| The Diversity Essay: How to Write an Excellent Diversity Essay | | | | | The Diversity Essay: How to Write an Excellent Diversity EssayBy accepted.com - May 8 , 07:20 AM Comments [0] What is a diversity essay in a school application? And why does it matter when applying to leading programs and universities? Most importantly, how should you go about writing such an essay? Diversity is of supreme value in higher education, and schools want to know how every student will contribute to the diversity on their campus. A diversity essay gives applicants with disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds, an unusual education, a distinctive experience, or a unique family history an opportunity to write about how these elements of their background have prepared them to play a useful role in increasing and encouraging diversity among their target program’s student body and broader community. The purpose of all application essays is to help the adcom better understand who an applicant is and what they care about. Your essays are your chance to share your voice and humanize your application. This is especially true for the diversity essay, which aims to reveal your unique perspectives and experiences, as well as the ways in which you might contribute to a college community. In this post, we’ll discuss what exactly a diversity essay is, look at examples of actual prompts and a sample essay, and offer tips for writing a standout essay. In this post, you’ll find the following: What a diversity essay coversHow to show you can add to a school’s diversity, why diversity matters to schools. - Seven examples that reveal diversity
Sample diversity essay promptsHow to write about your diversity. - A diversity essay example
Upon hearing the word “diversity” in relation to an application essay, many people assume that they will have to write about gender, sexuality, class, or race. To many, this can feel overly personal or irrelevant, and some students might worry that their identity isn’t unique or interesting enough. In reality, the diversity essay is much broader than many people realize. Identity means different things to different people. The important thing is that you demonstrate your uniqueness and what matters to you. In addition to writing about one of the traditional identity features we just mentioned (gender, sexuality, class, race), you could consider writing about a more unusual feature of yourself or your life – or even the intersection of two or more identities. Consider these questions as you think about what to include in your diversity essay: - Do you have a unique or unusual talent or skill?
- Do you have beliefs or values that are markedly different from those of the people around you?
- Do you have a hobby or interest that sets you apart from your peers?
- Have you done or experienced something that few people have? Note that if you choose to write about a single event as a diverse identity feature, that event needs to have had a pretty substantial impact on you and your life. For example, perhaps you’re part of the 0.2% of the world’s population that has run a marathon, or you’ve had the chance to watch wolves hunt in the wild.
- Do you have a role in life that gives you a special outlook on the world? For example, maybe one of your siblings has a rare disability, or you grew up in a town with fewer than 500 inhabitants.
If you are an immigrant to the United States, the child of immigrants, or someone whose ethnicity is underrepresented in the States, your response to “How will you add to the diversity of our class/community?” and similar questions might help your application efforts. Why? Because you have the opportunity to show the adcom how your background will contribute a distinctive perspective to the program you are applying to. Of course, if you’re not underrepresented in your field or part of a disadvantaged group, that doesn’t mean that you don’t have anything to write about in a diversity essay. For example, you might have an unusual or special experience to share, such as serving in the military, being a member of a dance troupe, or caring for a disabled relative. These and other distinctive experiences can convey how you will contribute to the diversity of the school’s campus. Maybe you are the first member of your family to apply to college or the first person in your household to learn English. Perhaps you have worked your way through college or helped raise your siblings. You might also have been an ally to those who are underrepresented, disadvantaged, or marginalized in your community, at your school, or in a work setting. As you can see, diversity is not limited to one’s religion, ethnicity, culture, language, or sexual orientation. It refers to whatever element of your identity distinguishes you from others and shows that you, too, value diversity. The diversity essay provides colleges the chance to build a student body that includes different ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, backgrounds, interests, and so on. Applicants are asked to illuminate what sets them apart so that the adcoms can see what kind of diverse views and opinions they can bring to the campus. Admissions officers believe that diversity in the classroom improves the educational experience of all the students involved. They also believe that having a diverse workforce better serves society as a whole. The more diverse perspectives found in the classroom, throughout the dorms, in the dining halls, and mixed into study groups, the richer people’s discussions will be. Plus, learning and growing in this kind of multicultural environment will prepare students for working in our increasingly multicultural and global world. In medicine, for example, a heterogeneous workforce benefits people from previously underrepresented cultures. Businesses realize that they will market more effectively if they can speak to different audiences, which is possible when members of their workforce come from various backgrounds and cultures. Schools simply want to prepare graduates for the 21st century job market. Seven examples that reveal diversityAdcoms want to know about the diverse elements of your character and how these have helped you develop particular personality traits , as well as about any unusual experiences that have shaped you. Here are seven examples an applicant could write about: 1. They grew up in an environment with a strong emphasis on respecting their elders, attending family events, and/or learning their parents’ native language and culture. 2. They are close to their grandparents and extended family members who have taught them how teamwork can help everyone thrive. 3. They have had to face difficulties that stem from their parents’ values being in conflict with theirs or those of their peers. 4. Teachers have not always understood the elements of their culture or lifestyle and how those elements influence their performance. 5. They have suffered discrimination and succeeded despite it because of their grit, values, and character. 6. They learned skills from a lifestyle that is outside the norm (e.g., living in foreign countries as the child of a diplomat or contractor; performing professionally in theater, dance, music, or sports; having a deaf sibling). 