Does MOSAIC give an accurate picture of Vanderbilt?

<p>Has anyone here attended MOSAIC in the past, and do you feel it gave you an accurate picture of Vanderbilt, thus supplanting the need for a "regular" overnight college visit? Did it help you make your decision about coming here?</p>

<p>itsasmallworld,
It’s spring break for Vanderbilt students. If you don’t hear anything this week, try again next week.</p>

<p>It all depends on how much your host does with you and how much exploring you do on your own. If you only hang out with your host, his/her friends, and stick with MOSAIC activities, you’ll likely miss out on the real Vanderbilt as you’ll get the false impression that Vanderbilt is brimming with minorities. Again, the X-factor is who your host is and what he/she does. If you take the time to do some exploring on your own, you’ll get a better impression of the normal Vanderbilt.</p>

<p>My concern is that while Vanderbilt should be commended for hosting MOSAIC, and the admissions staff are well meaning, there are perhaps some unintended consequences coming out of this event.</p>

<p>MOSAIC participants will start to make friendships that will begin the process of self-segregation even before they become freshmen.</p>

<p>You are so right searchlight22. I never thought about it that way, but now that you mentionned it… Especially when Vanderbilt make it clear that Mosaic is about skin color, not necessary diversity or multicultural, as some people understand it. What I mean is that a white student, say, from another country does not qualify for Mosaic.</p>

<p>new question. how strict is it? say i have a friend at vandy and i wanna go out and party with him one night. is that possible i mean i dont see what they can do, but then again idk what these hosts are told to do with me. i hope i can get a cool host who can either take me out or will trust me if i want to go out. think they would report me to the big guys and i could get in some sort of trouble or what?</p>

<p>It depends on your host. If you explain the situation to your host, he or she will probably be okay with it.</p>

<p>yea, the fact that i was labeled a “student of color” really upset me. what are we in the 60s or something? it may not be a big deal to others but it was for me. i will not be attending the mosaic event.</p>

<p>You have to remember why this event was started in the first place. There was a time not so long ago that Vanderbilt was overwhelmingly white and Southern. Through programs like MOSAIC, the university’s enrollment has become more diverse that it has ever been.</p>

<p>okay. but they can at least call me a minority, not a colored student. i take serious offense to that.</p>

<p>What one takes offense to is obviously one’s prerogative, but I’ve seen plenty of black men and women refer to themselves as men or women “of color.” I’ve never seen or heard other minorities use that phrase, though. </p>

<p>I’m plenty sure Vanderbilt meant no offense.</p>

<p>Is Mosaic really all about skin color? I’m half Caucasian and half Asian and was invited…I can see why Vandy would consider me a “minority,” but I’ve never thought of myself as someone “of color.” (Not that I found it offensive or anything, but it was just interesting.)</p>

<p>Id hate to steal this thread, but do you have to apply to get admitted into Mosaic? Or do they find you.</p>

<p>They find you.</p>

<p>bump…</p>

<p>no you have to apply and get admitted - part of it involves knowing that you’re admitted 6 weeks before the rest of RD and then being able to visit through the MOSIAC program</p>