<p>I'll be honest-- one of the biggest things that's drawing me to Columbia is the high amount of low income students (26%) and people of color (57%). Since I'm a low-income woman of color myself, I just feel like I'd feel more like I fit in. I want to talk about the sense of solidarity and belonging I'd feel in the "Why Columbia" essay, but I don't want to make it sound like I have something against rich white people, if that makes sense. Would it be okay? I mean, I'd talk about other things too (specifically the Core, which is another huge draw for me), but I just want to know if I should leave it out or not. Thanks for any help.</p>
<p>I don’t think it would hurt you. Columbia is very proud of that part of its community.</p>
<p>I’m sure it would be an excellent thing to include. When I went to an information session, there was a tour guide who was a woc/woman of color who was almost raving about solidarity, inclusiveness, and overall diversity of the student body (racial, ethnic, lgbt+, and political and socioeconomic standings - in order of how often during the session). </p>
<p>I also shadowed this consulting lawyer (woc as well) who went to CU’s grad school after coming from Princeton who had Columbia’s diversity as one of her main reasons for coming. Most of the CU alumns I’ve met cite CU’s diversity as one of their main reasons. I think she said she stated it in her application essay. </p>
<p>The only issue I could see about this is if you don’t include anything else (which you won’t be doing based on what you wrote). After all, Columbia is about as diverse as the rest of the city and the other boroughs.</p>
<p>Everything else you’ve add (ex: the core) should have a considerable amount of time put in to it; you don’t want them to look at your essay and say “Well then what makes /us/ different from these 30 other schools with just as much or even more diversity to this applicant? If we were to accept them what’s keeping them going to Rice or Hunter even if they get accepted /there/?”</p>
<p>Thanks! I really appreciate the insider’s view, so to speak.</p>