7. They’ve encountered racism or other prejudice (either toward themselves or others) and responded by actively promoting diverse, tolerant values. And remember, diversity is not about who your parents are. It’s about who you are – at the core. Your background, influences, religious observances, native language, ideas, work environment, community experiences – all these factors come together to create a unique individual, one who will contribute to a varied class of distinct individuals taking their place in a diverse world. The best-known diversity essay prompt is from the Common App . It states: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.” Some schools have individual diversity essay prompts. For example, this one is from Duke University : “We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community.” And the Rice University application includes the following prompt: “Rice is strengthened by its diverse community of learning and discovery that produces leaders and change agents across the spectrum of human endeavor. What perspectives shaped by your background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity inspire you to join our community of change agents at Rice?” In all instances, colleges want you to demonstrate how and what you’ll contribute to their communities. Your answer to a school’s diversity essay question should focus on how your experiences have built your empathy for others, your embrace of differences, your resilience, your character, and your perspective. The school might ask how you think of diversity or how you will bring or add to the diversity of the school, your chosen profession, or your community. Make sure you answer the specific question posed by highlighting distinctive elements of your profile that will add to the class mosaic every adcom is trying to create. You don’t want to blend in; you want to stand out in a positive way while also complementing the school’s canvas. Here’s a simple, three-part framework that will help you think of diversity more broadly: Who are you? What has contributed to your identity? How do you distinguish yourself? Your identity can include any of the following: gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion, nontraditional work experience, nontraditional educational background, multicultural background, and family’s educational level. What have you done? What have you accomplished? This could include any of the following: achievements inside and/or outside your field of study, leadership opportunities, community service, internship or professional experience, research opportunities, hobbies, and travel. Any or all of these could be unique. Also, what life-derailing, throw-you-for-a-loop challenges have you faced and overcome? How do you think? How do you approach things? What drives you? What influences you? Are you the person who can break up a tense meeting with some well-timed humor? Are you the one who intuitively sees how to bring people together? Read more about this three-part framework in Episode 193 of Accepted’s Admissions Straight Talk podcast or listen wherever you get your favorite podcast s. Think about each question within this framework and how you could apply your diversity elements to your target school’s classroom or community. Any of these elements can serve as the framework for your essay. Don’t worry if you can’t think of something totally “out there.” You don’t need to be a tightrope walker living in the Andes or a Buddhist monk from Japan to be able to contribute to a school’s diversity! And please remember, the examples we have offered here are not exhaustive. There are many other ways to show diversity! All you need to do to be able to write successfully about how you will contribute to the diversity of your target school’s community is examine your identity, deeds, and ideas, with an eye toward your personal distinctiveness and individuality. There is only one you . Take a look at the sample diversity essay in the next section of this post, and pay attention to how the writer underscores their appreciation for, and experience with, diversity. A diversity essay sampleWhen I was starting 11th grade, my dad, an agricultural scientist, was assigned to a 3-month research project in a farm village in Niigata (northwest Honshu in Japan). Rather than stay behind with my mom and siblings, I begged to go with him. As a straight-A student, I convinced my parents and the principal that I could handle my schoolwork remotely (pre-COVID) for that stretch. It was time to leap beyond my comfortable suburban Wisconsin life—and my Western orientation, reinforced by travel to Europe the year before. We roomed in a sprawling farmhouse with a family participating in my dad’s study. I thought I’d experience an “English-free zone,” but the high school students all studied and wanted to practice English, so I did meet peers even though I didn’t attend their school. Of the many eye-opening, influential, cultural experiences, the one that resonates most powerfully to me is experiencing their community. It was a living, organic whole. Elementary school kids spent time helping with the rice harvest. People who foraged for seasonal wild edibles gave them to acquaintances throughout the town. In fact, there was a constant sharing of food among residents—garden veggies carried in straw baskets, fish or meat in coolers. The pharmacist would drive prescriptions to people who couldn’t easily get out—new mothers, the elderly—not as a business service but as a good neighbor. If rain suddenly threatened, neighbors would bring in each other’s drying laundry. When an empty-nest 50-year-old woman had to be hospitalized suddenly for a near-fatal snakebite, neighbors maintained her veggie patch until she returned. The community embodied constant awareness of others’ needs and circumstances. The community flowed! Yet, people there lamented that this lifestyle was vanishing; more young people left than stayed or came. And it wasn’t idyllic: I heard about ubiquitous gossip, long-standing personal enmities, busybody-ness. But these very human foibles didn’t dam the flow. This dynamic community organism couldn’t have been more different from my suburban life back home, with its insular nuclear families. We nod hello to neighbors in passing. This wonderful experience contained a personal challenge. Blond and blue-eyed, I became “the other” for the first time. Except for my dad, I saw no Westerner there. Curious eyes followed me. Stepping into a market or walking down the street, I drew gazes. People swiftly looked away if they accidentally caught my eye. It was not at all hostile, I knew, but I felt like an object. I began making extra sure to appear “presentable” before going outside. The sense of being watched sometimes generated mild stress or resentment. Returning to my lovely tatami room, I would decompress, grateful to be alone. I realized this challenge was a minute fraction of what others experience in my own country. The toll that feeling—and being— “other” takes on non-white and visibly different people in the US can be extremely painful. Experiencing it firsthand, albeit briefly, benignly, and in relative comfort, I got it. Unlike the organic Niigata community, work teams, and the workplace itself, have externally driven purposes. Within this different environment, I will strive to exemplify the ongoing mutual awareness that fueled the community life in Niigata. Does it benefit the bottom line, improve the results? I don’t know. But it helps me be the mature, engaged person I want to be, and to appreciate the individuals who are my colleagues and who comprise my professional community. I am now far more conscious of people feeling their “otherness”—even when it’s not in response to negative treatment, it can arise simply from awareness of being in some way different. What did you think of this essay? Does this middle class Midwesterner have the unique experience of being different from the surrounding majority, something she had not experienced in the United States? Did she encounter diversity from the perspective of “the other”? Here a few things to note about why this diversity essay works so well: 1. The writer comes from “a comfortable, suburban, Wisconsin life,” suggesting that her background might not be ethnically, racially, or in any other way diverse. 2. The diversity “points” scored all come from her fascinating experience of having lived in a Japanese farm village, where she immersed herself in a totally different culture. 3. The lessons learned about the meaning of community are what broaden and deepen the writer’s perspective about life, about a purpose-driven life, and about the concept of “otherness.” By writing about a time when you experienced diversity in one of its many forms, you can write a memorable and meaningful diversity essay. Working on your diversity essay?Want to ensure that your application demonstrates the diversity that your dream school is seeking? Work with one of our admissions experts . This checklist includes more than 30 different ways to think about diversity to jump-start your creative engine. Dr. Sundas Ali has more than 15 years of experience teaching and advising students, providing career and admissions advice, reviewing applications, and conducting interviews for the University of Oxford’s undergraduate and graduate programs. In addition, Sundas has worked with students from a wide range of countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, and the Middle East. Want Sundas to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch! Related Resources: - Different Dimensions of Diversity , podcast Episode 193
- What Should You Do If You Belong to an Overrepresented MBA Applicant Group?
