Growing up in a minority family college has always been a priority. It was the main reason why my parents immigrated to America. They wanted their children to have more opportunities than they could have in Guyana. However, I never really knew anything about college. It would be my next step in life, but I had no idea what was required for college applications until I started the college process. I only knew about “big” time colleges like the Ivy leagues. Harvard and Yale were the dreams of every student, but growing up in Minnesota and being from the Midwest, Northwestern became my “big time” college dream. I did not know much about Northwestern when I was young, but as time went on, I learned to love the Northwestern community. One attribute
One of the most destructive forces that is destroying young black people in America today is the common cultures wicked image of what an realistic black person is supposed to look like and how that person is supposed to act. African Americans have been struggling for equality since the birth of this land, and the war is very strong. Have you ever been in a situation where you were stereotyped against?
African- American males have been underrepresented among college students and degree earners for years, however the reason for this is often misconstrued. The percentages of white high school graduates “In 1998-2000 had jumped to 46. However, only 40 percent of African-Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics in the same age group were attending college” (McGlynn, Angela Proviteira). The question then to pose, is why minority students are not succeeding in college compared to Caucasian students, “Only 47% of Black male students graduated on time
In Rebecca Cox's "The College Fear Factor," the reader is exposed to the routines and fears of being a student attending a community college. The students interviewed for the book appeared to fear adapting to the life a college student and the fear of failing more than they were concerned about how microaggression affected them. This can be attributed to the fact that community colleges offer a more diverse student body where students share similar life experiences. Social class, gender, and races come in second when the students are attempting college for the first time than compared to minority students who attend elite schools and face a new and alien culture to them; That of the students who are rich and privileged and are able to more easily afford these elite universities. Students who by the fortune of being born into privilege may not have known or felt the struggles that a minority student on campus would face. For example, minorities "[...] are severely underrepresented on most campuses. At Oberlin, for instance, black students form only 5.2 percent of students, Hispanic students 7.2 percent, and Asian Americans 4.2 percent. Minorities, by virtue of their being in the minority, do not and cannot exert robust social control of any kind at elite universities like Oberlin." (Runyowa par. 18). In losing the diverse environment that community colleges face, the
Prompt: In 500 words or more, describe your collegiate experience thus far. How has this experience and the knowledge you've gained influenced what you plan to study? How have they influenced your decision to apply to St. Edward's?
Growing up an African American female in poverty is hard. You constantly see your parents worry about making ends meet. They wonder will they be able to make their paycheck reach to the next paycheck. Being young and watching your mother struggle is something you do not understand. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised there until I was 5. In 2005 I move south to live in Abbeville, Al. By this time my mother and father separated and I was being raised by my mother, a single parent. Having moved to a smaller town from the big city was one of my very first obstacles. Everything is done differently in the south from how I was raised. They spoke differently and acted differently. This was just something I was not used too. I always knew how my mom raised
...d I attended Northern Illinois University in Illinois, a predominantly white institution. She attended Central because she believed like many black students, that attending a HBCU would promote unity, self confidence, and that her educational experience would be geared towards her as an African American. Although the school like many HBCUs lack funding to give her any grants or scholarships she determined to finance her education acquired loans. I however, chose differently. While I sometimes feel that I am missing out on the cultural experience of a lifetime, I received an enormous financial aid package from Northern Illinois University. In August of 2003 my friend transferred to Northern because she could not afford Central for a second year. Although a student's environment is very important in the end a student's success is dependent solely upon that student.
As cliché as it sounds, it is true that many African American students come from very harsh and poverty stricken environments. They tend to go to under resourced schools as well that do not provide the proper knowledge for them to further their education. And even worse, these schools tend to be segregated since they are usually in the harsher parts of a neighborhood. Sadly, it’s the segregated schools are one of the main reasons why black students decide not to go on to pursue a higher education. According to "The Way Out of the Black Poverty Cycle", a black student that attends an integrated suburban school is six times more likely to graduate compared to a segregated under resourced school. An African Americans family structure and the opinions of family members affects if their decision to further their education as well. Many African American children grow up un...
