<p>Hello! Okay, I'm about to summarize my life story very briefly, and to make it interesting, I'm going to do it in the third person (it's about two-in-the-morning here in Boston, so I'm tired and bored). </p>
<p>Sean grew up in a small town in Massachusetts, living day-to-day life as any other normal white catholic child would. He attended a small (and by small i mean SMALLLL) Catholic elementary and middle school. When applying for high school, he decided to apply to Catholic high schools (you know, for a change). Well, at his first high school, Sean distinctly remembers a boy saying, "Why are there all these RANDOM Jewish holidays?" in the middle of a religion class. Needless to say, he transferred. Now he goes to a (surprise, surprise), Catholic high school. Now, Sean's high school is not really racially ignorant (a whopping 2% of the student body is non-white), however it is highly homophobic. PLOT TWIST. Sean is gay.<br>
(appropriate time for gasps, sobs, etc).
Now, Sean has dealt with his ignorant friends and serious lack of GBSTA for the past..17 years. But now, he wants a change. He wants an urban environment and a liberal campus. Also, he wants gay the word gay to be able to be mentioned without a GASP from his colleagues. Also, he wants the campus to be very diverse. He wants to meet black, hispanic, native american, and asian people without it being like finding the Golden Ticket in a Wonka bar. Lastly, he really wants to meet a person who, when asked, would not check off "male" or "female", but rather he or she would be that person to check off "undecided". Why? Because that is just cool.
In conclusion, Sean is also very academically motivated and wants to be challenged at his college. Also, he has dreams of going premed (but don't they all..). </p>
<p>So, my good friends, would Columbia be a good fit for our friend Sean, based upon his needs/wants/desires?</p>
<p>Um he should come to UC Berkeley. Columbia is an Ivy School. They love to pick kids who have attended private schools and come from rich and influential families, possibility involved in politics. However, there will also be a very large group of liberal and accepting students since its in the Big Apple. He should consider NYU if he wants to be in a more liberal and easy going university if he really wants to be in NY. He should really consider UC Berkeley because it is possibly the most liberal college in the world.</p>
<p>Haha alright, but is Berkeley in an urban atmosphere? And also, NYU is a bit too large for me (Sean). In addition, Berkeley is not only out-of-state, it’s kind of on the other end of the country, so, I don’t know if that’s ideal. I’m not ruling it out though. </p>
<p>Anyone else?</p>
<p>Ofcourse you’re considering Brown PLME. Right lol?</p>
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<p>Beware the false prophets.</p>
<p>Have any Columbia kids gone on to the UC Berk board and said things they have ABSOLUTELY no clue about with regards to UCB? No? Well please don’t do so here.</p>
<p>Columbia has an extremely broad base of types of high schools and students they draw from every year. All races and many, many creeds. 1st generation college or legacies.</p>
<p>The LGBTQ groups on campus are extremely active as well if that interests you.</p>
<p>Alright thanks. Anyone else?</p>
<p>Haha I like your third person narrative! You sound like a cool guy. I actually think Columbia would be a good fit for you, but you would need to be willing for an atmosphere different from the one you are used to. NYC is a drastic difference from an (I’m assuming) suburban environment.
Even though I do not attend Columbia, I have visited and am interested as well. It appeared to be quite diverse, and as one of the top schools in the nation I can only assume it will be advanced intellectually. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Just to echo what Skraylor said, the LGBT community at columbia is very active and accepted, to the point that essentially nobody makes a problem out of it. Every a cappella group seemingly has their token gay tenor, every theater group has a few either performing or supporting, you may meet some in most classes… and by and large it’s completely accepted and unremarkable.</p>
<p>There are, of course, one or two neanderthals every year who aren’t ready or prepared to encounter people different from themselves, and make some homophobic waves. They generally get received about as warmly as racists would, and tend to either shape up or ship out.</p>
<p>UCB and NYU may or may not be as good or better of a match for you, for any of a variety of reasons. But acceptance of alternative lifestyles is not one of those reasons.</p>
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[QUOTE=Denzera]
There are, of course, one or two neanderthals every year who aren’t ready or prepared to encounter people different from themselves, and make some homophobic waves. They generally get received about as warmly as racists would, and tend to either shape up or ship out.