- Fitting In & Standing Out: The Paradox at the Heart of Admissions , a free guide
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Copyright © 2022 Prep Club for GRE GRE® is a registered trademark of the Education Testing Services® (ETS ®). Prep Club for GRE website has not been reviewed or endorsed by ETS From Differences to Strengths: A Guide to Writing about DiversityAs an applicant, writing a persuasive diversity essay can be a daunting task. Sometimes it even seems impossible to begin to condense your experiences and views into one paper on diversity. At the same time, you need to convince the admissions committee that you are unique to the define community. This should be evident in the way you look at things and the life experiences you have behind you. But this is an integral part of the college admissions process that you need to be familiar with. In this article, we will provide you with tips and strategies for creating convincing college essays that will help you stand out from other students. From brainstorming ideas to generating a powerful montage or narrative structure. We’ll guide you through the college admissions essay writing process. It will represent youth interests and exceptional points of view and highlight your human experience. Define What a Diversity Essay IsColleges are actively seeking a student with a cultural background to create a more inclusive college community. So, such community essays are an important component of the institutional application process. It is an opportunity for an engaged student body to share their experiences and expand perspectives and different backgrounds with the admissions committee. It also allows them to demonstrate how their unique qualities will contribute to the diversity of the learning environment. Whether it be in a campus community, in the workplace, in a school community, or in a local government. The importance of diversity essay is clear. Such a diversity and inclusion essay can focus on the author’s cultural, socio-economic classes, or religious heritage. It can also focus on the author’s experience with identities reveal, prejudice about sexual orientation, gender identity, or a problem of treating people differently. Keep in mind that writing an essay on diversity and inclusion should be done like a unique collaborative enterprise. But if you are intimidated by this process, it is better to use a custom essay paper writing service. It will allow you to make an outstanding opinion about yourself to all the communities with your college essay. Thinking about this field and sharing experiences in this area is important not only for college admissions but also for personal growth and development. Writing such a paper can be a powerful tool for self-reflection and understanding your community’s network. For example, Duke University seeks just such ambitious people who realize differences and provide other line answers than other students. Finished papers Customer reviews How to Write an Effective Diversity EssayAs we have already mentioned, an effective way how to write a diversity essay is to not only envision multifaceted solutions. It is also a chance to showcase your diverse backgrounds and intellectual heritage. Writing a strong diversity college essay requires unique background and perspectives of individuals across as many identities as possible. You can always order an essay online and get a great result without putting in any effort. Below are some guidelines that will help you write it more effectively and show you how to write a diversity statement. Importance of Understanding the PromptBefore you start, read and understand essay prompts carefully. Take the time to analyze the questions carefully and think about how you can demonstrate your strengths. Also, think of examples to emphasize the points. Try to break down your ideas into several elements. You can make notes here to structure your concepts. Brainstorming Diversity Topics to Write aboutWhen you have a good understanding of the question, you should start to select potential diversity essay topics. Even if you suddenly hear sirens on the street, don’t let anything distract you. Think about how certain events have shaped you as a thoughtful person. This range of themes could include, for example, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. A prime example is when black students receive ten-day school suspensions for minor infractions. Brainstorming can be a difficult process, as there are many options to choose from. You can also think of times when you faced similar problems in your own life. Make an OutlineBefore you start writing, it is essential to create a diversity essay prompt outline. This is necessary to organize your thoughts and ensure a logical flow of information in the paper. A typical outline might include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the main points, you can use specific examples and case studies to illustrate your knowledge and perspective. Sometimes it is difficult for students to navigate this topic, so they often ask professionals to help with coursework . Such a service will help identify the main diverse perspectives you want to cover in each section. Remember that the intro should grab the reader’s attention and introduce diversity essay prompts. The body paragraphs should contain proofs and specific examples that support your thesis. The conclusion should repeat the key messages of the text. We have prepared an effective outline that you can follow: I. IntroductionA. Attention-grabbing opening sentence B. Explanation of the importance of diversity C. Diversity prompts outlining the main points of the essay II. Body ParagraphsA. Background and cultural experiences B. Challenging experiences related to diversity C. Impact on personal values and goals III. ConclusionA. Summary of main points B. Reflection on the importance of diversity C. Final thoughts and call to action Writing Process of Diverse Student BodyUse descriptive language to create a vivid picture of your experience. Try to avoid cliches and generalizations and focus on being more specific. When writing your paper, remember to use your personal voice and style. Also, try to keep the language active to make the essay more interesting. Create meaningful transitions between paragraphs and make sure your thoughts flow logically from one section to the next. Revisions and EditingPay attention to grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. Also, check for the supplemental essay prompt. Make sure the assignment is presented logically and consistently. Your writing needs to be reconciling disparate lifestyles and be interesting to the reader. When writing such a paper, you need to set aside time at least twice a week. This will help you identify areas that need improvement and ways to make them more influential. Importance of Reflecting on and Sharing One’s Experiences with DiversityThe most significant challenge when writing a diversity essay is to reflect on your past life and share it with others. It’s not just about telling what you’ve been through but also about reflecting on how your views and values were formed. It helps to get to know different aspects of your personality. In the right way, it can be a powerful tool for promoting unity and tolerance. Tips on Writing Essay about DiversityIn this section, we will provide some useful tips to help you write a compelling essay on diversity. By following these recommendations, you will not be afraid of a particular challenge. - It is important to select a concrete essay prompt and approach that resonates with you. For example, reflect on a time when you learned something new about other people and how it influenced your worldview. For example, when it comes to accessibility and inclusion, the white cane inevitably trumps any assumptions. It happens to normal human being with visual impairments. Inclusion includes sexual orientation also.
- To stand out from other applicants, it is very crucial to be genuine in your writing. Necessarily focus on sharing your perspective and unique voice. Also, hearing people’s stories and using them is useful too.
- Promote diversity essay examples and personal stories. This is necessary to illustrate your points and make your essay more interesting and convincing. As an example, you could write an opinion piece about your journey as a first-generation immigrant and how your cultural origins have influenced your values and goals.
- One way to make your essay more impactful is to relate it to your future goals and aspirations. Discuss how certain developments have influenced your career goals or academic achievement. This way, you can show how your past life formed your mindset and aspirations.
- Check for grammar and spelling mistakes and make sure your diversity paper is well organized and coherent.