I don’t think they could’ve done anything more than what they were doing. I say that because if they would’ve done more they would’ve gotten their “head busted” like John Gray’s friend Brookley Field. In those times, what authority did a black person really have? They didn’t have anyone to take up for them and were punished without question so I don’t think it was much they could really do. I think the experience of fighting made them realize what they were fighting for. Once, they understood that they were fighting for their worth and for what’s right, I think it made it more of an impact on them. My grandma is 88, so her experience was totally different from mine. She experienced segregation at an all-time high. My experience with segregation
...cannot be broken, knowledge that cannot be taken away, and opportunities that students never knew were available. It is an honor to receive top notch education and even more of an honor to receive it from an HBCU. Legacies are made at HBCUs and parents are made proud when their child becomes alumni of the same college that they once attended. Parents want to know that their child is receiving the one on one attention from the professors and they want their child to feel the same love away from home that they feel at home. A loving and caring support system is what one will find at an HBCU and parents can feel secure in knowing their child is getting exactly what they paid for. Attending an HBCU is an experience like no other and an experience that every African American should have the opportunity to experience. If given the opportunity, why not attend an HBCU?
My dad became my biggest influence on my decision-making process. Trent was able to highlight the fact that "parents [are the one's] who value a college education and stress its importance (Anderson, 1985)." Financial aid was another essential factor that drove me to go to college. Financial aid is free money the government grants to students in order to assist in making college a reality to them in our recessional times. In college, I will be able to better myself as an individual. I plan on gaining even more knowledge, maturity, and independence while beating the societal stereotypes of African American from underserved
At an extremely young age, my mother fostered the idea of attaining a college education for my brothers and I. As an adolescent, I assumed that a college education was necessary, but little did I know that my mother 's words and actions served as the familial capital that would lead to my acceptance into the University of California, Los Angeles. With the exposure to vital information, such as Community Cultural Wealth and the Hidden Curriculum, many students of color, such as myself, have the ability to attain academic achievement and successfully navigate through institutionalized forms of oppression. Community Cultural Wealth is the idea that Communities of Color possess a substantial amount of knowledge, skills, contacts, and abilities
Many students are struggling in college. According to the New York Times Web site, only 33 percent of the college students are graduating in six years. Obviously students still need much help to succeed in order to get where they want to go. Although college can be challenging, I am going to succeed by using advice from experts, by developing strategies and ideas, and by taking advantage of the benefits offered by my college.
I think that as an African American student, from a single parent household, who was able to become the first person in their family to graduate from college, that I will fit well with the school’s motivation to add diversity. I would consider myself a loyal person, and my plan is to practice medicine in the same vicinity as I attend school. I sense that I can help address the shortage of primary care doctors by working both full time and actively in the community. I will bring a benevolent, motivated, and hard working mindset to the role of a medical professional. By being active in the community promoting public health, as well as working for grants for these underserved regions, we will be in a much better situation to provide healthcare
Coming from a family who didn’t even graduate high school, who is trying his best to get a higher education and display the obstacles being faced throughout my life. In addition, the society will question themselves to see that some certain people with a different race or ethnicity are going to college. Above all, it creates a grudge against the terrible comments about how can these people go to college or have a higher education. Even if you are different, “It’s not your fault you were born with white skin…”, or any skin color, getting a higher education is something that improves the social, political, and economic factors of the nation (Crosley-Corcoran 1). It doesn’t matter what other people tell me or anyone, we make our lives and improve our community. Life without education or ideas from different identities, will destroy the relations between race, gender, or other
...nd was wonderful to shop with. Michael was a perfect gentleman. Marnie was always encouraging and understanding. Nisha and Rebecca Kozitza were amusing . . . and so on. If it had not been for everyone's wonderful personalities we would not have been able to endure such cramped living spaces. The final farewell was testament to the closeness of our newly found friendships. I look forward to another alumni event. Until then, I will treasure the friends I've made.