African American Life at UC Berkeley?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>This question applies to the UCs in general, but I figured I'd post this here because Berkeley is the one I'm most interested in.</p>

<pre><code>African Americans have made up less than 4% of the past few classes according to this: UC Berkeley Fall Enrollment Data. My question to you (specifically AA students but of course others with helpful responses are welcomed) is, how has this affected your experience at the UC? Or has it not really been an issue at all? With diversity being a major factor in my preference of colleges, is the UCs lack of diversity made up for by a positive all around experience? I'm sorry if this question comes across the wrong way, in any way. But I've wondered about this for quite some time and I would really appreciate your response. Thank you!
</code></pre>

<p>-Kali</p>

2

<p>I have never heard from any of my African American friends or their children who attend(ed) either Cal or UCLA of any negative feelings or issues. In fact, all of them have had a great experience, from what I hear. My friend’s god-daughter, who just graduated from Cal last Spring liked it so much she’s staying up in the Bay area and continuing on there in a graduate program.</p>

<p>I remember her (the god-daughter) telling me that her only confusion was in her first year, when she was put in the Asian Pacific American Theme Program – it’s possible that she tried to get into the African American Theme Program and housing screwed up! These theme programs are housing themes – see link below.
Ca
[African</a> American Theme Program](<a href=“http://themeprograms.berkeley.edu/aatp.html]African”>http://themeprograms.berkeley.edu/aatp.html)</p>

<p>But she made friends in the program and learned different cultures. Theme programs are mixed in terms of race – meaning you don’t HAVE to be Asian or African American, or Gay to be in any of the theme programs. </p>

<p>I found Cal to be very, very diverse. A real melting pot of bright, interesting students. Pretty much the same as UCLA when I went there. UCLA has a slightly different mix these days than when I went there, but California’s population has changed a bit in the last 30 years.</p>

<p>If you are even the least bit social, color blind, and enjoy interacting with a diverse student body, you will enjoy the experience. It shouldn’t matter what your race or religion is – rather your ability to assimilate in whatever situation you are in. A great life experience!</p>

3

<p>I went to Cal from the whitebread midwest, where we thought of diversity as italian, Greman, Irish and Greek. By the time I left , I married a “person of color” and now have happily adjusted biracial children. I think all the UCs are diverse. I would think that Berkeley would be the most liberal. I would look at being African American as a real plus in every way as far as your comfort level. Good luck, and have fun!</p>

4

<p>Thank you, UCLA77 and reneemarie! That’s really encouraging. I won’t count out the UCs until I have a better idea of them. Thanks again.</p>

5

<p>While you shouldn’t have many problems, just remember to study hard and focus on your academics. Unfortunately, most of the East Asian and Indian students come from high schools where only they (and a minority of whites) take academics very seriously, and they strive to reach straight A’s and high SAT scores. In most schools, African Americans and Hispanics generally tend to perform poorly, rightly or wrongly making some Asians, Indians, and Whites view that Blacks and Hispanics don’t take academics seriously. </p>

<p>I HAVE seen a few (not a lot, but a few) number of instances where Asians, Indians, and some whites have looked down on African Americans and Hispanics at Berkeley (like during lab assignments- Asians/Indians don’t make the Hispanics do much because they don’t want them to mess up). They might think automatically that you received poor grades were accepted because of your skin color (whether or not this applies to you, I know plenty of Hispanics and African Americans who were admitted with subpar GPAs and SAT scores- my Mexican roommate got in with a 1480/2400!). This has nothing to do with socioeconomic status either- plenty of poor Asians in my high schools had astronomical scores but were denied admission to many colleges, whereas middle class Blacks with lower scores got in. </p>

<p>But hey, if you’re smart, well educated, and hard working, you’ll face absolutely no problems at all. One of my best friends is African American, and he graduated with a 3.6 GPA in Mechanical Engineering! He was incredibly smart, highly motivated, and diligent. He received much respect from his peers across all races. Similarly, my hispanic friend graduated MCB with a 3.7. </p>

<p>Bottom line is, don’t slack off and do poorly because this will give a reason for Asians, Indians, and some Whites to believe that minorities in general don’t take academics seriously.</p>

6

<p>jimmihendrix is pretty much right (except for the fact that he fails to recognize that Indians are Asian).</p>

<p>African-American rarity on campus is probably strongly linked to their rarity in the state. They only make up 6.2% of the state.</p>

7

<p>@anon5524485- I never said I don’t recognize Indians as Asians. I stated that in America, the connotation of the term Asian refers exclusively to East/SE Asian, even though I, like you, also agree that this is incorrect and bred from ignorance. </p>

<p>I separate the two to make a clear distinction since most people don’t think “Indian” when they here “Asian.”</p>

<p>But another general observation I have made:</p>

<p>URMs who were admitted with sub-par scores for whatever reason didn’t seem to do that well at Cal.</p>

<p>URM students who had their stats in line with Asians, Whites, and Indians (4.2-3 GPA, 2050 SAT, ect.), tended to do fine. </p>

<p>Of course this isn’t true in all cases. A person with sub-par scores from high school may have faced hardships preventing him or her from doing well. At Cal, these hardships could have been removed and he or she could have scored better. But this is the general observation I have seen.</p>

