How Much “Diversity” Do You REALLY Want?

College Search & Selection
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<p>As a prospective student, here’s my opinion about diversity: I don’t care. Whenever I’m reading college brochures, and they harp on their diversity I just kind of roll my eyes. The thing is that 90% of the time when college admissions people say “diversity” they are talking almost exclusively about race/nationality. The result is a school packed with minorities and skewed out of proportion from America’s typical demographics. Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it says to me that even after everything the country has been through, people are still so racially minded to be making their college selections based on criteria like that. Race is something I always try to look past and ignore, so we can all just be people. But no one else seems to want to do that. And learning about other cultures is great, but it doesn’t mean the world to me. I can take it or leave it, and I don’t mind if it is or isn’t firsthand learning (i.e., from talking to the actual people). But, hey, I’m a math person. What do I know?</p>

<p>Summary: There’s no reason to bend over backward for diversity. People are people. They’re all different enough. There doesn’t have to be a perfectly-proportioned mix for me to get different perspectives.</p>

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<p>I agree with seuzy13, the word “diversity” is typically used to mean race/nationality in college admissions. However, there are all types of diversity…economic, sexual orientation, political, religious, personal interests, etc. So when I think in terms of diversity - I think it’s good for a student entering college to be exposed to all different types of people. It doesn’t have to be racial diversity to be enlightening, just students from different backgrounds. That in itself can be an eye opening experience.</p>

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<p>I’m pro-diversity, yet it should be more than based on race and nationality too. I once visited overnight an American college that boasted of its international diversity, and felt that it was wrongfully advertised. During my stay, I saw that people of different backgrounds did not interact much with “outsiders”. </p>

<p>If the minority groups aren’t integrated or feel that they belong on campus, what is the point of diversity?</p>

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<p>Having grown up in an area with a fair amount of socioeconomic and racial diversity, I’m looking for a college experience that mimics that. Frankly, I don’t feel comfortable around too many people like myself.</p>

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<p>I find this a very interesting thread. And now that May 1st is fast approaching: bump!</p>

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<p>I think I 'd like to experience as much diversity as possible… afterall this is one of the main goals of a college education: to gain global perspaectives, meet new-different people, learn different cultures and OPEN your eyes and mind…</p>

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<p>LOTS of it.
Lack of diversity is a MAJOR turn-off for me. And I know self-segregation exists at all colleges, but if a college has way too much of it, I won’t even give it a second thought. That may seem judgemental, but what can I say? I’m very picky about my college choices!</p>

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<p>I’m guessing it’s NICE when you can afford to be picky!</p>

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<p>Exactly! I mean, I obviously can’t speak for everyone, but I think you’re generally right, and after reading your comment and mom2collegekids’s comment, I’m realizing that I fit into the first category. While my primary concern with diversity is that a school is not homogeneous when it comes to race, religion, political views, economic situations, etc., I think it would be really cool to go to a college with more Black students since my school is predominantly White and Asian. </p>

<p>Now I haven’t been looking for this because most schools don’t recognize this as an ethnic group and advertise about it, but my first choice when it comes to diversity would be to have a sizable Multiracial community, since as Biracial I’ve always been in a huge minority and I think it would be cool to meet more people in my situation. I have a few Biracial friends but they’re both Amerasian (I’m 1/4 Black, 3/4 White) so the dynamic is a bit different…personally, while my first choice would have great representation from every race, what I really want is to be able to find more people who’ve had similar experience, since at home it often feels like I’m the only one.</p>

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<p>To get a real sense of diversity in a school–visit and speak to people!</p>

<p>In some schools, the numbers might appear very diverse, but socially there may be a lot of self-selected segregation among groups. That may or may nto be what you are looking for. Classes may be diverse, but that may be the end of any real interaction.</p>

<p>Sometimes a school which may appear less diverse numbers-wise, may actually have more mixing of races/ nationalities and socio-economic classes on a social level.</p>

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<p>This thread seems to have turned into a place for everyone to brag how diverse and un-prejudiced their amazing kids are, haha.</p>

<p>Seriously, though, I agree that diversity is important… if you don’t go to learn and live in an environment where all cultures and creeds are represented, you’re definitely not going to be prepared for life beyond higher education.</p>

