How to Write a Diversity Essay: Tips to Make You Stand Out

The end of affirmative action in university admissions may have you wondering how you can truly set yourself apart from other applicants and show colleges your unique self and how you overcame any challenges. Generally speaking, the best place to do that is in the diversity essay. 

What is the Diversity Essay? 

In order to address what the diversity essay is, let’s discuss what diversity means. Now, more than ever, people are aware of ethnic diversity, especially as it pertains to race-conscious university admissions. However, diversity is more than just ethnicity, class and sexuality. Diversity encompasses the unique perspective, values, opinions, and more that you would bring to the institution that others may not. 

The diversity essay takes place in multiple forms.Here are some examples: 

• Duke University: Short-essay optional prompts (250 word limit)
  • We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself.
  • We believe there is benefit in sharing and sometimes questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about?
  • What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?
  • Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. If you’d like to share with us more about your identity in this context, feel free to do so here.
• CalTech: Short essay prompt (250 word limit)
  • The process of discovery is best advanced when people from diverse backgrounds come together to solve the greatest challenges in their fields. How do your past experiences and present-day perspectives inform who you have become and how you navigate the world?
• University of California System: 
  • 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
    • Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?
    • If you’re currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, “How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family?”
  • 7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
    • Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place—like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?
    • Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community?

Tips to Make You Stand Out

There are several things to consider when writing your essay. We encourage you to consider the following:

• Expand your “difference” beyond race and social class.Think about all of the ways you are unique and different from others. How have you impacted people? What specific thing, action, or thought did you contribute to your community? Does your family have a specific value that you carry throughout your life?
• Avoid cliches. A lot of students tend to approach this essay with an ere of privilege where upon encountering someone in the community that is disheveled or unkempt, they reach out to provide the person food or money. You want colleges to recognize your worldly, well-informed view of society and how you plan on contributing to a greater world. 
• Highlight your values. One of the best ways to avoid cliches is to focus on what you truly value. The work and time that you put into an activity, community, and action is reflective of how much you truly believe in this value. If you are unsure of where to start, check your activities list and look at the activity that you put the most time and effort into.
• Share an anecdote through showing, not telling. This is a simple way to engage the reader and take them through your thought process, allowing them to feel the emotions with you. Consider meaningful interactions, significant goals you have accomplished, or specific memorable experiences.    

Key Takeaways

• Diversity essays are great ways to highlight your common goals and uniqueness beyond ethnicity.
• Present yourself in a well-informed manner. This can be done through showing an anecdote of a significant event, interaction, or experience. 
• While doing so, align your actions to highlight your values. 
• Thinking of what to focus on can be difficult so free free to contact us at SK Education to help you formalize your thoughts into actionable essays,