Personal Statements: The Diversity Drop

So, what, exactly, is a "diversity drop"?

It's just like a name drop, but instead of trying to inconspicuously mention that famous or super-important person who know, you're cueing the reader of your admissions essay in on what would make you a unique addition to their student body.

Diversity drops are strategic because even if the program you're applying to doesn't accept diversity/optional statements, you've craftily embedded your diversity into the main, personal statement.

Or, if the school does accept an additional statement, you can still do a diversity drop in the main personal statement, with the sole purpose of picking it up again in the optional statement to elaborate on said diversity. That way, your application documents, as a whole, tell a cohesive story with a logical storyline.

Not sure how to do a diversity drop? No worries; I got you! :-)

1) Do a diversity drive-by.

A drive-by is just a quick phrase that alludes to your diversity. Sneak it in while telling your story:

As an immigrant, ...

Based on my experience as an HBCU graduate, ...

No one in my family had ever been to college, so...

2) Incorporate that foreign word or phrase.

If a non-English word or phrase from is part of your story, then write that word, phrase, quote, or conversation in that other language. You can then use a parenthetical explanation, or the next sentence, to provide the English translation and explain the significance of that word/phrase to your story.

3) Use cultural names.

I usually don't advocate for stereotypes, but in the context of quickly communicating diversity, certain names instantly give the reader the impression that the character or situation you're referencing is of a certain ethnic background. Use this reality to your advantage.

I went into much more detail and answered some good questions about diversity drops during last week's live. You can watch the recording below.

Also, if you need one-on-one help with your personal or diversity statement, be sure to apply for a service via https://www.HarvardandHardshipLLC.com/services.

It's Wednesday, so I’ll be going live tonight @7pm ET. This will be my last live for the year, so be sure to tune in!

See you tonight,

-Angel