<p>Gwen, my D2 made the exact same comment about one LAC with slightly quirky, curious, multi-talented, laid back, academically strong kids- of all varieties. </p>
<p>Nearly all Americans have some footing in the “meltingpot” (whether through our families’ country of origin and our family traditions or the flavor of our communities.) We forget that, when we get into arguments about diversity.<br>
The net result of AA, diversity, multi-cultrual programs, planned communities, et al, is: when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with people different from you, you learn to abandon preconceived notions. That doesn’t mean you have to like everyone.
I recently saw this quote from Bowdoin. “…defined diversity as ‘people from various perspectives such as geography, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political ideology, religion, height and so on.’”</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. For the first time, this year white students make up less than half of the incoming freshman class! I think it’s great - very different than when I attended in the early '80s. It will be interesting for him, since Maine is about 99% white! His roommate, who was chosen at random, is Asian. They’re getting along well.</p>
<p>I agree with Mom2CollegeKids,but I feel like a lot of people misunderstood what she was saying. I think there’s a sweet spot to diversity. As a minority, you want just enough to feel comfortable but not necessarily such a large percentage that it feels like overload. I don’t want to feel like I’m the only black kid in class, but I certainly don’t want to go to a school where a majority of the students are black either. I don’t think that’s a “spoiled high school mentality”. I just think it’s wanting to find some people you have something in common with. I have friends who are Indian and we get along wonderfully, but there are some things that I can’t fully relate to because I’m not Indian. There are things that they can’t fully relate to because they’re not black. I think it’s completely ridiculous that people will criticize others for wanting to be around people they have something in common with.</p>
<p>“Diversity” is hyped. College and universities are so caught up in “political correctness”, which many are responsible for inflicting upon themselves.</p>
<p>My school is very diversified so I don’t think I’ll encounter a diversity problem. I actually believe that was life is all about, learning about different cultures, traditions, and customs, and learning to coexist,</p>
<p>i wouldn’t want to be the only asian at my school, but i dont want to be surrounded by asians …it gets stifling…you get more out of meeting different kinds of people than staying with the same group constantly</p>
<p>*Seriously, do the kids and adults on this thread think there are no dating issues for black kids? *</p>
<p>??? What makes you ask this question? Did we write something that makes you think we think one way or another?</p>
<p>All I know is that some successful black women have told me that they feel there is a lacking of enough successful black men to date and marry. I think it may be because more black women are seeking higher education than black men.</p>
<p>Is that what you’re talking about? </p>
<p>Is it ok with you for your D to date men of other races?</p>
<p>??? What makes you ask this question?Did we write something that makes you think we think one way or another?</p>
<p>I don’t think many have said otherwise, but to me, it’s the elephant in the room. Even bigger than trying to get your hair done.</p>
<p>"Is it ok with you for your D to date men of other races? "</p>
<p>Yes. </p>
<p>Both I, and my brother have dated other races; even thought we were getting married. ( for me, a Jewish guy, going to an HBCU!!!) Not what happened. </p>
<p>All of my sons “girl friends” have been white.</p>
<p>“I think it may be because more black women are seeking higher education than black men.”</p>
<p>Probably a bit on the cynical side here, but most colleges, throughout the application process, signal how diversity is a great thing, how they’re really reaching out to create a diverse student body, and many ask students questions like “How will your presence here increase the diversity of our school?”</p>
<p>With the constant messaging of “diversity being a good thing for applications”, is it any wonder students parrot back what they think you want to hear? </p>
<p>I mean, you don’t <em>really</em> think every student wants to spend hundreds of hours in extracurricular activities, play an instrument, tutor children, build houses for the poor, clean septic tanks for the elderly, and be president of NHS, do you?</p>
<p>*
Seriously, do the kids and adults on this thread think there are no dating issues for black kids? </p>
<p>??? What makes you ask this question? Did we write something that makes you think we think one way or another?</p>
<p>I don’t think many have said otherwise, but to me, it’s the elephant in the room. Even bigger than trying to get your hair done.*</p>
