<p>I think Beloit is less expensive, and a top 50 LAC; it also has merit aid.</p>
<p>I haven't read through the whole post so forgive me if I am repetitive. Occidental and Lewis and Clark both offer good merit and are known for diversity.</p>
<p>I will second Curmudgeon's suggestion about Knox College. D (a California girl, btw) is in her second year there and is meeting a good mix of people from a variety of life experiences. For example, her first-year dorm RA was a student who lives in Palastine. Made for great late night bull sessions. I think the college says that about 10 percent of the student body are international students.</p>
<p>Knox is a private college so the tuition isn't cheap. But they have been generous with merit aid for us, and my daughter says lots of her friends are also getting good aid packages.</p>
<p>Knox is raising fees next year about 3%. This is lower than the inflation rate. How many schools can say that?</p>
<p>Grinnell gives great aid. Don't know its diversity stats but they do have lots of internationals and my D loved it - met kids from all over the US too. They have a new program - about 3 years old - to bring kids from disadvantaged schools in LA and DC to Grin and to help them succeed once they are there.</p>
<p>U of Miami also is quite diverse and has many internationals. According to the viewbook, it is:</p>
<p>8% Asian
11% Black
26% Hispanic
55% White</p>
<p>They give about 50% of the incoming freshman some sort of merit money.</p>
<p>Rice University in Houston is a great school. Lots of diversity, small (2800) undergrad population. Room and board and tuition totals only 30,000. due to 3 billion dollar endowment, and there is significant merit aid, NMS for all finalists, etc. DD is very happy there, and there are lots of opportunities. Diverse groups interact. It is 50% Texans - but Texas is as big and as diverse as 10 states put together. (Similar to California). Also, Trinity University in San Antonio is also about 30,000., Not as well-known as Rice, but in Texas, well-respected - and a good school, especially for Sciences. Much more Texan than Rice...</p>
<p>It seems to me that this diversity occurs in schools that are HWC or majority white... but tell me... how is this diverse?</p>
<p>Dre,
What is it that you consider diverse? What exactly are you looking for? Regional diversity? International diversity? Socioeconomic diversity? Diversity of interests and majors?</p>
<p>We do live in a country that is majority white. Thus, it would make sense that even the most diverse schools are still likely to be majority white. To expect otherwise is nonsensical.</p>
<p>Dre, there isn't a school in the United States of America where you will find a student population of 25% this demographic, 25% that demographic, etcetera etcetra etcetera. Most of the schools with the best diversity are predominantly white because the U.S. is predominantly white. The best you, me, or any student looking for a diverse school can expect is a university that somewhat mirrors the population of the U.S. as a whole and cultivates an atmosphere of learning that coincides with a student body that maintains an open mindedness towards people of other races, religions, genders, and cultures.</p>
<p>Good point! But I guess what I am thinking about is a diversity that doesn't reflect the united states, but the world. That gives you true diversity...</p>
<p>Oh, in that case you should try looking at a school in Montana or Idaho.</p>
<p>Dre,
Think about it: The majority of the world is Asian -- as in people who live in Asia and hold citizenship from such countries. If you want to go to a college reflective of the world's diversity, then go to a college in China or India.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the most diverse colleges in the US are places like Harvard, Yale and Stanford, but because they are US colleges, they still will have US citizens as the majority of their students, though many other colleges will be represented.</p>
<p>In addition, most US colleges can' afford to give financial aid to international students, who understandably would require much more financial aid than would most US students. Thus, only the wealthiest US colleges would be able to provide the kind of financial aid that would allow students from around the world to go there.</p>
<p>Perhaps, Dre, you should look at schools with strong study abroad programs. By studying in numerous foreign countries, one will have the experience of meeting a huge diversity of people. But I suppose that's for another thread.</p>
<p>As well as diversity there are a ton of schools out there that are 30% male and 70% female or 40/60. That is an issue as well.</p>
<p>You can get the number or % of internationals at each college to get an idea of that sort of diversity. </p>
<p>If you have a student that does not have the stats to likely get a merit award, and you are looking for the OPs critierion, the state schools are where the best deals are. Though there are some free and nearly free progams, many are more specialty schools. Flagler in Florida is one that I have heard some nice things about. Actually Florida has some excellent deals in schools from the enormous and highly rated flagship school U of Fl to the very unusual New College to the private schools that are not quite as expensive as some of their northern counterparts (U of Miami excepted). Virginia, South Carolina, all of the southern states have less expensive tuition. I know that there are programs like State University of New York Maritime College that basically pay the students a stipend that make it very cost effective, guarantee a job afterwards and the qualifications are not so tough--avg SAT1 900-1100. It is hard finding the right program but keeping an open mind and doing the research can bring some interesting choices on the table. H's office manager's son is finally off to college at Five Towns. One visit and he was sold. And very affordable for them. It fits the only niche that would work for this part time rock bander who has been a home this year and driving the folks nuts , but the community college would be a waste of money--burned out on academics, does not want to do them. This just might work. So diversity in colleges considered often means some off beat schools.</p>
<p>dstark, I don't see where you mentioned anything about need-based aid, so maybe you are already certain you don't qualify. But if you haven't looked into it, make sure you don't qualify for need-based aid from a more expensive school with a good endowment, before writing off such schools. You might be surprised at what is possible.</p>
<p>Dre,</p>
<p>My college had an exchange program with Tougaloo College, an all balck school in Mississippi.</p>
<p>One of my good friends spent a semester at Tougaloo and said it was one of the best experiences in his life.</p>
<p>Well there are UCs that have more Asians than whites, but none have a percentage of blacks representative of the population.</p>
<p>Flagler is a very small private college in St. Auguatine, FL. No math or science majors available. I've heard the campus, a grand hotel at one time, is gorgeous.</p>
<p>How about the University of Houston. 37% White; 21% Hispanic; 21% Asian: 15% African American; 5% international. Probably about 2% rich kids, roughly the percentage in the national population. Lot's of poor, middle class and first time college goers.</p>
<p>I doubt this is the type of divesity folks are talking about.</p>