We hope these useful suggestions will help you with your task. It is better to use a scholarship essay writing service to check the content of your text for quality. This allows you to avoid mistakes and get an impeccable paper. Also, keep to the required word limit. Let’s look at a vivid example of how to put these points into practice. Writing an effective diversity essay requires a deep understanding of the task. It also requires brainstorming, outlining, writing, revising, and, better perhaps, related to personal stories. It is crucial to remember that an essay is not only about highlighting differences or a few stressful rings. It is also about the lessons learned from these encounters. With the right approach and mindset, an essay can be a powerful tool. It promotes unity, acceptance, and understanding among the university’s existing student body. Reflecting on and sharing experiences with diversity is important not only for college admissions but also for personal gain and development. What topics to choose?Choose a topic that resonates with you personally. Avoid general themes and strive to express a personal statement in your essay. Alternatively, you can search for diversity essay sample prompts. How long should a diversity essay be?The length of the essay may vary depending on specific instructions or guidelines. It can be used for both graduate programs and elementary school. Usually, the word count to demonstrate personal identity is from 500 to 750 words. How to make my diversity essay examples more memorable?Related posts:. - Argumentative Essay Topics, Examples, and Free Ideas
- How to Write a Research Paper Outline: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide
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- A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Powerful Statements
Improve your writing with our guidesHow to Write a Scholarship EssayDefinition Essay: The Complete Guide with Essay Topics and ExamplesCritical Essay: The Complete Guide. Essay Topics, Examples and OutlinesGet 15% off your first order with edusson. Connect with a professional writer within minutes by placing your first order. No matter the subject, difficulty, academic level or document type, our writers have the skills to complete it. 100% privacy. No spam ever. How to write the diversity essayThe recording will load in a moment., about this livestream. What makes an applicant 'diverse?' How should you approach diversity in your essays? Well, to find out, join Shravya for a breakdown of 'diversity' or 'community' essay type, including: what admissions officers are looking for, when to include school-specific info, and general tips for writing. She'll also go through an essay example or two on-air so you can see how admissions officers would critique this kind of essay. Once the presentation is complete, Shravya will open up the floor for a Q&A session to answer any questions you may have about diversity-themed essays. Undergrad College: Rice University '20 Work Experience: During my time at Rice, I mentored dozens of high school students through the college application process, along with editing essays and tutoring students for the ACT/SAT. I also interned at a medical technology startup, conducted research in Brazil, and gave a TEDx talk. I recently finished applying to medical school; I've been admitted to multiple schools, and will be starting in the Fall. My Admissions Story: I remember feeling very blindsided by the admissions process and not knowing where to begin. I hope that sharing my experiences and some of the things I’ve learned along the way will help guide other students in a similar boat. New Bootcamp Alumni Story: QA Engineer at Ubisoft (Gaming)Make the Most of Your Summer Break with the NSLC!Popular recent recordingsBootcamp Alumni: UX Design at Apple/Google…From High School to UX Design Bootcamp to Product Designer at Cloud CampaignCollege + Bootcamp Success Story: Sr Software Engineer at DisneyHow to Write Your Best College EssayThe Effective Diversity StatementBy Tanya Golash-Boza You have / 5 articles left. Sign up for a free account or log in. Inside Higher Ed Faculty job postings are increasingly asking for diversity statements, in addition to research and teaching statements. According to the University of California at San Diego website , “the purpose of the statement is to identify candidates who have professional skills, experience and/or willingness to engage in activities that would enhance campus diversity and equity efforts ” (emphasis added). In general, these statements are an opportunity for applicants to explain to a search committee the distinct experiences and commitment they bring to the table. So, how do you write an effective diversity statement? If you are a job candidate who actually cares about diversity and equity, how do you convey that commitment to a search committee? (Note that if you do not care about diversity and equity and do not want to be in a department that does, don’t waste your time crafting a strong diversity statement -- and you need not read any farther in this essay.) My first piece of advice is: do not write a throwaway diversity statement. Some job applicants think that writing a diversity statement that shows they actually care about diversity and equity may be too political. Thus, they write a blasé statement about, for example, how they encourage students to come to class in pajamas if they feel comfortable. That is not an effective strategy, because it does not show a genuine commitment to diversity and equity. Of course, it is true that many faculty members overtly reject campus efforts to enhance diversity and equity. However, it is also true that search committee members who do not care about diversity do not read diversity statements. Just like search committee members who do not care about teaching gloss over teaching statements, those who do not care about diversity gloss over diversity statements. So, don’t bother writing a statement directed at faculty members who do not care about diversity. Write one for those faculty members who will take the time to read your statement carefully. I can assure you that many faculty members truly care about diversity and equity and will read your statement closely. I have been in the room when the diversity statement of every single finalist for a job search was scrutinized. The candidates who submitted strong statements wrote about their experiences teaching first-generation college students, their involvement with LGBTQ student groups, their experiences teaching in inner-city high schools and their awareness of how systemic inequalities affect students’ ability to excel. Applicants mentioned their teaching and activism and highlighted their commitment to diversity and equity in higher education. Here are seven additional suggestions to consider as you write your diversity statement. - Tell your story. If you have overcome obstacles to get to where you are, point those out. If, in contrast, you are privileged, acknowledge that. If you grew up walking uphill to school carrying two 20-pound sacks of rice on your back, by all means, tell that story. If you were raised with a silver spoon in your mouth, acknowledge your privilege. Either way, use your story to explain how you can empathize with students who confront challenges on their way to achieving their educational goals.
- Focus on commonly accepted understandings of diversity and equity. Concentrate on issues such as race, gender, social class and sexual orientation. Don’t try to tone down your statement by writing about how it is hard to be a Kansan in Missouri, for example. Instead, write about racial oppression, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism or some other commonly recognized form of oppression.
- Avoid false parallels. By that I mean do not equate the exclusion you faced due to being a Kansan in Missouri with the exclusion an African-American faces at a primarily white institution. You do not have to be an African-American to have insight into the challenges they face, but if you do not have experiential knowledge of racism, then do not claim it. Instead, focus on writing about what you do know. If you feel comfortable getting personal, you can write about your own experiences of privilege or oppression. But you don’t have to get personal; you can cite statistics or studies to make your points.
- Write about specific things you have done to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed. If you have never done anything to help anyone, then go out and do something. Sign up to be a tutor at an underperforming school, build a house with Habitat for Humanity or incorporate antiracist pedagogy into your teaching. In addition to having a rewarding experience, you can write about it in your diversity statement.
- Highlight any programs for underrepresented students you’ve participated in. If you have had any involvement with such programs (e.g., McNair Scholars Program), describe that involvement in your statement. This involvement can either be as a former participant or as a mentor or adviser to someone who has participated. These kinds of specific examples show that you understand what effective programs look like and how they work.
- Write about your commitment to working toward achieving equity and enhancing diversity. Describe specific ways you are willing to contribute. You can mention your willingness to contribute to pre-existing programs on the campus or you can express interest in creating new programs based on models at other campuses.
- Modify your statement based on where you are sending it. Your statement for a land-grant institution in the rural South should not be the exact same one you send to an elite institution in urban California. Look up the demographics of the institution to which you are applying and mention those demographics in your statement. For example, if the university you are applying to is a Hispanic-serving institution, you should be aware of that. Or if it has a well-known scholarship program for underrepresented minorities, you should mention that program.
