4 Reasons a Diverse College Campus is a Good One

Diversity Has Become A Major Talking Point For Colleges Around The Country…

However, the effort to diversify student bodies is not just for show, as there are real benefits to cultivating a diverse group of students. These benefits, such as learning how to respect and honor the culture of others, are becoming increasingly more valuable as our planet and economy becomes more globalized and interconnected.

At the end of the day, students who attend a diverse college campus are more likely to find themselves actively working to understand the worldviews of those around them. The result is a better rounded student with more job opportunities available to them and a more worldly perspective that will give them a jumping off point to explore the many amazing places and people this planet has to offer!

WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN THIS ARTICLE

• What is Diversity?
• Why Do Colleges Value Diversity?
• 4 Reasons Why Diversity Benefits College Students
• Diversity Brings Us Together

What Is Diversity?

The word diversity is used as a catch-all to describe many different types of college campuses and cultures, but the primary meaning of diversity on college campuses is this:

Diversity: A range of different things, or the practice of including people from a range of different backgrounds and perspectives.

Both of these definitions help explain what diversity means within the context of college campuses. A college aiming for a diverse student body is looking to bring in a wide range of students from a variety of backgrounds, just like a wide range of different factors are considered when evaluating a student’s chances of admission.

Colleges looking to create a diverse student body don’t take only a single factor, such as race or socioeconomic background, into consideration. In order to achieve true diversity on campus, a blend of the following aspects are considered:

• Race
• Religion
• Gender
• Socioeconomic background (your social and financial upbringing)
• Politics
• Culture
• Values and beliefs
• Nationality
• Sexuality
• Economic status
• Family education background

Despite common misconception, diversity is not about favoring one type of student or pandering to stereotypes.

Colleges will not go out of their way to admit a student that hits arbitrary “diversity check marks” but fails to meet the basic requirements of admission, such as grades or other eligibility requirements. How a student’s background will bring a diverse perspective to campus is considered, but it’s rarely the sole factor for admission.

Why Do Colleges Value Diversity?

Colleges value bringing diversity to their campuses because modern day life is becoming increasingly diverse itself. With the rise of the Internet, people from around the world are more connected than ever. When you enter your career, you’ll likely find yourself collaborating with people from halfway across the world or learning from the research and knowledge of experts around the globe, and diversity on campus helps you prepare for those interactions.

For some colleges, a focus on increasing diversity is also used to help students who would otherwise “fall through the cracks,” or not receive the same level of opportunity as students from more advantageous backgrounds.

Additionally, many colleges place a focus on campus diversity because they realize that every student can bring a unique perspective to the table. When students feel welcomed no matter who they are, they’ll feel more comfortable to share their point of view.

On a campus where the sharing of thoughts and ideas is comfortable and commonplace, innovation and achievement are sure to follow.

4 Reasons Why Diversity Benefits College Students

The benefits of diversity on college campuses are numerous, but they often fall into four main categories. By interacting with a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs, many students are exposed to their first taste of the many unique people and perspectives outside their hometown.

College is often a time of change, and diverse campuses promote positive changes that will help you grow into a more well-rounded person in a variety of ways.

WELCOMING TO ALL

One of the main benefits of diversity is that all students feel welcome, respected, and free to express themselves. College is a new and scary experience for many students. On diverse campuses, the likelihood of meeting a peer who can relate to your background, beliefs, or upbringing skyrocket when compared with a homogeneous student body.

Even if you don’t find a peer who can relate to your unique perspective, a diverse campus encourages other students to understand your perspective and respect it. When you live and study every day with a diverse group of people, you’ll be drawn toward building relationships and forging a deeper understanding of each other. These friendships help you broaden your own horizons while building a deep bond with someone whose entire worldview you may have never even considered if you hadn’t attended a diverse campus.

Regardless of race or creed, no one likes to feel like the odd one out. On a campus filled with students with every type of personality under the sun, you won’t stand out like a sore thumb for doing your own thing. This is a freedom that not everyone has while they’re in high school, making an inclusive college campus the first place where many students can truly be themselves.

PUSHING YOUR BOUNDARIES

In addition to feeling free to do your own thing, a diverse college campus will empower you to try new things. On a diverse college campus, you’ll do more than experience different cultures and their food; you’ll also get a sampling of religions, beliefs, and values from across the world, while getting the chance to examine your own beliefs and do a bit of soul searching.

College is often billed as one of the best places to discover yourself and solidify your own value and belief systems. A diverse campus promotes this concept naturally; when you see your peers viewing the world through a different lens, you’ll be drawn to ask ‘Why?’ and examine your own worldview.

In the same manner, you’ll also be able to share your uniqueness with your peers on a diverse campus. Your presence will have an impact on those around you, even if you don’t feel it or immediately see the results. By feeling comfortable and secure in sharing your identity on campus, you’ll help your peers gain a deeper understanding of what life is like from your little corner of the world; while gaining the same appreciation for theirs!

FINDING A MENTOR

A moment ago we mentioned that diverse campuses increase the chances you’ll find a peer with a similar upbringing. Fortunately, you can apply that same principle to finding a mentor.

Many colleges don’t stop with diversifying their student bodies and look to bring the same range of perspectives to their faculty, meaning college diversity helps you find a mentor that you can relate to. This is incredibly important for students, giving them someone to confide in and seek advice from. When your college experience begins to feel too challenging, this mentor can guide you and relate to your unique experience, helping you overcome those hurdles.After all, they’ve been through the higher education system already, and can give you compassionate guidance to help you find your footing.

PREPARATION FOR THE REAL WORLD

In today’s connected and increasingly global world, it’s important to learn how to work and interact with people from a variety of backgrounds. The modern workplace is often a melting pot of different cultures, races, religions, and upbringings. By attending a diverse college, you’ll learn how to understand and respect those different from you, even when dealing with fundamental disagreements. This level of understanding is crucial to navigating today’s workplace culture and its increased need for collaboration.

Learning how to listen to those with differing views is essential to prepare for the real world. Throughout your experience on a diverse college campus, you’ll find yourself becoming more open to hearing different perspectives and viewpoints, while also learning how to better communicate your own ideas, even when others disagree with you. In workplaces where collaboration is what gets things done, knowing how to effectively frame your ideas to reach everyone, regardless of background, is an extremely valuable skill.

Diversity Brings Us Together

An inclusive college campus brings together students from all walks of life to achieve their shared goals and dreams together. However, every student will approach these goals differently due to the unique experiences and perspectives they have thanks to their upbringings and backgrounds. By experiencing this diversity, students learn to understand the world around them in new and exciting ways.

Throughout your time on a diverse college campus, you’ll find yourself working together with peers that have overcome hardships, dealt with discrimination, and been isolated for being true to themselves. As you learn and grow together with these peers, you’ll often find a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.

In this understanding, diverse colleges can play a small role in making the world a better place.

If you’ve always dreamed about studying at a multicultural university, our WeAdmit counselors can help you make that dream a reality. We know how to use your college essays, extracurricular activity choices, and applications to best highlight your unique background and perspectives. And, since emphasizing who you are is just one aspect of a successful college application, we’re here to help you polish your entire application to increase your chances of success!

After All, We All Have Something Unique To Bring To And Learn From A Diverse College Campus!