Education for All

Judgment has always been partial to a particular party, many times leaving the other unsatisfied and with disdain. I believe that all those who can demonstrate they have an ability to excel in studies should have the opportunity to be able to do so regardless of language barriers. When people are placed in a situation that requires them to reach a standard, they are more likely to achieve it. At the University I attend, the requirements for English as a second language speakers is to pass an extremely bias test with the acronym TOEFL.

A very good friend of mine, Paola Andrea Santa Cruz Sanchez, has been studying the English language for the past ten months and has applied to the same University as me. We fulfilled all of her requirements and the criteria to be able to attend the University and also the deadline for those materials; she was all set to go. However, when she took her TOEFL exam, it was much lower than we had expected. It did not reflect her ability to speak the English language, or her studying abilities. Paola had achieved many things in her life, especially in the field of academics.

As we reviewed her transcripts, she had consistently received a 3.5 GPA in University level courses in Colombia while taking between 16 and 19 credits a semester. Paola was valedictorian of the private High School she attended and had participated in volunteer activities as well as maintained employment at a number of institutions. An active member of her church, she was almost always in a leadership position and people looked to her for guidance and advice. The University in which I attend is known for being rather lenient in those it allows to attend regarding academic standards. Those who barely graduate High School many times are admitted. Perhaps she was not only qualified, but over-qualified for this University.

I myself had an experience learning a second language which proved a task in itself. I was thrown into the fray and expected to not only speak, but explain in detail a range of subject matter in a language that I could not utter more than a few words. This however proved to be an amazing experience for me where I could learn a language at an accelerated rate and also show to those around me that I was capable of doing something that I had never done before. Being completely immersed in a language and being expected to speak it caused me to rise to the challenge. After three months, I was fluent.

I respect and honor the opinions and decisions of my University, and for the most part I do agree with them. However, there comes a time and a need where everyone must take a stand for that which they believe in, regardless of the consequences. I believe that education should be for all; especially at my University, which I love so dearly, this should be the case. Studies here are especially open to those who need to grow and become great men and women. We should not say what people can and cannot do based on 1 criteria of an application; rather we should let them prove themselves of their capabilities and be understanding when they have done so.