Bangladeshi-American student gets into Stanford after writing `BlackLivesMatter’ - Dainikshiksha

Bangladeshi-American student gets into Stanford after writing `BlackLivesMatter’

Staff Reporter |

A Bangladeshi-American student says he was accepted into Stanford after only writing

#BlackLivesMatter 100 times for the essay portion of his application.

Ziad Ahmed, a student at the $34,600-a-year Princeton Day School in New Jersey, publicized his acceptance letter from the prestigious California school on Twitter on Friday, alongside a copy of his unusual essay.

The focus of the written part was the question: ‘What matters to you, and why?’

Ahmed said he was surprised his answer paid off.

‘I was actually stunned when I opened the update and saw that I was admitted,’ Ahmed said in an email to Mic.

‘I didn’t think I would get admitted to Stanford at all, but it’s quite refreshing to see that they view my unapologetic activism as an asset rather than a liability.’

‘The insistence on an explanation is inherently dehumanizing,’ Ahmed continued. ‘Black lives have been explicitly and implicitly told they don’t matter for centuries, and as a society – it is our responsibility to scream that black lives matter because it is not to say that all lives do not matter, but it is to say that black lives have been attacked for so long, and that we must empower through language, perspective, and action.’

Others didn’t see Ahmed’s minimalist response the same way.

When he posted the essay and letter to Twitter on Friday, there was a mixed response from some who supported the statement, some who did not think it helped the cause, and others who thought it was a cop out.

‘If this isn’t proof America’s system of higher education is a joke, what does?’ one user wrote.

Another user said he should have used the essay to elaborate his feelings on the movement.

‘With all of the other good things he’s done, a real ally would’ve wrote something poignant instead of this bulls*** attempt to look progressive,’ one user wrote.

One man responded: ‘He’s stated (poignantly) that it’s inherently dehumanizing to explain why a life matters. It should need no justification.’

Other users defended Ahmed by pointing out the fact that his impressive resume was probably enough to get him into the school in the first place.

According to Mic, Ahmed has already worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and been invited to the White House during Obama’s administration.

He also founded his own teenage marketing consulting firm and an organization to promote tolerance. He’s also given Ted Talks around the world about what it’s like to be a Muslim teen.

In addition to Stanford, Ahmed was accepted to Yale and Princeton. He has until May to make his final decision.

Ahmed says he isn’t sure what he wants to study yet but is interested in international relations, cognitive science, economics, comparative studies in race and ethnicity.

His father, a former investment banker who now runs his own hedge fund, went to Yale. His mother is an electrical engineer turned stay at home mom.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Yunus Centre statement over UNESCO Award is misleading: Mohibul - dainik shiksha Yunus Centre statement over UNESCO Award is misleading: Mohibul Patients suffer as intern, trainee doctors’ strike on - dainik shiksha Patients suffer as intern, trainee doctors’ strike on Jill Biden writes children's book about 'First Feline' Willow - dainik shiksha Jill Biden writes children's book about 'First Feline' Willow Met office predicts rains across Bangladesh - dainik shiksha Met office predicts rains across Bangladesh Death toll of Bangladeshis along border comes down: FM - dainik shiksha Death toll of Bangladeshis along border comes down: FM please click here to view dainikshiksha website Execution time: 0.003695011138916