Hello everyone. I am looking for advice on how to write columbia’s #1 essay about diversity & community. Because there is nothing special about my background, do you think I should talk about how I experienced diversity in my life experiences? Any advice would be great to be honest
Prompt: A hallmark of the Columbia experience is being able to learn and live in a community with a wide range of perspectives. How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities? (200 words or fewer)
This is a very short essay. Diversity comes in many forms: socioeconomic, racial or ethnic, illness or disability. The response can also inlcude educational experiences. You may not want to say too much publicly so I will PM you.
You say “there is nothing special about my background”. But the prompt isn’t asking about your background. It’s asking “How do you or would you learn from and contribute to diverse, collaborative communities?”
Do you live in a diverse community or go to a school with a diverse student body? Think of “diverse” broadly as @compmom pointed out. Have you gained any insights from interactions with people with varied backgrounds or experiences? How do you try and understand a different viewpoint? That’s what Columbia is looking to understand.
Feel free to PM me as well if you want to discuss specifics that you’re not comfortable sharing publicly.