The totally misunderstood “diversity statement” --- 「diversity essay怎麼寫？」

Diversity, a photo by art around on Flickr.

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「diversity essay怎麼寫？」Approaching The Diversity Essay Question
Tips for Writing Your Personal Statement and Diversity Essays
準備留學文件，除了遞交SoP(讀書計畫)之外，申請人可能會遇到系所要求寫作一份：diversity essay，申請獎助學金的同學也有可能需要繳交類似的文件。
常見要求diversity essay的學校包括：University of Michigan、Stanford、UC Berkeley、 UC Davis、Purdue、University of Minnesota等，通常學校要求的diversity essay文章篇幅都比SoP來的短。
不過，從過去到現在、我們評估過的、數以百計的diversity essay草稿中，幾乎每一位申請人交給我們diversity essay初稿都有文不對題或是偏離主題的問題。我們見過太多錯誤的例子，比方說：「我在花蓮當過兵，服完替代役之後，我便回到台北開始工作，我的工作內容很有多樣性，包括、、、 此外，我的工作地點也很有多樣性，我見過了花蓮的好山好水也見識過大城市的繁華、、、」
我們希望藉由這篇文章，提醒正在寫作diversity essay的申請人，務必確認自己是否理解diversity essay的寫作方向和寫作方式。

當您完成diversity essay草稿後，如果不確定自己的寫作內容是否合宜，歡迎您隨時來信與我們討論。

隨著申請截止日接近，如果您在申請時，遇到類似的問題：
不清楚該怎麼撰寫留學文件或作答方式、寫作格式、不確定是否正確理解了學校的essay questions、缺乏學術寫作經驗等，歡迎您來信預約，一對一留學文件寫作指導： ✉ consulting@sofi1rob.net

我們將根據您的背景與強項，提供您策略指導、協助您有效率地完成留學申請！

Dear Readers, 

This post will be short but sweet but worth its weight in gold.

Each year we need to return and explain the error in every single diversity statement. While of course we can make a few extra dollars by scheduling consultations with the confused that is not our purpose.

So this year we are posting an explanation early in hopes that clients won't be so confused or need so much help.

Okay so you have figured out finally how to write your SoP and/or a personal statement and all the other docs when you go down your list of schools and through the extra documents required and what do you find: the diversity statement.

If you are like almost every single client we have ever had -- certainly in the past few years -- applying to such schools then the next thing you will probably be planning to do is write an essay explaining all the fun and interesting things that you have done or maybe explain all the different jobs that you have had or some such thing. That is when we typically have to break the news to our clients that they are entirely mistaken about this.

"Diversity" is a word that applies to a group, a society or your experience of interaction within that society. What you have just done is write instead about your own varied experiences. "Diversity" is short for 'social diversity' and that is not something you can possess, rather it is something that you can only participate in.

What is being elicited for this essay is your experiences with others very different than yourself: People of other races, nations, socio-economic groups, ethnic groups or sexual orientations. That can be quite a difficult task for many East Asian who live in a fairly conservative and extremely non-diverse environment. Your classmates probably are your peers from one or more demographic categories rather than entirely a mixed lot with people from all corners of the globe like you will easily find in New York City or California or elsewhere.

You need to think carefully if you have had experience with others meaningfully that were different from you. Maybe you were helping out at the hospital or an old folks' home or you served in a unit in the military with people from all over your nation both rich and poor. If your own identity is for example a Native Formosan this essay might be easier. Being a minority you will likely empathize with other minorities. Whatever it is that needs to be the basis of the essay. Or in one case a long tweet about your embodiment of social diversity in your own life like at Stanford. Other schools requiring a diversity statement that I can think of off-hand are UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Purdue and University of Minnesota.  There are other schools that have had or may add this requirement as well. In addition you will encounter such a statement requirement when applying for a number of scholarships.

Can you prepare? Yes maybe. Get involved in social programs that lets you get to know people very different from you in your own country or go backpacking abroad and stay in Min-bak (민박) or "homestays."

Good Luck and Enjoy Social Diversity!

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essay questions 舉例：

"The diversity essay should be 500 words or less responding to the statement: Describe your leadership, work experience, service experience, or other significant involvement with racial, ethnic, socio-economic, or educational communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in higher education, and how these experiences would promote a diversity of views, experiences,

and ideas in the pursuit of research, scholarship, and creative excellence."

(purdue doctoral fellowship, http://www.purdue.edu/GRADSCHOOL)

"Diversity essay: 1-page, single-spaced essay response to the following questions: What does diversity mean to you? What does it mean to be sensitive and responsive to diversity as a profession?"

(https://education.uoregon.edu/couples-and-family-therapy/admissions)

"Personal Achievements/Contributions UC Santa Barbara is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. Please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. For example, please describe if you have experienced economic challenges in achieving higher education, such as being financially responsible for family members or dependents, having to work significant hours during undergraduate schooling or coming from a family background of limited income. Please describe if you have any unusual or varied life experiences that might contribute to the diversity of the graduate group, such as fluency in other languages, experience living in bicultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect underserved segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations."

(http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/admissions/how-to-apply#statements)

一對一留學文件寫作指導： ✉ consulting@sofi1rob.net