Diversity statements are a relatively new addition to the job application packet. Thus, search committees are still developing assessment tools for such statements, and many campuses lack clear guidelines. Nevertheless, you can use this novelty to your advantage by writing a stellar statement that emphasizes your record of contributions to diversity and equity as well as your commitment to future efforts 3 Mindset Shifts and 6 Strategies Leaders Shouldn’t ForgetThe pandemic may be over, Patrick Sanaghan and Erica Barreiro write, but top administrators should still use its less Share This ArticleMore from diversity. Safeguarding Black Women Educators’ Mental HealthCampus leaders and colleagues must recognize their battle fatigue—and the sophisticated racism at its root—and work t Hold Steady or Issue an Exit Ticket?What’s really at stake when colleges lose faculty of color. Top administrators must respond to increasingly pervasive legislation that hinders the recruitment, retention and vit - Become a Member
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4 /5 Articles remaining this month. Sign up for a free account or log in.Get the Reddit appThis subreddit is for anyone who is going through the process of getting into graduate school, and for those who've been there and have advice to give. Diversity Statements 101: An Essay Guide for ChampionsI'm Jordan, author of the Structure is Magic SOP guide and other grad app resources, and today I'm posting what may be the most difficult article I've ever written. Diversity Statements are a tricky topic. This guide is undoubtedly imperfect (and long!). But I know how hard it can be to articulate your life and struggles in a few hundred words, so I hope this clarifies things a little and gives you some direction. The Diversity Statement, and its close cousins the Personal History and Personal Contributions essays, might be the hardest part of graduate applications. The prompts are so vague and open-ended. They often make applicants shudder. What am I supposed to write about? What if I’m not a minority? Is it okay if I write about my illness and how this lowered my GPA? For many students who belong to underrepresented populations, these essays often seem patronizing. “How dare you use my identity to pad your demographic stats,” they think. And they’re not entirely wrong. There is a degree of stat-padding involved, though the intentions are noble. For other students, those who have dealt with physical illness or personal tragedies during their undergrad careers, these essays are an opportunity to show what they’re truly capable of. “I am not defined by my tragedies,” they say, “but how I overcame them.” For other students, those who sailed through their youth without calamity, these essays can be daunting. They read that word “diversity” and think it doesn’t apply to them. They focus on the apparent socio-political narrative, without recognizing how they’ve positively contributed to communities in which they belong. For all of these students, the Diversity Statement can be a tricky monster. Luckily, the Diversity Statement is still an act of storytelling. And as the timeless lessons of narrative structure teach us, all monsters can be conquered by a champion. This is the key to your Diversity Statement and other personal essays: you must become a champion. It’s not the story of how difficult or disadvantaged your life has been. It’s not a pity party or an excuse for your (perceived) failures. It’s the story of how you took the resources you’ve been given, and became a champion who makes the world (and university campuses) a better place to live. Let’s find the champion in you, friend. WHAT DOES “DIVERSITY” MEAN? If you want to succeed with your grad applications, your diversity statement will have little to do with race, gender, religion, or sexuality labels . Instead, it will have everything to do with the ways you’ve chosen, as an individual, to make the world better. This is why these essays are sometimes called “Personal Contribution” statements. They’re about how you grew and changed and succeeded and made your community different . Think that simply being a Buddhist orphan will help you get into grad school? Wrong. (Though it might help you get into a monastery.) But what if you’re a Buddhist orphan who’s taught meditation on campus for three years, who sweeps the steps of Los Angeles’s Hsi Lai Temple every summer, and who mentors other orphans in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, all while earning a 3.7 GPA in Neuroscience and working two years in a lab researching the effects of mindfulness on depression? One of these is different from the other. One says, “This is who I am.” The other says, “This is what I do.” The funny thing is, the impact of this story has little to do with our fictional student’s demographic label. Instead, it has everything to do with what she’s accomplished. As a thought exercise, imagine that instead of a Buddhist orphan from Los Angeles, she’s a white, heterosexual son of Baptist doctors from Austin, Texas. This doctors’ son surely has a story. Perhaps it was an impactful teacher. Perhaps his parents resented him for it. But either way, this young man became a certified meditation teacher, worked in his community for years, mentored disadvantaged children, and studied hard while conducting meaningful research. As long as the stories are heartfelt and real (and not the gimmick of a child of privilege seeking an advantage), the admissions committee will recognize it. They’ll know one thing for certain about either student: they’ll make a beautifully positive impact on a new graduate campus. Just remember this: If you want to write about identity labels in your Diversity Statement, it’s not about whether you are diverse. It’s about whether you’ve contributed to a more diverse world. THE ADVERSITY ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Students with “adversity stories” often get ridiculously good admissions results…but only if they’ve truly excelled in school. Why? Consider two NYU classmates. Both have 3.8 GPAs and equal GRE scores. Both have published Political Science papers and submit excellent LORs. Both have years of volunteer work in public advocacy. Both apply to the same grad schools. One, however, comes from an upper class NYC family. She went to a ritzy private high school. Her father is a Columbia professor and her mother an investment banker. The other student was a political asylee from Egypt. As a child, she saw family members murdered at gunpoint. She fled to America with her siblings, never saw her father again, lived in poverty, and learned English in public school. Yet, both students achieved the same results. Different inputs, exact same output. Both are magnificent scholars. Both will get into grad school and succeed. One, however, had to work a lot harder to get those results, and for this, she will be rewarded. When we talk about diversity, it’s not our applicant’s label as an immigrant first-generation college student that makes her special. It’s that she succeeded when all the odds were against her. We know that both of these students will succeed. But one of them, we know, is absolutely invincible. Now, if our political asylee friend had a 3.4 GPA and no publications, would she get the same admissions results? Almost certainly not. She’ll still get admitted, but not at the most rigorous and competitive programs, or at least not all of them. In this case, the inputs are different, but so are the outputs. The NYC girl starts to look more capable of succeeding in intense graduate-level work. It’s a complex issue with lots of nuance, and admissions committees take great pains to consider the true potential of every applicant. For this, we should be thankful for the opportunity to tell our story in a Diversity Statement or Personal History. But in the end, it’s a matter of how our “story” compares to the stories of others with similar academic success. THE “UPWARD TRENDING GPA” TRAP Many applicants use the Diversity Statement or Personal History to explain obstacles in their pasts that led to less-than-perfect academic performance. Perhaps they dealt with mental illness for one bleak semester. Perhaps they’re a member of the LGBT in an antagonistic religious community. Perhaps they grew up with abusive parents or a misogynist lab colleague made their life a living hell. Often, when these applicants seek help online, they receive heartwarming advice: Own your story. It’s who you are and doesn’t reflect your future. But be sure to show the upward trend in your GPA over time. This shows you have overcome those obstacles. While this advice is correct, many students focus on the first part and make mistakes with the second. For applicants who maybe have a modest 3.2 GPA, it’s tempting to blame adversity for our lack of success. “This doesn’t reflect my true potential,” they imply . “If I wasn’t a victim, I’d have achieved so much more.” Then they promise that they’ll do better if admitted to the utopia of graduate school. Yet, this is only a promise. It provides no proof that the future will be different. While admissions committees will certainly sympathize with these candidates, we can’t ignore reality: grad schools aren’t charity organizations. This is still a student with a lower GPA who hasn’t yet proven that he can succeed in the greater challenges of grad school. After all, the GPA is the only verifiable info in the essay. By using your adversity to justify a lower GPA, you force the reader to focus on the GPA as the final result. You make them double-check your transcripts to see how bad it really is. Instead of showing yourself to be a champion, you’ve shown yourself to be someone who needs to be saved. In this case, the grad school is the hero, and you’re begging them to save your life. It’s not a good look. Thus, the key to being a champion is to never focus on the bad stuff at all . Seriously. Never describe it in any detail. Never paint yourself as a victim. Instead, tell the story of how adversity transformed you into someone who’s made a real and verifiable contribution to the world . Compare the following two students: “During sophomore year, I chose to abandon my orthodox Muslim upbringing. The struggle was unbearable, I separated from my family, and depression caused me to earn a 2.4 GPA for two semesters. However, I am proud to have made this decision. Now, I am confident that my GPA does not define who I am, and I feel ready and eager to achieve my full potential.” “As someone who faced the trauma of severing ties with a deeply orthodox family, I am proud to have spent so many weekends volunteering with Recovering from Religion. In the last three years, I have spent countless hours with young women like me. We have shed tears together. We