I really want to go to IU, however, I do understand that it is hard to “fit it” as a minority student at a predominantly white school. All of my family members don’t want me to go to Indiana, because they say “it’s too racist” but I attend a predominantly white high school, and I’m fine there. I just don’t know what to do. All of my friends say that IU is too far (I live in Virginia) and my family members say it’s racist.
IU is one of my D’s top choices. She has not visited yet, but my research leads me to believe that the administration is very supportive of its minority students (e.g., an active Af-Am center with regular cultural programming, various diversity scholarships and initiatives). You will find some racism at every college, but don’t label an entire school as “racist.” At a college the size of IU, you should be able to find a good support system in addition to making friends of various backgrounds.
To add to the above, there will be many clubs and organizations devoted to minorities that you can join!
Except for the HBCU’s and some schools in CA pretty much all colleges are “predominantly white”.
IU Bloomington, IUPUI receive 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award
Re: #3
Actually, more colleges than those are <50% white:
- Probably more than you think in California.
- Some in other states like Texas and Hawaii.
- Even in the northeast, with a higher percentage white population, there are schools like MIT and Harvard.
Of course, whether or not there is bothersome racism is a different question.
My son considers his friends in the Honors College at Kelley Indianapolis (IUPUI) as his brothers and sisters, an unbelievable connection. And they are from all corners of the world and American society. Maybe because it’s in a city and very culturally diverse. Regardless, it cradles diversity and understands what it really means.
Kids nowadays are more blind to these issues than other generations and so are the colleges themselves.
Please don’t over think it. The kids know whats up here. Color, background, religion and “how you identify” blindness. The way the world should be.