I’m planning to commit here as an International Affairs major, and I’m wondering how truly diverse GW is. I don’t mind if one ethnic group is larger (as a matter of fact I embrace all people regardless of their race). I’ve lived in PA for a year when I was younger, and to be frank, I did experience quite a bit of racism there. For the most part, I was raised in Southern California, where many cultures happily mix and mingle, so the east coast is definitely going to be a different atmosphere.
I’m sorry if I sound ridiculous… The social aspect of college is a huge component for me, because I want to make the best out of the next four years!
Well, GW is predominantly white, but there’s a good portion that’s international (many from the Middle East and East Asia). As far as racism or anything like that, I can say I never witnessed any of it firsthand. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, as I’m sure the word of a minority at GW would weigh more heavily than that of a white male. However, I’ve seen a lot of evidence to the contrary: students welcoming diversity as a way to learn new cultures, hear other experiences, or just be challenged in one’s viewpoints.
As a minority, I never personally experienced any racism at GW. in general, GW students tend to be pretty open and tolerant. of course, you will have a few not so nice people, but that’s applicable to any university on planet earth.
GW is about 64% white US students, which means 36% are going to be minorities/international. there is a reputation for having a preppy white east coast kids, and you’ll certainly see some of those, but also you’ll encounter students from a variety of backgrounds from all across the country and the world. as the numbers indicate, about 4 in 10 of the kids you meet will be either non-white or foreign.