[/quote]
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<p>The flipside of going to a school that stifles the ideas that you disagree with is that you will lose the freedom to hold your own heterodox opinions. </p>
<p>[The</a> State of Free Speech on Campus: Columbia University - FIRE](<a href=“http://www.thefire.org/article/10583.html]The”>Newsdesk | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)</p>
<p>That’s quite an overexaggeration. Columbians are prone to complaining that the world doesn’t listen to them enough, they deserve more rights, the administration doesn’t value their opinions, blah blah blah. The fact of the matter is, you can say whatever you want and the administration bends over backwards to remain impartial.</p>
<p>Your linked article has a sole complaint: The university’s sexual harassment policy could theoretically be used to restrict student’s speech, and further claims that students will hold back on certain comments because of fears about sexual harassment charges. As a recent graduate, I can assure everyone that’s completely bogus - people say what’s on their mind. Whoever wrote that article has no real clue how things actually operate.</p>
<p>@al6200, isn’t that basically what happens in any environment where someone has a unique belief? And I don’t think Denzera was saying the environment was “stifling”, as you put it, but she was saying racist and homophobic views (which are seen today by the majority of the country as being archaic) may not be viewed in the most positive light. Essentially, this is the perennial plight of the person who has a belief different from that general view of society? People who have different opinions generally keep it to themselves or their view isn’t really widely accepted. I just think that someone who was racist wouldn’t be accepted with open arms at really any school in the country (with some exceptions…maybe). Basically, to say this “stifling” attitude is Columbia specific is way offbase. Also, I don’t even think Columbia holds that kind of attitude. The article was, as Denzera said, very one-track. Not much diversity in the issues.</p>
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<p>I’m just going to echo this because I think it’s an important point about that article that has a very misleading title and posting context.</p>
<p>Edit: about the actual complaint in the article, I have never had any experience with sexual harassment so can’t comment on it…but I feel that if the said “ancillary material” in the policy was actually used to stifle free speech, on anything including harassment, there would be such an uproar by the entire student body that the uni would need to change its course.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why everyone wants racial diversity.</p>
<p>I’m not a racist and I have nothing against anyone who thinks differently than me, but I just don’t understand why people are so driven to racial diversity. It almost seems racists to want to seek out
exclusively. </p>
<p>The worst part is that it’s taboo to question racial diversity, but honestly I need to understand. Here is a question for the OP: </p>
<p>Why do you want racial diversity so badly?</p>
<p>(Full Disclosure: I’m White/Armenian with friends of all races.)</p>
<p>Same reason why a Pinkberry with only vanilla almond would go out of business in two days. </p>
<p>People, well not everyone obviously, like to be in environments where they can learn and interact with different people. Belly dance, learn mandarin, go visit friends from Australia one summer, get new perspectives on old topics from people who have family in Africa and the Middle East, taste southern Jewish cakes (not a euphemism), learn that there are Haitian legends surprisingly similar to the Iliad, realize that not all gay dudes spend their life discussing clothes and Sex and the City, etc. The more diversity you’re exposed to, the more the chances are that you’ll change as a person and that you’ll exit those walls 4 years later as someone new and amazing.</p>
<p>From the ethnic point of view; no one wants to earn the nickname “that brown guy” in college. An international scenery is just more inviting.</p>
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<p>Alexander Astin, “Diversity and Multiculturalism on the Campus: How are Students Affected?,” Change (March/April 1993)</p>
<p>Mitchell Chang, “Racial Diversity in Higher Education: Does a Racially Mixed Student Population Affect Educational Outcomes,” (unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California–Los Angeles, 1996)</p>
<p>Octavio Villalpando, “Comparing the Effects of Multiculturalism and Diversity on Minority and White Students’ Satisfaction with College,” (paper presented at the meeting of the ASHE, Tucson, Ariz., 1994)</p>
<p>Octavio Villalpando, “The Long Term Effects of College on Chicana and Chicano Students’ ‘Other Oriented’ Values, Service Careers and Community Involvement,” (unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California–Los Angeles, 1996).</p>
<p>Just to name a few…</p>
<p>Edit: there are also a ton of articles about the advantages of diversity in businesses. Esty, K. et al (1995) is a good starting point for that.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Goddammit Skaylor, heed my words; one day your constant one-upping of my posts with quality and outside research will end in the Hudson! Tis a gentleman’s promise I say!</p>
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<p>It has a strange, quick jar upon the ear,
That cocking of a pistol, when you know
A moment more will bring the sight to bear
Upon your person, twelve yards off or so.
-Don Juan, Canto IV</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Ha. I feel like you and I are in similar situations (though I opted out of Catholic school for public - the horror!). Columbia is probably my top choice right now, and I’ll try to speak to some of your concerns. Columbia’s known for being very liberal (but so are most colleges nowadays), and it’s billed as the most diverse of all the Ivies. Academics are obviously top notch (the Core is supposed to be especially challenging). When I visited, it just seemed like a very accepting atmosphere, and I’m pretty sure at least one of my tour guides was gay (not to stereotype, but…). If you’re looking for info about student life and whatnot, it’d definitely be worthwhile to check out U N I G O (it won’t display when I type it normally), a site that’s been really helpful to me. Here’s a link to Columbia’s page (though since it probably won’t display, you can just go to the website and search Columbia):</p>
<p><a href="http://www..com/columbia_university/%5B/url%5D">http://www..com/columbia_university/</a></p>
<p>Now, a question for you (ha): as a fellow East Coast gay (I feel like I just coined a phrase…) interested in elite schools, what other colleges are you looking at? I’m thinking urban, and though BU’s cool, it’s a little too big and I would prefer a bit more traditional campus. Right now I’m really into Vassar, a small LAC in Poughkeepsie, NY (not exactly NYC but…). It’s got a great English program, and it’s supposed to be one of the most gay-friendly colleges in the country (a definite plus). Sorry to turn the tables like this, but I’d totally appreciate any ideas!</p>
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<p>Emerson, in Boston, should probably be another place to look if that’s something that is really important to you. The phrase “gay by may” is pretty ubiquitous on and around campus from what my friends tell me.</p>
<p>I’ve actually looked into it (and I found the “gay by may” thing pretty funny), but I think it’s too specialized - it’s a really good school if you know exactly what you want to do, but I’m reluctant to commit to something like that. Thanks though!</p>