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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 4:49 pm
by nawi226
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Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 4:51 pm
by bjsesq
You're not diverse; don't do one.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:02 pm
by Dany
bjsesq wrote:You're not diverse; don't do one.
This.

Feel free to talk about your experiences in the personal statement, but I absolutely wouldn't write an optional diversity essay.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:04 pm
by nawi226
Thanks guys. So a diversity statement is more of a URM/LGBT-targeted addition?

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:06 pm
by bjsesq
nawi226 wrote:Thanks guys. So a diversity statement is more of a URM/LGBT-targeted addition?
Not necessarily, but "I studied abroad and did some awareness stuff" is not even in the ballpark.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:08 pm
by lawschool1741
bjsesq wrote:Not necessarily, but "I studied abroad and did some awareness stuff" is not even in the ballpark.
Seconded.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:24 pm
by gatesome
bjsesq wrote:You're not diverse; don't do one.
Disagree 100%. Everyone is diverse. Write about what makes you different and stand out. Doesn't need to include anything about race.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:27 pm
by sublime
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Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:29 pm
by ChemEng1642
In one of the DS essays in the Personal Statements thread there is a list of things that work well as DS statements. I would try to find that if you can, it's a pretty good list.

Not that this applies to you - but for future reference for whoever may be reading this thread. I'll try to find it if I can

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:31 pm
by bjsesq
gatesome wrote:
bjsesq wrote:You're not diverse; don't do one.
Disagree 100%. Everyone is diverse. Write about what makes you different and stand out. Doesn't need to include anything about race.
This week in special snowflakes conflating the traits that make them unique with traits admissions offices consider diverse. Thanks for your input.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:35 pm
by Dany
gatesome wrote:
bjsesq wrote:You're not diverse; don't do one.
Disagree 100%. Everyone is diverse. Write about what makes you different and stand out. Doesn't need to include anything about race.
I work in admissions, and this is bad advice. Again, you can definitely include what makes you stand out in your personal statement, but writing an optional diversity essay about how you learned another language and studied abroad just makes you look like you have a total lack of perspective.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:41 pm
by bjsesq
Dany wrote:
gatesome wrote:
bjsesq wrote:You're not diverse; don't do one.
Disagree 100%. Everyone is diverse. Write about what makes you different and stand out. Doesn't need to include anything about race.
I work in admissions, and this is bad advice. Again, you can definitely include what makes you stand out in your personal statement, but writing an optional diversity essay about how you learned another language and studied abroad just makes you look like you have a total lack of perspective.
Oh whatever. You just don't get my experiences and you fucking should

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 5:47 pm
by ChemEng1642
ChemEng1642 wrote:In one of the DS essays in the Personal Statements thread there is a list of things that work well as DS statements. I would try to find that if you can, it's a pretty good list.

Not that this applies to you - but for future reference for whoever may be reading this thread. I'll try to find it if I can
This is from another thread:
RZ5646 wrote:Complete list of white people who may submit diversity statements without it hurting them:
-- homosexuals, bisexuals, and transsexuals
-- those missing one or more limbs
-- those with other physical handicaps like blindness, deafness, paralysis, etc.
-- dwarves
-- recovering drug addicts (but it can't be something mundane like alcohol, cocaine, or tobacco... has to be heroin, meth, crack, etc.)
-- members of minority religions (but only if you can spin a story about how your faith made you oppressed in some way, and no, atheism doesn't count as a minority religion unless you were actually raised inside a cult or theocracy)
-- war refugees and other immigrants who can spin a good story
-- those with significant time spent living abroad (5+ years) - once again, this requires a good story about why it makes you special
-- survivors of well-known, usually fatal illnesses like cancer

Being low income or a first generation college student doesn't matter unless you were literally raised by illiterate hunter-gatherers in a cave.
I would add "a specialty occupation" to this list. At least that's what I wrote mine about.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 8:02 pm
by nawi226
bjsesq wrote:
Dany wrote:
gatesome wrote:
bjsesq wrote:You're not diverse; don't do one.
Disagree 100%. Everyone is diverse. Write about what makes you different and stand out. Doesn't need to include anything about race.
I work in admissions, and this is bad advice. Again, you can definitely include what makes you stand out in your personal statement, but writing an optional diversity essay about how you learned another language and studied abroad just makes you look like you have a total lack of perspective.
Oh whatever. You just don't get my experiences and you fucking should
There's no reason to be so abrasive and arrogant about the responses to this question. We're all just looking for things to add or remove from our applications to ensure that they are the best they can be. I asked the question because the instructions on my application said "can include but are not limited to xyz...," so I thought I'd ask here. The question has been answered, so please remain calm and have some eggnog.

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 8:06 pm
by fats provolone
how do you say "full of yourself" in Japanese?

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 2:33 am
by Mack.Hambleton
The weeaboo boost is pretty significant

Re: Diversity Statement as a White Male non-URM Question

Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 10:38 am
by bjsesq
nawi226 wrote:There's no reason to be so abrasive and arrogant about the responses to this question. We're all just looking for things to add or remove from our applications to ensure that they are the best they can be. I asked the question because the instructions on my application said "can include but are not limited to xyz...," so I thought I'd ask here. The question has been answered, so please remain calm and have some eggnog.
Judging by his post history, that dude gave you what he knew to be bad info for whatever reason. You should be happy I'm an angry gorilla who throws shit at things that upset me.