Diversity Statement: Ethnic or Socioeconomic?

Raising The Bar

I originally wrote a diversity statement about the challenges of being an ethnic minority but I wrote another after learning UCLA has a section for socioeconomic disadvantage. Most schools only offer a place for one diversity statement. I've been struggling with which statement I should send to the other schools.

Is a socioeconomic diversity statement or ethnic diversity statement more compelling? Would it be better if I consolidate both at the risk of eliminating detail and having a less cohesive statement?

Leah M B

I think you should write both and use whichever one feels strongest. There's not any one topic that's better or worse in a vacuum. It's whichever one is more meaningful to you, whichever one you can write most sincerely about.

ezrafezra

Hi - this is a great question and one that I've personally thought about. I understand the desire to explain both, but also the need to keep things succinct.

I think you should hit on both in your essay. You can't understand the importance of one without the other; race informs your class status (and how you negotiate it), and vice-verca.

Addressing both will provide a fuller sense of who you are and what sets you apart from the rest. This is key.

Bamboosprout

I wouldn't consolidate them, unless you can seamlessly combine them. I would have both at the ready, and use whichever is stronger. It really depends on what ethnicity you are, I think, and how under-represented your ethnicity at the school is. You can typically see this stat on the law school website, or go to lawschoolnumbers.com. Generally, I would suggest just using whichever one is more meaningful to you, or is better written.

Raising The Bar

@Bamboosprout said: I wouldn't consolidate them, unless you can seamlessly combine them. I would have both at the ready, and use whichever is stronger.

That was a major concern for me, actually. I initially tried to write them in the same statement and thought my writing seemed unfocused and was less narrative. I'm content with how the separate essays turned out and think they are more compelling separated.

All of the samples I've read tend to focus on one component of diversity with maybe a sentence regarding another. I could be overthinking it but I want to make sure I'm not doing myself a disservice by not addressing both.

Raising The Bar

@ezrafezra said: I think you should hit on both in your essay. You can't understand the importance of one without the other; race informs your class status (and how you negotiate it), and vice-verca.

Addressing both will provide a fuller sense of who you are and what sets you apart from the rest. This is key.

I agree that both are significant for providing a picture of who I am but I struggle with how to focus this without just listing facts. Have you read a statement that did this effectively?

For example, my college had an incident where people defaced walls with racist phrases and swastikas. This felt like an attack on my ethnic identity. In college I also worked multiple jobs to pay for my education while being a full time student. This shows socioeconomic diversity. Although both were happening at the same time, I'm uncertain how to present them together. I don't want it to seem like I'm complaining.

Bamboosprout

@"Raising The Bar" said:

@Bamboosprout said: I wouldn't consolidate them, unless you can seamlessly combine them. I would have both at the ready, and use whichever is stronger.

That was a major concern for me, actually. I initially tried to write them in the same statement and thought my writing seemed unfocused and was less narrative. I'm content with how the separate essays turned out and think they are more compelling separated.

All of the samples I've read tend to focus on one component of diversity with maybe a sentence regarding another. I could be overthinking it but I want to make sure I'm not doing myself a disservice by not addressing both.

I'm actually against combining them. I think they're separate issues, and speak to a unique side of you, and combining them would definitely make it unfocused. Quality over quantity. Just make sure you do your research on the schools to see if they have any diversity preferences. Compare ethnicities of the schools to see if you are underrepresented. See what schools' opinions are on equal opportunity etc. And choose what to use as your diversity statement depending on your research.

samantha.ashley92

I think you should try writing a diversity statement for each topic. Whichever one comes out better is the one to use. That's what I'll be doing, anyway. Maybe the other topic can be woven into your PS.