<p>Classof2015, not super isolated, but one thing my husband was concerned about initially (and sorry if this offends anyone: it offended me a little but he was proven right) is that it is in North Carolina and is not one of the UNCs. Most of the people we know who went to this university loved it, and the vibe was so great when we visited. I think your comment about a larger school and one nearer an urban area is the ticket. I also live fire123’s suggestion to start applying to schools now, or soon, as a safety net. She was accepted to one other small private LAC (but much smaller and equally as non diverse) before she did ED at the school in question, so I think it would be a mistake to go down that road again (small LAC, not much diversity.) Thanks for the support. I feel so bad for her.</p>
<p>She’s lucky she has your love and support. And it’s great she’s doing well, academically – makes transferring a lot easier. Hang in there.</p>
<p>Another plug for Smith! My d. is a happy and very successful alum. And when it comes to diversity, they really try to walk the talk.</p>
<p>Blue Roses, I am so sorry to hear about the situation your daughter is in. It must be extremely difficult to get a feel beforehand for the vibe on campus re diversity. What a disappointment to get there and be so let down.</p>
<p>My only thought for you is to ask if there is any advantage to her sticking out the year (instead of transferring after one semester)? One reason might be that most financial aid is granted based on the academic (not calendar) year. Of course if finances are not an issue and if she is that miserable it might be worth it. If March 1 is the transfer deadline app her spring semester will keep her busy with apps, visits, and a light at the end of the tunnel…and she would not have to “lose” a semester.</p>
<p>Wishing you and your D all the best.</p>
<p>Mini, she was an A student in high school and is doing really well where she is, but her SATs really were not very good at all. She tends to freeze up on those big, long tests. If she was able to finish a whole year at college before transferring and continued to do as well as she is, maybe a place as prestigious as Smith might consider her. But I honestly worry that her SATs will be looked at and that will take her off the table. She wants to be a social worker and work with the elderly or kids in foster care, trans racial adoptions, etc. so is looking for colleges with BSW programs or similar.</p>
<p>Smith is test optional! I know they have a graduate program in social work:
[Smith</a> College: School for Social Work](<a href=“http://www.smith.edu/ssw/]Smith”>Home | School for Social Work)</p>
<p>Not sure about the undergrad options.</p>
<p>As a practical matter, many schools prefer to see at least a year of college credit completed for transfers at the sophomore level, so if she leaves after one semester, she may need to take a full course load in the spring at a local community college to become transfer eligible at such schools. Check each school’s transfer requirements to be sure.</p>
<p>Also, high school credentials, including SAT scores, are typically considered for sophomore level transfers, but become less important for junior level transfers (e.g. if she leaves and then does three semesters at a community college before transferring), since she will have more of a college record by then.</p>
<p>OP, am I right in guessing you’re talking about Wake Forest?</p>
<p>Another good option besides Smith would be Mount Holyoke. It’s a bit isolated, but very diverse- 25% of it’s student body is made up of international students.</p>
<p>Smith won’t care much at all about her SATs. They are optional. No BSW program, but LOTS of social workers come out of Smith. The MSW program has a special alumnae group for social workers of color.</p>
<p>It does appear that Smith:</p>
<ul>
<li>Accepts transfer applications for spring as well as fall semester (deadline is November 15 for spring transfer applications, so move quickly if that is of interest).</li>
<li>Does not indicate any minimum level of college credit for transfer applicants.</li>
<li>Requires high school credentials for transfers, but SAT and ACT tests are optional.</li>
</ul>
<p>[Smith</a> College: For Transfer Students: Apply](<a href=“http://www.smith.edu/admission/transfer_apply.php]Smith”>Transfer Applicants | Smith College)</p>
<p>Migraine, it’s actually not Wake. I don’t mean to be coy, but don’t feel Ok calling out the school on a public forum. Maybe once all the dust is settled. </p>
<p>As far as staying through the end of the year: I would honestly worry about her having to deal emotionally with this stuff for so long. It’s really disheartening. It’s hard for us white people to understand the level at which discrimination strikes at people of color and the role it plays in their lives. Our reality is so different. It really is. </p>
<p>Hey, that’s nifty about Smith! I think Northeast would be ideal. We live in Maryland so she was also thinking about our state flagship at College Park, which has a family studies/social work bachelors that brags about it’s diversity. </p>
<p>I just looked at the Smith application and they even take special materials for kids in the arts. My D is a talented ballet dancer (pre professional level, has done intensives with ABT and was invited to train with the Joffrey) and is a photographer, as well. This might be a road worth going down, if I can get her to consider a women’s school.</p>
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<p>Out of curiosity, has this been reported to the teacher or better yet, higher admins? Just curious as this behavior isn’t tolerated in the conduct policies of many colleges and depending on the administration/campus, will result in meaningful consequences. </p>
<p>Granted, I attended an LAC where anyone behaving like that would not only have administrative sanctions hanging on his/her head, but also the unabashed ire of most students.</p>
