Essay On Racism And Discrimination On College Campuses

1043 Words3 Pages

Today, many colleges and universities across America are being considered “institutional melting pots” as they are becoming more and more diverse each year. However, racism and discrimination are still very much present on many of these campuses, primarily on those with low rates of diversity, and research shows that minority students face more discrimination and racism on low-diversity campuses. Studies show that students from minority racial and ethnic groups at colleges where minorities are underrepresented experience more stereotyping, harassment, and other forms of discrimination than those on campuses that are more diverse, according to a report from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California. In addition, …show more content…

As stated, race is a powerful social idea that gives individuals different access to resources and opportunities, and is still often used to justify social inequality. For many years, although trends are drastically changing today, it has been known that, on average, black children are less likely to attain as much higher-education as their white counterparts, typically because their parents did not have the same educational opportunities their white counterparts had years ago, possibly due to segregation of schools or their parents inability to attain well-paying jobs due to inequalities in the …show more content…

As an African American student at a predominately white university, I often experience looks of disbelief and astonishment when sharing my educational achievements, as if it is such a surprise that African Americans can achieve such accolades. When asked why there is such a look of amazement I have received responses such as “Black people don’t usually do or achieve things like that at big time universities.” That comment is another way of saying “Most black people get accepted to and attend HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities)” In addition, I have heard other black individuals who have been told “You know they only accepted you because you’re black and the university has to meet a certain percentage, right?” Such comments revolve around a generalization that minority students do not have the same potential, drive, or ambition as those who are not minorities at predominately white

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