8

<p>I appreciate the honesty and I know what you mean. Of course this isn’t a perfect world and there will always be a few unfortunate instances, but I hope that the positive aspects will outweigh the negative.</p>

10

<p>Also, note there is a distinction from African American and just African people at Cal. Those Nigerians are hella smart.</p>

11

<p>Hi! I’m an African American female who was recently admitted to Berkeley and I too have some questions about the social scene for African Americans. I’m aware that there are numerous organizations that are AA/ multi-cultural specific and that the Black community is pretty close-knit but my question is whether or not i can have a social life outside of my ethnic group. Like will I feel restricted to the black community whenever i want to do something social? I don’t want to live in the African/Black theme dorms because I want to be surrounded by different types of people but at the same time, will I feel somewhat isolated from my peers? I have a friend who goes to Berkeley and she said that there have been more than a few instances where she felt isolated from the other races (Asians/Whites). She also said that some of her friends have been blocked from going to certain frat parties because of their race. Basically, her message was that the social life can be great for Whites/Asians but not necessarily for the Blacks when it comes to events that aren’t AA specific. I know that this is her experience and I may very well have a positive one when it comes to inter-racial mingling/friendships but I still would like to get feedback from not only AAs but other races as well to see what you have personally seen or feel. I know that Berkeley is a great school and would have excellent educational opportunities but at the same time I want to be comfortable with my surroundings and have a nice/fun college experience.</p>

12

<p>I don’t think you should feel bad for not living in the African American theme housing option. You’ll meet all sorts of people, and I can promise that you won’t have a problem making friends. And anyways, there are all sorts of options for you to get involved with the African American community outside of the dorms - if you so choose - which is probably what most people actually do anyways. After all, not everyone can live in theme housing. But again, you don’t have to, and you will meet tons of great people in your residence hall, in your classes, or in any of the 1100 student organizations on campus.</p>

<p>I’ve never heard of a frat turning away people based on race. And I’ve never experienced any sort of racism on campus. I’m not going to deny that it’s out there, but I’ve definitely never experienced it.</p>

<p>And for the record, UC Berkeley does not take race into account in its admissions process, so any idea that someone “got in because of their race” is completely false.</p>

13

<p>h4ileyst4r and Kali22,</p>

<p>It is true that first and second generation Asians tend to be reared by “tiger Moms”, view almost anyone, including whites as beneath them and certainly do not like to associate with or be warm and friendly to those unlike themselves. I used to think it was shyness or that they may have felt the sting of prejudice, but the longer I work with them and come to understand their culture I don’t think that is it at all. Their culture is tremendously different in their over values about education, feelings, interdependance and connectedness concerning self identity and those defined as “other”. I feel this SIGNIFICANTLY changes once second and third generation children become acculturated. No judgement or criticism meant, but just the facts as I have studied ( I am a social worker from Berkeley ) and worked in the groups. I myself did marry an Indian Asian ( who appears AA as he is very dark skinned, from the south of India ) and have come to learn how VERY different this culture is from mine and AA’s. ( had I known this I would have married an AA, but that’s another story, LOL ).</p>

<p>Also I agree with Silvern above that no one gets into a UC “because of their race”! Race is probably experienced differently in different departments. As a blue eyed white person from the midwest, I felt that everyone in the SOcial welfare Dept at Berkeley automatically treated me as if I were some debutante that belongs to the Daughters of the American Revolution, if not the Republican party. I felt that I would have been more accepted if I had been Hispanic, etc. I’m sure that isn’t the experience in the business classes, for example. </p>

<p>At the end of the day, let’s face it, racism is ugly and of course it exists. Less than in the 60’s and 70’s but of course its out there. Its hoe YOU choose to deal with it. If Obama and Oprah worried about their skin color, what people thought of them and their odds, they wouldn’t be the president of the US and the hihest paid, most popular media person around. But they didn’t let that stop them and millions of whites voted for , watch and support them. </p>

<p>Similarly, I am from a very poor downward drift white family. Less polite society would call my upbringing “white trash” or the more class concious “trailer trash”. No one in my family went to college, the men were alcoholics, truck drivers, often abandoned their familes. The women tended to work two or 3 low level jobs, smoked, had a defeatist, “I am a victim” view of life and got pregnant as an adolescent, as did their offspring. When I decided I wanted to break out of the downward drift, my family and siblings called me “uppity”. I did not fit into either world. But if i just accepted the way things were I wouldn’t have changed them. I went on to get my MS and have an upper middle class life for my children. </p>

<p>Essentially, life is hard and it is a jungle out there. People do often judge or dismiss us for unfair reasons. DON’T BUY IT! Go to UC, be proud of how you look, where you came from and who you are; EXPECT people to like and appreciate you. Make your own life at UC and keep making it better. You can do whatever you want, and for the most part it is considered ignorant and distasteful ( kinda like smoking ) and a dirty habit to be racist. Focus on the positive, DO NOT buy into scanning for the negative. *uck the racists, or anyone who doesn’t see the HUGE contribution AA’s make everyday; they are a dying breed. Don’t give them power by worrying what they think or how they will treat you. There will be PLENTY of good people to connect with.</p>

14

<p>@reneemarie: :rolleyes:</p>