<p>[Office</a> of Undergraduate Admissions · University of Maryland » Transfer Students](<a href=“http://www.uga.umd.edu/requirements/TransferStudents.php]Office”>http://www.uga.umd.edu/requirements/TransferStudents.php) indicates that the University of Maryland allows transfer applications from those with at least 12 semester or 18 quarter hours of college credit (about 4/5 of a semester’s worth). High school credentials including SAT or ACT scores are required for those with fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of college credit.</p>
<p>[Office</a> of Undergraduate Admissions · University of Maryland » Transfer Application Deadlines](<a href=“http://www.uga.umd.edu/apply/TransferApplicationDeadlines.php]Office”>http://www.uga.umd.edu/apply/TransferApplicationDeadlines.php) indicates that transfers can apply for the spring, with a deadline of November 15, although the priority deadline was August 1.</p>
<p>I.e. she has about 8 days for the November 15 deadlines at both Smith and Maryland if she wants to apply to transfer in the spring semester.</p>
<p>cobrat, yesterday when she called, I urged her to talk to the powers that be, and she has an appointment on Friday to do so. In addition, she made a report the first month to the diversity/inclusion folks after someone (not her) was called the “n” word in her presence.</p>
<p>It is sad that your D has had to face this disappointment, but the consolation is that at least she has realized very quickly that she is not in the best place for her. Better one miserable semester than several. </p>
<p>I second the recommendations to both start applying now for transfer, and possibly spend the spring semester at community college. Once she has a year of college, it is unlikely any school will look at her SAT scores.</p>
<p>Plus, there are many schools (in addition to the magnificent Smith) that are test-optional. [SAT/ACT</a> Optional 4-Year Universities | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional]SAT/ACT”>ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest)</p>
<p>She sounds like a bright spark being stifled by her environment, and I am sure there are plenty of other schools that will be glad to have her. </p>
<p>I hope she will find a happy home in a more diverse school, or at least a more tolerant and accepting one. </p>
<p>I’ve been on campuses that lacked diversity but still radiated universal respect to everyone. The funny thing about schools like that is that they often don’t feel the need to trumpet their efforts at improving diversity…they just quietly work on it, knowing that in time minorities will find a safe and secure place there. The ones that make a lot of noise about it, like your D’s school, are often praising the bandage to draw attention away from the size of the wound.</p>
<p>Wherever she lands, I wish her the best. This is only a temporary setback in an extraordinary life.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is any “need” to call out any specific college because it could be “any small college”. I think getting cultural diversity is difficult because colleges are still very regionally aligned and we aren’t all evenly divided north to south and east to west across any kind of demographic lines. Almost all colleges are continually trying to diversify there campuses along whatever mission they derive. </p>
<p>Unless she is so unhappy that it is impossible to finish out the year, she’ll need to create a plan B either while she’s taking her classes or from home, if she leaves at the end of this session. It would not be wise to jump from one college to the next without really doing the research. </p>
<p>My gut reaction would be to stay away from a small college and look closer at universities which by nature of their size tend to be “more diverse” but that’s just one person’s opinion.</p>
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<p>I’m really sorry for your D and you, especially considering my own experiences with this BS growing up as a Chinese-American back in the 1980’s. </p>
<p>I’m more saddened by the fact this is still happening in 2013 and that well-meaning, but sheltered folks…including some parents here on CC downplay the seriousness/extent of this issue.</p>
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<p>It’s not really whether a college is small or large or even its location. Rather, it’s a mix of whether the campus has a critical mass of racists/ignorant students and whether the administration is proactive about handling discriminatory incidents or not. </p>
<p>For instance, my LAC is small and located in a rural area, but has been very proactive in this area. Sometimes to the point people who are disdainful of their sensitivity to the issue consider excessive. More importantly, this racist behavior OP described wouldn’t have been tolerated by the admins or moreso, the vast majority of students who won’t hesitate to express their outrage loudly and publicly.</p>
<p>cobrat,</p>
<p>I have a biracial neighbor who went to your school about the same time you did. She withdrew due to racism and dissatisfaction with the academic quality of her classes. She said your alma mater was the most racist environment she had ever encountered.She transferred out at the end of her first year.</p>
<p>So, not everyone has the rosy view of your alma mater as you do.</p>
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<p>I’m not saying my LAC was perfect. </p>
<p>However, openly using racist epithets and making racist remarks about a Professor and the films she was putting on would never happen without word of it getting around and students mobilizing for a campus-wide protest about it demanding the administration take action when I attended. </p>
<p>If you are inclined, PM me about her experiences.</p>
<p>The only racist incidents I personally encountered were off-campus with the ne’er do well part of the local population.</p>