What does student diversity mean to you?
Do you think colleges and universities feel the same way about diversity on campus?
Living on the East Coast, I had never heard of the group called the Future Farmers of America. Might members of that club help add to the “diversity” of the student body at most colleges? Apparently, some colleges consider that “type” of diversity to be too far out of their (political) spectrum to be admitted to their elite, “diverse” institution.
Institutions of higher learning are generally looking (or at least make the claim), to create a heterogeneous study body to enlighten each other by mixing many minds to produce many voices.
Of course, the reality is far from the hype.
In his essay published in the July 12, 2010 edition of Minding the Campus, Dr. Russell Niely writes that, “in practice ‘diversity’ on campus is largely a code word for the presence of a substantial proportion of those in the “underrepresented” racial minority groups.” Niely refers to new study by Princeton sociologist Thomas Espenshade and his colleague Alexandria Radford in writing his essay on how diversity punishes students of certain backgrounds more than others. Take a moment to read his interesting commentary.
I joke about it today but even though my grades and test scores from high school fit the range of the school I applied and was accepted to, I believe I was accepted on “let’s take a kid from Vermont” day when the admissions office was looking to fill some “rural” seats in the freshman class.
If there is only one thing that you take away from this post, it is that you need to understand that college admission is not about you (or your student), but rather about “them” (the particular college or university you’re considering applying to).
If you don’t “fit” what they’re looking for, then you’re barking up the wrong tree. Or worse, you get in, but then don’t get enough financial assistance to make it through all four years and become saddled with an insurmountable amount of student debt.
What a terrible way to start off your young life!
When beginning your college search, find schools that are open to giving you an opportunity to build on your competence and intelligence so that you will become successful in whatever you ultimately decide to do… rather than those entities that demand a certain type of credential before allowing a person to progress.
