By an IvyWise Principal College Admissions Counselor
In 2013, a Pennsylvania high school student named Suzy Lee Weiss wrote an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal about not being admitted to the Ivy League colleges of her dreams. The article drew national controversy over the unrealistic expectations of college admissions offices and the role of diversity in building an incoming class at the most prestigious universities. “I offer about as much diversity as a saltine cracker,” she wrote satirically.
But does an applicant’s lack of diversity serve as a liability in competing for a spot at a highly selective school? In some cases, it does. Be that as it may, I find it hard to believe that any student lacks diversity.
Colleges aim to create a microcosm of society. By admitting a diversity of applicants, institutions ensure that their campuses reflect the real world, preparing students to thrive in diverse environments after graduation. Exposure to diverse peers helps students develop essential skills for working in a globalized world, such as empathy, communication, and collaboration.
The benefits of diversity are also seen in the classroom. A variety of perspectives enriches classroom discussion and broadens students’ understanding of the world. Students are more likely to think outside the box and come up with unique solutions. Exposure to diverse environments helps students develop a more inclusive mindset and better leadership skills.
Until 2023, colleges could use affirmative action policies to help them admit diverse classes of students. With affirmative action gone, ethnic and racial diversity will likely decline on campuses across the U.S. To help maintain campus diversity, many institutions are encouraging students to write about their identity in their supplemental essay.
History shows that students of color were denied admission at many colleges and universities for years, giving rise to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. But just how much of a factor is race in college admissions now? A 2023 Pew Research Center analysis reveals that race and ethnicity are more likely to be considered in admissions at private institutions with the lowest admissions rates. While a few of the public schools included in the analysis also considered race in admissions, it wasn’t rated as an important factor.
With affirmative action out of the picture, colleges can no longer make race-conscious admissions decisions; however, diversity on campuses still matters. That said, colleges place the most importance on the academic or “hard” factors of your application — the soft factors are used to tip the scales when applicants have similar academic records. If you want to play up your diversity, use those soft factors (especially the essays) to highlight it.
When it comes to racial and ethnic diversity, these colleges and universities are among the most diverse in the U.S.
| College/University | Location | Largest Minority Group | Student Demographics (Approx.) |
| Pomona College | Claremont, CA | Asian | 32% white, 18% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 10% Black, 8% multiracial |
| CUNY – Queens College | Queens, NY | Asian | 32% Asian, 30% Hispanic, 20% white, 10% Black, 3% multiracial |
| Swarthmore College | Swarthmore, PA | Asian | 32% white, 18% Asian, 14% Hispanic, 10% multiracial, 9% Black |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | Asian | 27% Asian, 21% white, 20% Hispanic, 9% Black, 7% multiracial |
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA | Asian | 26% Asian, 26% white, 18% Hispanic, 10% multiracial, 7% Black, 1% Native American |
| Yale University | New Haven, CT | Asian | 36% white, 17% Asian, 12% Hispanic, 7% Black, 5% multiracial |
| Rutgers University, Newark | Newark, NJ | Hispanic | 35% Hispanic, 21% white, 20% Black, 18% Asian, 2% multiracial |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | Hispanic | 34% Hispanic, 24% white, 16% Asian, 13% multiracial, 9% Black, 1% Pacific Islander |
| New York University | New York, NY | Asian | 22% white, 20% Asian, 17% Hispanic, 8% Black, 4% multiracial |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Asian | 29% Asian, 26% white, 22% Hispanic, 7% multiracial, 3% Black |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, HI | Asian | 35% Asian, 24% white, 16% multiracial, 16% Pacific Islander, 2% Black, 2% Hispanic, 1% Native American |
| University of Massachusetts, Boston | Boston, MA | Hispanic | 33% white, 19% Hispanic, 18% Black, 16% Asian, 4% multiracial |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD | Asian/Black | 32% white, 23% Asian, 23% Black, 9% Hispanic, 6% multiracial |
You don’t have to be an ethnic minority to receive an acceptance from your top-choice institution. You do, however, have to identify the areas where you can provide the kinds of diversity on campus that your number one college is seeking. In my experience, students who have taken this approach have been more successful at finding a school they love, in addition to being asked to join the incoming class the following year. At IvyWise, we call this match between the university and the applicant “the fit.”
In defense of all the admissions committees across the country that make tough decisions year after year, having excellent grades, perfect standardized test scores, and outstanding extracurricular activities won’t guarantee a spot in the class. Admissions offices want students who stand out from their peers and show demonstrated interest in perpetuating the university’s missions and ideals.
At highly selective universities, there are thousands of applicants who meet and exceed these criteria — a big part of how colleges read applications and ultimately make decisions is to look for applicants who are a good match for the campus. Moreover, colleges and universities have an obligation to provide a learning environment that matches the world beyond its gates as closely as possible. I like to think of universities as bubbles of knowledge, where students develop by being exposed to new people and ideas. Within this bubble, learning goes beyond the classroom and into the residence and recital halls, sports teams, quads, and student centers.
When these students graduate, they will have the training they need to address the needs of an ever-changing world because they have been exposed to the challenges that the world of work will present to them. In the real world, not everyone is from the same country, nor are they all chemistry majors who play one heck of a jazz flute. The world is a mosaic from which everyone benefits through interaction and collaboration, and this is why diversity is so important to admissions committees across the country.
I encourage my students to think more critically about their strengths and develop an application strategy that emphasizes a match between their unique qualities and what the school of their choice would be interested in.
Suzy Lee Weiss could have increased her chances of being admitted to her first choice if she focused on the distinctive strengths and contributions that only she could bring to that particular school. Articulating this match well is the challenge that applicants must overcome when they are applying to colleges.
Having knowledge of what the university is all about and being able to demonstrate the ability to add to the campus is largely missing from most students’ application strategy. What this means is that applicants have to do more research on their top choices and ask smarter questions of admissions officers and current students (e.g., “What does it mean to be a Cornell student?”).
But their work does not end there because they must also know what the university needs from its incoming students. I wouldn’t be shy about asking an admissions officer, “What kinds of students are missing from your campus?” A well-planned application strategy will attempt to fill this void and set the applicant apart from their competitors.
If a student discovers that there isn’t a great match between them and the school of their choice, it may be best to continue searching. College guidance counselors are right to emphasize that a student should apply to the colleges where they will be successful and not apply to the colleges where they will feel uncomfortable and stressed, even though it may be a big-name school. I tell students to go where their diversity is most wanted — where the fit feels just right.
Need help finding your best-fit schools? IvyWise counselors get to know you so they can suggest schools that are a great fit for your needs and goals — including schools you may not have heard of. Contact us to learn more and schedule an Initial Consultation.
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