltered badly for nearly forty years now at the hands of the nation's entrenched political and economic systems, Peter Schmidt'sColor and Moneyis a highly instructive--and greatly disturbing--guidepost.” --Richard Kluger, author ofSimple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for EqualityPeter Schmidt'sColor and Moneydoes just what its subtitle says: It describes "how rich white kids are winning the war over college affirmative action." It offers refreshing honesty, a disregard for political correctness, and the effective writing of an experienced and skilled reporter.--Gary M. Lavergne, Director of Admissions Research and Policy analysis at the University of Texas at Austin.“Fair, balanced and judicious.” --Martin Morse Wooster, The Washington Times“Drawing upon his extensive experiences as a journalist and editor for The Chronicle of Higher Education, Schmidt is an indispensable guide through the political jargon, statistical obfuscation and specious argumentation employed by both sides of the debate, not to mention the many camps that fall somewhere uncomfortably between.” --Zach Weir, The Charleston Post and Courier“Forget about religion, politics, sex, even race. The issue Americans are least likely to be able to discuss honestly is class.Color and Moneyis a forthright examination of the inequalities we must start talking about if we are ever going to achieve a semblance of equality. Anyone interested in the inequities of the selective college admissions process will findColor and Moneyclear-eyed, hard-hitting, enlightening, and informative.” --Rachel Toor, author ofAdmissions Confidential: An Insider’s Account of the Elite College Selection Process“Written with a passion for the issues, Peter Schmidt offers a compelling and thoughtful summary of the history of government policy, court decisions, and the politics regarding affirmative action. This book is a must read for anyone concerned about access to higher education--especially the nation's elite universities--as well as those concerned about questions of social policy and justice.” --Terry MacTaggart, Former Chancellor, University of Maine System“An excellent primer on a perennial campus hot topic.”--Tim Fernholz, Campus Progress