Recommendations galore...

Is the US really a land of equal opportunity? Well, maybe not. Back home we make a hue and cry about fair chance and equal opportunity. If someone gets selected in an interview because he got a recommendation from someone we immediately cry foul play. But, here that seems to be the norm. Back home, if you were good, you were atleast called for the interview so that you get a chance to prove yourself. Maybe futile, but your case still gets heard.

But here, it seems as if you don't even get a chance to be heard. People only call you for an interview if you have a letter of recommendation from someone they know. Otherwise you don't even know that such an interview existed. This is not the case for, pardon the phrase, 'desi's' alone. This applies to everyone in the US. And everyone justs accepts it for a fact.

This rant might be due to the fact that I come from a particularly politically active state where such bull is generally not tolerated. And due to the same reason, I find it very difficult to swallow the fact that professors have virtually unlimited discretionary powers over the students. Some acts, which back home, would've immediately caused a strike is accepted without question.