have provided counseling, academic tutoring, and job placement services. Today, as I graduate on the Dean’s List, I do so alongside an army of strong women who have taken back their lives and found faith in one another.” One of these students is a champion. The other seems like she might be a tad overconfident. As one dear friend of mine put it on another /r/gradadmissions post , people love Batman for his crime-fighting skills, not because of how much it sucks to be an orphan. Pro Tip: Leave the GPA stuff in your SOP. But even there, only mention your much higher major GPA or the GPA from your final, better semesters. As professional salespeople teach us: “Never give them a reason to say ‘no.’” BUT ISN’T THIS JUST AN ESSAY ABOUT VOLUNTEER WORK? No. Not always. For students who’ve gone through difficult episodes that lowered their academic performance, they don’t need years of volunteer work to prove themselves a champion. Instead, they need to focus on the results of their transformation , and how it’s made them a better scholar. (You know all heroes must go through a transformation, right?) Once, I worked with an uber-successful Engineering applicant. He was admitted to multiple top master’s programs despite a period during undergrad when he was hospitalized due to serious mental illness and saw a massive drop in his GPA. We know that mental illness is a “ Kiss of Death ” in grad applications, right? We also know that cataclysmic grades are usually the ultimate kiss of death. So, how did this student succeed? In his Personal History, the student was very careful in describing his issue. It wasn’t a “mental illness,” but a “personal health challenge.” When he mentioned this, he didn’t give it more than a few words . He didn’t want the committee focusing on his problem, nor on the two bad semesters it caused. Instead, he wanted them focusing on what came after. He said this temporary setback allowed him to concentrate on what he could control …his academic career. He described the rigorous time-management methods he learned. He described the egregious amount of time he spent in his professors’ office hours. He explained how he developed the habit of referencing course materials against other textbooks, often unassigned, and how this led him to the curious discovery of his thesis topic. Most importantly, he pointed out how these skills made him a Dean’s List student for his final four semesters, with a perfect 4.0 in Engineering courses . In the end, he wasn’t a student recovering from a traumatic episode. He’d already recovered. Now, he was a 4.0 engineer who was obviously ready to succeed even further. His traumatic episode didn’t make him a victim. It was an early chapter in the story of how he transformed into a champion. THE 3 SECTIONS OF A CHAMPION DIVERSITY STATEMENT Inciting Event or Status Quo (1 paragraph) Gradual Journey Forward and Transformation (2-4 paragraphs) Living as a Champion Today (1 paragraph) The key to becoming a champion is to show your transformation occurring gradually over time. This never happens immediately. There is never one fierce decision to change. If a student says, “the day my father died was the day I decided to become a cancer researcher,” then we don’t believe them. It’s childish. No one can just decide to become a cancer researcher. That takes a thousand small self-discoveries and decisions over years. First they must decide to study medicine. Then they take a cancer-focused class with an inspiring teacher. Then they discover a talent for biostatistics. Then they join a lab where they begin to realize they can truly be a professional researcher. This slow, gradual transformation is the real story of your essay. By encapsulating this journey in a frame narrative, one that provides a theme for the story and ends by emphasizing your successes and preparedness for the future, you craft an essay that will resonate deeply in the minds of the admissions reader. 1. Inciting Event or Status Quo (1 paragraph) In this brief, one-paragraph section, you establish the world in which you’ve transformed (and perhaps helped others transform as well). You might describe a tragedy in your life. You might describe the difficulties of growing up in an immigrant family, with parents who never went to college. You might not have experienced major difficulties yourself, but perhaps you’ve witnessed the difficulties others faced, and did what you could to make things better. In a professional, straightforward, mature, unemotional, and completely non-melodramatic tone , you describe that world here. Appalachia is a beautiful place, though not everyone agrees. This is something I often discussed with my father, a coal miner in Eastern Kentucky, after my mother died. Where we maintain a quiet pride in our landscape and culture, the world outside often paints a different picture. They point to the opioid epidemic. They call our people hostile and uneducated. And in some ways, they are correct. Like many locales throughout the nation, the twenty-five million inhabitants of Appalachia have their own problems. Yet, these problems do not reflect the world in which I was raised. 2. Gradual Journey Forward and Transformation (2-4 paragraphs) This section will make up the bulk of your essay. Even though we hate “autobiography” SOPs , this longer section of your Diversity Statement will show a chronological journey through time. For most students, this is easy. You don’t need to worry about fancy structures or writing techniques. You just tell your story, all the while remembering the overarching theme. In the example above, we know that the author is going to tell us a story about growing up in rural Kentucky, and how the difficulties gave him strengths that make him a scholar with incredible potential today. When I left home to attend Georgetown University, I often felt dismayed by how freely my educated classmates mimicked my accent, mouthed a banjo melody, or asked if I grew up in a trailer. (I did.) Occasionally, a classmate with a proclivity for hiking would speak beautifully of the Appalachian Trail, a sentiment I share, though the AT lies three hours away in Virginia. No one ever mentioned the way hundreds of people will stand for hours at the church steps on a hot Saturday, waiting to pay respects to the wife of a fellow miner who has died. No one knew that in my high school, African-American, Latino, Indian, Filipino, Native American, and Korean students roam the halls (as well as one Californian who was the true fish out of water). Few knew that the banjo evolved from the stringed West African akonting. In many ways, these misunderstandings inspired me to work even harder these past three years, though hard work has never been a problem for me. After spending two summers toiling full-time in the same coal mine as my father, Biostatistics final exams, lab work, and waiting tables on weekends are a pleasure. In fact, it sometimes makes me feel guilty. While I collect tips or compare effects of FLASH radiation therapy, I know my father is ignoring his bad back and arthritic knees, on the night shift, but will still rise to attend church in the morning. What have I done compared to this? 3. Living as a Champion Today (1 paragraph) In this final section, we arrive at “the point” of your Diversity Statement: that everything you’ve done in life, all you’ve been through, has made you a better candidate for graduate school. You aren’t lamenting the difficulties of your life. You aren’t simply labelling yourself as a member of a disadvantaged community. You’re proving that all this has made you better. Here, you might describe community service and how you’ve given back to the world. But, most importantly, you’ll state why these efforts will help you succeed in your master’s or PhD. Yet as difficult as these realities can be, I know that they will only make me a better student and lab partner at Harvard. I have been fortunate to work as a community ambassador for cancer awareness in both Eastern Kentucky and Northern Virginia. The people with whom I work come from a range of backgrounds, but all share the same struggle, the same one that killed my own mother eight years ago. None of them ever care about my accent. They only appreciate that I am there to serve, just as I will in the classrooms and laboratories at Harvard. Today, I am certain of my readiness to stand alongside researchers of any culture or social class, in pursuit of the scientific goals that most benefit the community around us. In doing this, I will honor my mother, my father, my university, and the land in which I was raised. A NOTE ON TONE As I said earlier, you will write in a professional, straightforward, mature, unemotional, and completely non-melodramatic tone . This isn’t a creative writing exercise. It’s not a screenplay. It’s an exercise in clarity and honesty. Don’t paint pictures of the difficult scenes in your life. By telling the story straight, you’ll sound more confident – more like a graduate scholar. A NOTE ON TIME If the Statement of Purpose is about the future , the Diversity Statement is about the past . Most universities only want to know what you’ll accomplish in the future. They only ask for an SOP, which is 100% academic, a logical argument for why you’ll make a great chemist, data scientist, or financial engineer. But those universities who ask for a Diversity Statement or Personal History…they do want to know about your past. This helps them contextualize your future. By seeing how well you understand yourself, they can better determine how valuable you’ll be as a member of their community. (When considering how these two essays work together, you might take a look at this infographic timeline thingy .) CONCLUSION ON THE DIVERSITY STATEMENT Whatever we call them – Diversity Statements or Personal Contributions – these essays are tricky for everyone. As you begin writing yours, please don’t think you need to fit into some kind of precut mold. Don’t think that grad schools only seek students who fill a demographic quota. Instead, see this as an opportunity to let your individuality and contributions shine. You aren’t beholden to identity labels or the community in which you grew up. You aren’t a failure because of a few dark days, nor are you less attractive as a scholar because your life has been comparatively smooth. We all have issues to work out. We all have an identity formed in the crucible of our unique experiences. What matters is only that you changed, grew, evolved, transformed, and have now become someone who’s capable of making a wonderful impact on the world. Someone who’s willing to be a champion. Even if your efforts are quiet, even if the best you can do is remain open-hearted and respectful to everyone you encounter in the classroom or lab, you can be on the side of the champions, and there will be a spot in grad school for you. Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this, you might consider my admissions newsletter . I write a weekly email full of practical grad app advice like this, and you get a free and incredibly detailed “SOP Starter Kit” just for signing up. And, as always, let me know if you have questions! I'll do my best to respond. By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy . Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator appYou’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account. Enter a 6-digit backup codeCreate your username and password. Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it. 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The main challenge of diversityPromoting diversity, works cited. Diversity can be defined as the presence of differences. It is prominent in all fields: in society, the community, and the workplace (Wylie 6). The main benefit that can be accrued due to having diversity is bringing out uniqueness and innovation. People from different backgrounds have a variety of values in them. It is from these different cultures that we select the best qualities and harmonize them with our behavior. Resourcefulness and creativity are a benefit within the uniqueness of having diversity in place. In a scenario of a working environment, people from different cultures may provide remarkable success in the organization due to their deep differences in various areas (Parvis 74). Many views may come about in an organization due to diversity, assuming we have an organization the has people from one culture and another one with about 40 ethnic groups represented and at least six more members of the leadership team are representing different cultures. The latter built up will be more innovative than the former due to the different backgrounds and exposures of this person (Parvis 75). The greatest challenge of diversity is to have discrimination. This happens through avenues like racism, sexism, ageism, classism, ableism, and, homophobia, to name just a few. Through a high level of prejudice and biases, some people discriminate against other people who possess different characteristics. It happens when the majority group confronts the representatives of the minority group. For example, dominance in men compared to women. In a multiracial society like America, the biggest norm is the “ism” such as racism, ableism, classism, and many more are challenges of diversity that can destroy any society (Parvis, 61). As a leader, the best way to be sure that the benefit of having diversity and overcoming the challenges is by promoting synergy. Synergy can be defined as a combined, cooperative action of independent or separate action of independent or separate parts as a result of the greater whole (Parvis, 77). In a multi-racial society, synergy plays an important role in bringing creativity and visual change for success and development. Synergy can be achieved through, creating a shared understanding of the existing issues and concerns of a workgroup about the task, at hand. It can also be created through a process in which people are free to communicate where everyone can be heard, understood, and recognized. Through this, they can be able to share experiences and perspectives with no reservations. Finally, synergy can be used to teach essential competencies that can be achieved through establishing boundaries, rules, and the context in any situations and interactions. Through all these, synergy begins to generate an environment with spiritual, psychological, and personal achievements are the tools of success for a positive and energetic relationship (Parvis, 78). Diversity is a complex phenomenon with various features. Many benefits and challenges are notable. The only way to enjoy the benefits of diversity is ensuring that every one of us in the society can be incorporated in all sectors. There are so many things to learn from people of different cultures that may be beneficial to us. Taking me, for example, my parents were born in Iran and, I am a first-generation American-born student in my family. There is so much I can learn and offer to the American society that may be of great benefit. Parvis, Leo. Understanding Cultural Diversity in Today’s Complex World . Minneapolis: Lulu, 2006. Print. Wylie, Kimberly. The Benefits of Diversity . Norderstedt, Germany: GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print. - Iranian Cultural Differences in Communication
- Intercultural Dialogue and Cultural Diversity
- Multiracial Categorization of Ambiguous Group Members
- The Concept of Classism: Definition, Examples, and Prevention
- Marked Language in Multiracial Youth
- Islamic Culture and Civilization
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IvyPanda. (2020, December 29). Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/diversity-in-society-community-and-workplace/ "Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace." IvyPanda , 29 Dec. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/diversity-in-society-community-and-workplace/. IvyPanda . (2020) 'Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace'. 29 December. IvyPanda . 2020. "Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace." December 29, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/diversity-in-society-community-and-workplace/. 1. IvyPanda . "Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace." December 29, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/diversity-in-society-community-and-workplace/. Bibliography IvyPanda . "Diversity in Society, Community, and Workplace." December 29, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/diversity-in-society-community-and-workplace/. 4 Ways to Nail the Diversity Question in Your Application EssayGraduate programs are always looking for students with distinct backgrounds to help diversify their classes, so being a minority, immigrant, or another underrepresented demographic could be just what you need to set yourself apart from the rest of the applicant pool. Many schools include a question on their application asking you how you will contribute to the diversity of their class (sometimes this is framed as a “diversity statement,” sometimes as a “personal history statement” or other type of essay – the key thing is, they want to know about YOU: what makes you unique, what your values are, what obstacles you may have had to overcome to get where you are today). When you write your essay , make sure that you highlight the experiences that have shaped you and the strengths you can bring to the school due to your diverse background and lifestyle. Some of these unique strengths or experiences may include: Facing adversityOne aspect of your diverse background is overcoming obstacles. Are you a member of an underrepresented group? A first generation student? Have you overcome socioeconomic (or other) barriers to education? When mentioning your diversity factor, be sure to highlight any difficulties that you went through as a result of being the odd (wo)man out. This is not an attempt to rally sympathy or plea for pity. Instead, you should illustrate the strengths and skills you have developed as a result of these struggles. Accentuate any character traits that you feel you have built through the adversity and use examples of skills that you currently possess because of these trials. Displaying cultural breadthDemonstrate to the admissions committee that you hold a unique set of ideas thanks to your heritage, and elaborate on how these diverse concepts and beliefs can benefit the student body by broadening perspectives and widening tolerance and scope. Demonstrating varied skill setsNaturally, various cultures will highlight different values. This is important to a school admissions committee because diverse values will facilitate diverse skills and strengths. Maybe your culture is very family-oriented, focusing on respect, communication, and partnership. These are all critical skills that a graduate student will need for success. Perhaps your culture emphasizes teamwork, perseverance, and mutual understanding. Once again, these are key factors for a productive career in business, education, law, medicine, and many others. Your goal should be to highlight how your unique cultural values have developed these invaluable skills within you, already preparing you to be the best student and professional possible. Maybe one aspect of your identity is bound up in the language(s) that you speak – do those same languages also give you the tools to cross cultural boundaries and work with people around the globe? Sharing new perspectivesEven if you are a male, Caucasian, third-generation American, you can still illustrate your diversity in other areas. If you have served in the military, traveled to a remote area of the world, taken part in an outstanding event, group, or cause, or had an unusual experience of any sort, play up the distinct impressions, opinions, and perspectives that the involvement cultivated within you. Then, show the admissions committee how you can bring this fresh perspective to the campus for greater diversity in thought across the campus. Looking for more guidance on how to hone in on your strengths and uniqueness to illustrate to the adcom why you are an ideal candidate for their school? Get your free copy of From Example to Exemplary: How to Use Sample Essays to Make Your Essay Outstanding for more advice on writing an out-of-this-world essay that will get you ACCEPTED. About Linda Abraham: Linda Abraham is the founder and CEO of Accepted , the top-tier admissions consultancy that helps you unlock your competitive advantage. Linda has written or co-authored 13 ebooks on the college admissions process. In 2007, she co-founded the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) and became its first president. For the last 20 years Linda and her highly credentialed, experienced team have helped thousands of applicants get accepted to top colleges and graduate schools worldwide, including but not limited to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Columbia, Kellogg, and MIT. She has been featured in The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, US News, The Sunday Times of London, Businessweek, Poets & Quants and MBA Podcaster. View all posts Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. |
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Writing a cultural diversity essay or community essay is a personal process. To set yourself up for success, take time to brainstorm and reflect on your topic. Overall, you want your cultural diversity essay to be a good indication of who you are and what makes you a unique applicant. 3. Proofread. We can't stress this final tip enough.
Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. Example: Common Application prompt #1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.
How to Write The Community Essay. Step 1: Decide What Community to Write About. Step 2: The BEABIES Exercise. Step 3: Pick a Structure (Narrative or Montage) Community Essay Example: East Meets West. Community Essay Example: Storytellers. The Uncommon Connections Exercise. Community Essay Example: The Pumpkin House (Plus Ethan's Analysis) Step ...
It may look like a fairly simple equation: 1 + 2 = 3. However, each college will word their community essay prompt differently, so it's important to look out for additional variables. One college may use the community essay as a way to glimpse your core values. Another may use the essay to understand how you would add to diversity on campus.
How to write about your diversity. Your answer to a school's diversity essay question should focus on how your experiences have built your empathy for others, your embrace of differences, your resilience, your character, and your perspective. The school might ask how you think of diversity or how you will bring or add to the diversity of the ...
1. Research the college. When reviewing our college community essay examples, you will notice that students highlight specific clubs, programs, or groups on campus to which they will contribute. If you are specific, you demonstrate real interest in the school which adds strength to your college applications. 2.
Essay prompt #1. We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you'd like to share about your lived experiences and how they've influenced how you think of yourself. Essay prompt #2.
How to Write a Diversity Essay - Diversity Essay Examples. The first example addresses the "share a story" prompt. It is written in the voice of Karim Amir, the main character of Hanif Kureishi's novel The Buddha of Suburbia. As a child of the suburbs, I have frequently navigated the labyrinthine alleys of identity.
A diversity essay is a college admissions essay that focuses on you as an individual and your relationship with a specific community. The purpose of this essay is to reveal what makes you different from other applicants, including what unique challenges or barriers you've faced and how you've contributed to or learned from a specific community ...
The topic in itself is important, but how you write about it is even more important. 2. Share an anecdote. One easy way to make your essay more engaging is to share a relevant and related story. The beginning of your essay is a great place for that, as it draws the reader in immediately.
Duke's prompt this year provides a great example of how a community essay might be worded: "Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you'd like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you ...
Supplemental "diversity" or "community" essays are becoming increasingly popular components of college and university applications. A diversity essay allows you to highlight how your individual circumstances, values, traditions, or beliefs could contribute to the vibrant mix of cultures on a college campus.
Make a copy of the "Why us" Essay Chart 2.0, research the school you're writing your essay for, and fill in the first two columns. ... Prompt: Bowdoin believes that only through building a more diverse and inclusive campus community will the College best prepare graduates to be contributing and useful citizens of the world. Every graduate ...
For example, if you write a community essay about making pierogies with your Polish-American family or growing up playing in the kids' room at your neighborhood's Islamic Cultural Center, those are both also effective demonstrations of how you might contribute to the diversity of your campus community. And if you write a community essay ...
For example, if you are a person of color, your community could be your cultural group. In some diversity essay examples, focusing on the sense of belonging in a foreign country could be an ideal angle to explore.If you are an international student, you might share how you found your community in a new country.Alternatively, you could see your weekly Dungeons & Dragons group in writing your ...
NYU Supplemental Essay Example (Common App) Prompt: "Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.". Word limit: 250-650 words.
This is especially true for the diversity essay, which aims to reveal your unique perspectives and experiences, as well as the ways in which you might contribute to a college community. In this post, we'll discuss what exactly a diversity essay is, look at examples of actual prompts and a sample essay, and offer tips for writing a standout essay.
Writing an effective diversity essay requires a deep understanding of the task. It also requires brainstorming, outlining, writing, revising, and, better perhaps, related to personal stories. It is crucial to remember that an essay is not only about highlighting differences or a few stressful rings.
How should you approach diversity in your essays? Well, to find out, join Shravya for a breakdown of 'diversity' or 'community' essay type, including: what admissions officers are looking for, when to include school-specific info, and general tips for writing. She'll also go through an essay example or two on-air so you can see how admissions ...
Focus on commonly accepted understandings of diversity and equity. Concentrate on issues such as race, gender, social class and sexual orientation. Don't try to tone down your statement by writing about how it is hard to be a Kansan in Missouri, for example. Instead, write about racial oppression, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism or ...
For all of these students, the Diversity Statement can be a tricky monster. Luckily, the Diversity Statement is still an act of storytelling. And as the timeless lessons of narrative structure teach us, all monsters can be conquered by a champion. This is the key to your Diversity Statement and other personal essays: you must become a champion.
Diversity can be defined as the presence of differences. It is prominent in all fields: in society, the community, and the workplace (Wylie 6). The main benefit that can be accrued due to having diversity is bringing out uniqueness and innovation. People from different backgrounds have a variety of values in them.
Demonstrating varied skill sets. Naturally, various cultures will highlight different values. This is important to a school admissions committee because diverse values will facilitate diverse skills and strengths. Maybe your culture is very family-oriented, focusing on respect, communication, and partnership. These are all critical skills that ...