First things first: let me preface this with a little background about myself. I am a 20-year-old white girl from upper-middle class suburban Long Island. My parents have worked extremely hard to get where they are today, and I am well aware of and grateful for my comfortable lifestyle. I don't aim to speak as anyone other than who I am, and I cannot act as a spokesperson for people who are less fortunate than I am. I do, however, think that this is an important discussion that needs to happen.
Two years ago, during my senior year of high school, I received two of the greatest Christmas presents of my life. I was accepted to Northeastern University with a considerable merit scholarship, and I was also accepted to Boston College, my #1 dream school (because I'll be the first to admit that Brown and Columbia were exceptionally ambitious of me). No scholarship from the latter.
I spent the next four months decidedly undecided. I got into other schools and got rejected from a few as well. Ivy Rejection Day passed with great celebration, and suddenly May 1 was looming in the distance. My mom finally sat me down and we both realized we didn't have the money for BC, at least not for the full four years. There were tears on both sides, but I decided that I needed to suck it up. Northeastern is a great school in a great location. The other schools I'd gotten into were also pretty fantastic, and I didn't have any cause for complaint. A few days later, after moping and thinking everything over for the thousandth time, I had my epiphany at my best friend's kitchen table. I abruptly got up from dinner and paid my deposit to NEU. It was a split-second decision, but I can safely say I have absolutely no regrets.
As I enter my junior (Third? Middler?) year, Northeastern's reputation has skyrocketed, and I couldn't be prouder. Northeastern has a thriving community filled with people from all walks of life, and this is probably why it's received such praise. It may sound terribly clichéd, but I doubt that there are many universities in the U.S. where students from Alaska, Costa Rica, Nigeria, France, and Thailand can be found in the same classroom and it be considered the norm. Northeastern prides itself on its diversity, and I've realized that few universities truly do.
In an increasingly interconnected global community, it is important that my generation, the "Millennials," grow and learn in an educational environment that reflects that. Universities that cater to a single stereotype are quickly becoming archaic. I know that BC is a renowned university, and rightly so, and I am not trying to offend either its faculty or its students. However, I have found that it is common enough knowledge that BC students are often your typical Vineyard Vines, J. Crew, New England preps. These people generally are wealthy and white, and probably share similar cultural values.
There is nothing wrong with being like this, when you do not surround yourself with people who are the same way. However, in educational communities, this can become a problem. People who all share the same core values and beliefs tend to become stagnant. There are no other voices to challenge the collective thought, or to bring in outside ideas or opinions. When there is no diversity, there is no growth.
A lot of this has to do with the price of college tuition, and the willingness for colleges to hand out scholarships. My family is very well off, and even I could not finance a full four years at BC (or Northeastern, for that matter, if it weren't for the scholarships it generously doles out). While others may have received scholarships or endowments from BC, I have learned that that is not usual or typical. I shouldn't have expected to receive any money from BC. What message does this send to people who are less fortunate than me? Should they even bother applying?
Universities across the nation, not just BC, need a wake-up call on how they are running themselves: $60,000+ a year is absolutely absurd if you are not making it possible to alleviate that financial burden through scholarships or grants. These price tags cater to a wealthy elite and discourage others, thus stifling the intellectual growth of students. You cannot expect to grow, in this day and age, if you are not challenged. You are not always right. Your thoughts and values are not always right. There are more than 7 billion people in this world with beliefs and opinions that are vastly different than yours. They may not be right, but who is to say that you are? College is a time for exploration and figuring yourself out. It is a disservice to students that universities are not putting diversity at the top of their priorities.
I am aware that Boston College is not the only university with a stereotype -- it was just the one I have had experience with. I am aware that BC still outranks Northeastern in all the listings. I am also aware that BC has minority groups and an international student body, but it is no where near the extent of Northeastern's. When comparing graduates from universities like BC with NEU grads, though, I think you'll begin to notice a trend. Northeastern students are globally conscious individuals, and a great number have spent time abroad either for study or co-op. They will all tell you that on their walk to class every morning, they probably heard, on average, about seven languages spoken among their peers. They will have learned about other cultures without even realizing it, and will have become more tolerant, independent thinkers.
Diversity is not something we need to be afraid of; it is something we should embrace with open arms and encourage in every aspect of our lives. I have yet to meet a Northeastern student, whether they're from the UK, India, Ghana, or western Mass, who wasn't proud to be a Husky. I know I am.