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<p>See, I agree that diversity is important because it helps give one a new perspective on things. I went on a diversity trip and it was nice to learn about other cultures because the world is a big place and my little town only shows me a portion of it.</p>

<p>Honestly though, in terms of college applications, I’m just happy that my sister and I are considered URMs.</p>

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<p>“Sometimes a school which may appear less diverse numbers-wise, may actually have more mixing of races/ nationalities and socio-economic classes on a social level”</p>

<p>Mixing would be nice, but my son is literally the only black male in his class, and possibly no others on a regular basis. He has been “mixing” his whole life. Plenty of Mexican kids, a variety of Asian kids, some biracial kids. I think his ideas about black people are a little stunted. My d ended up at a school that is more diverse than our community and it was worth a lot of money to us.</p>

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<p>People and schools say they want “diversity” but when it comes down to it, people tend to flock to others w/ the same cultural experiences and interests and the schools change their rationale for diversity when it comes to the admissions process.</p>

<p>Lets’ face, people of “like-kind” (doesn’t have to be race or ethnicity, tho it is usually the driving factor) tend to associate together b/c it’s comforting (that’s just human nature), esp if there is signifcant nos. to support such sub-groups.</p>

<p>For smaller schools like LACs, there is usually more interaction b/c there ususally isn’t a large enough minority pop. base.</p>

<p>Asian students tend to stick together (w/ the exception of the so-called “bananas”, “twinkies”, “whitewashed”, etc. who usually don’t want anything to do w/ other Asians and only associate w/ whites), blacks students tend to stick together, non-white Hispanic students tend to stick together, etc. (blacks and Hispanics also have their own version of the so-called "whitewashed, but generally to a lesser extent).</p>

<p>Now, if there is a big enough pop. base for these groups, they would often associate in smaller subgroups - such as Chinese students hanging out with only other Chinese students, black students w/ recent ties to Africa hanging out w/ others like them as opposed to African-Ams w/ generational ties to the US, etc.</p>

<p>Depending on how large or small these groups are, they can split or combine: such as students of Indian and Pakistani descent combining if they don’t have the nos. alone or Chinese-Am students generally not associating w/ Chinese students from China (usually depends on the person’s upbringing as “American”, 1.5er or “FOB”).</p>

<p>And yes, whites “self-segregate” as well; they just think they don’t b/c they have a “token” minority or 2 within their group and really, the said minority (often an Asian) is culturally mainstream America (basically “white”).</p>

<p>This “integration” is almost always a one-way street. </p>

<p>How many whites really integrate themselves into another sub-culture/social group where they aren’t the dominant group?</p>

<p>I mean really, how much “diversity” is there when say, all the Asian students at a school are “whitewashed” and culturally the same as the white students?</p>

<p>Now, of course, these are fairly broad generalizations and there are always exceptions. </p>

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<p>And school admissions boards speak on both sides of their mouths when they promote “diversity” on campus.</p>

<p>On the one hand, they defend the disproportionate % of black immigrant students from Africa and the Carribean by arguing (cultural) diversity and then (purportedly) limit the % of Asian students by using the same (cultural) diversity card when (1) many of the Asian-Am students they admit are “whitewashed” (2) admit an overwhelmingly no. of Asian students of Chinese, Korean and Indian descent and (3) aggressively pursue foreign students from China, Korea and India while basically not doing much to pursue Asian immigrant students (particularly of other Asian ethnicities such as Hmong, Laotian, etc.).</p>

<p>So basically:</p>

<p>blacks from diff. cultural backgrounds = good.</p>

<p>Asians from diff. cultural backgrounds = not that interested.</p>

<p>(hmmm - could this just be a bogus argument to justify filling a “diverse” class w/ the students who have the highest test scores?)</p>

<p>And really, if these schools wanted more diversity - wouldn’t they want more non-Jewish white students as well? (Jewish students make up a disproportionate % of many of the top schools, much more so than Asians.)</p>

<p>And it’s not like schools don’t ever differentiate btwn non-Jewish whites and Jews; schools like USC and Vandy have specifically targeted Jewish students in order to increase their student body academic profile (it’s not like Jewish students were underrepresented in comparison to the general pop.).</p>