Diversity Statement Forum

[mlieber]

I am a 24 year old white female. I am 1/4 asian by blood but have no connection to that background. I grew up in New York City, worked for two years after school and am applying to law school (that is basically the point of my PS). Will it hurt me not to have a diversity statement? I'm sure I could come up with something about how growing up in NYC makes me diverse, but I do not think it will be a strong statement. I am doing the "Why X" for those schools that offer it, but schools that just ask for a diversity statement about race or socioeceonmic hardships, will it hurt me not to write one? Please help I am greaking out

[The Gentleman]

My vote is don't write a DS. It doesn't sound like you have any legit material. (living in NYC is not legit DS material IMHO)

[mlieber]

I know i don't have anything to write about, but I'm sure I could make something up. My question is are these optional statements really "optional" i.e will it hurt to not write one like not writing a Why X statement, or are they actually optional and should only be used for people who have something to say

[The Gentleman]

I know i don't have anything to write about, but I'm sure I could make something up. My question is are these optional statements really "optional" i.e will it hurt to not write one like not writing a Why X statement, or are they actually optional and should only be used for people who have something to say

Don't make something up for the sake of writing a DS. Bullshitting your way through it seems like an awful idea. You would be much better off not writing one IMHO.

On the other hand, you should write "Why X" essays for schools that ask for them. (Michigan, Penn, Duke) Not writing one can hurt your app. (although people still get in w/o them)

[Remnantofisrael]

you should write a diversity statement about the hardships of your condition of replacing "f"s with "g"s at the beginning of certain words. It would totally greak them all out, and I should know as I have the same condition.



In all seriousness, I wouldn't bother.

[ht2988]

If you have to "make something up" then you shouldn't bother. Many white females live in NY, from what you've said, there's really nothing that special about your background.