<p>So, you think the desire for people to date within one’s race is a consideration for desiring “diversity” that includes a good number of their own ethnic group? I think that’s a real possibility. For my Jewish relatives, I know that’s important for them. </p>
<p>While many people don’t have a problem with dating outside their race, I think there’s still an inner leaning among some people (not all) to date/marry within their race just for cultural or other reasons… </p>
<p>As for getting one’s hair done…that’s another story. :)</p>
<p>Squiddy, my daughter actually continued all the things she had a passion for in high school. I “heard” the “signals”; she did not. Dating wasn’t a passion then, and ( as far as I know), it isn’t now.</p>
<p>"As for getting one’s hair done…that’s another story. "</p>
<p>true so true and there is Nothing wrong with that kids want many things to do on campus and many majors to choose from as well as many oppertunities to choose from .it’s the schools and goverments that want to push for other definitions so they look like they are filling their agendas. people need to attend where they feel comfortable.</p>
<p>Interesting topic. I personally answered several “what does diversity mean to you” essays for college apps, one of the longest one being for a small LAC that i ended up turning down because, among other reasons (super tiny, in the middle of nowhere) when i visited it was ALL wasp kids, not to mention mostly girls. in the english class i visited there was one african girl (african as in from africa) who had a really thick accent, dark skin etc and really stuck out. and the few times she raised her hand to talk the vibe in the room completely changed; you could just feel it --it’s not like they were condescending towards her but basically she was THE black girl (could’ve easily been asian or hispanic- just not white). and most of the white kids had similar senses of humor, backgrounds etc.
obviously i now go to cal, which in other forums you will hear rants about it being overrun by asians, wracked by affirmative action etc–obviously different opinions abound. IMO aside from race i find the rich/poor/middle class diversity to be the most engaging (i’m wealthy OOS, roommate just lost her house; reconciliation is challenging but educational). as far as race goes, as many have observed, people tend to stick to the ‘familiar’. only when i pass GBC (campus cafe/sandwich place) do i see large groups of black kids, and they’re all only hanging with eachother (i think many are athletes which would also explain why they’re all friends). and my asian roommate is only friends with other asians, and my philipina roommate is heavily involved in her cultural community and thus has almost exclusively philipino friends. again this is my personal experience, i’m sure there’re other people who see it differently.</p>
<p>Honestly, all I want in terms of diversity is a high probability of making friends with a foreign kid. I’m fascinated by other cultures, so if I can make at least one foreign friend while at college, I’ll be happy. And I like accents a lot. Although, I think having someone who is proficient at English with a fairly clear accent will make communication a lot easier, especially right away. That, and, I don’t want to be at a school where all of the majors are similar to each other (like a Rose Hulman) because I want to meet people with varieties of interests.</p>
<p>I would love to be the only one! lol, I spent a year aborad and I was the only one in my area group, that was pretty cool!!
Although the coolest was to meet people from different countries, and my best friends were 4 girls all of them from different countries.</p>
<p>“Diversity” wasn’t something my son sought when applying to colleges. However he ended up at a university that boasts a highly diverse population and a very large number of international students. He now has a room-mate and friends from different ethnic backgrounds and countries. They are “like him” in that they are intelligent, motivated kids with passionate interests. This is a wonderful part of the “college experience”–learning about different cultures and parts of the world, etc., not in a classroom, but through friends.</p>
<p>Pardon me, but as a minority who married a foreigner, I find the original post ridiculous. It is possible to wish to find diversity in life without actually wanting to LIVE it. Meaning, one can seek diverse people and experiences in work, entertainment, friendship, education, and even romance but still not want to immerse themselves fully 24/7.</p>
<p>The assumption that limits on the desire make the desire less noble is presumptuous. I interact with many diverse people in my life. I can’t think of any one of them I’d choose to live with.</p>
<p>How much diversity do I really want? As an Asian International, as well as a legit Third Culture Kid who has friends on all habitable continents, I can’t imagine going to a homogeneous school. Diversity all the way.</p>