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Comparable Schools'
Diversity Grades:
College Prowler Take
Birmingham-Southern is not usually recognized as being a diverse institution. A closer look at the school, however, shows that there are plenty of people from all over the world who attend BSC. Most international kids come on scholarship to play sports. Even though there are very few of them, everyone is open to getting to know who they are, because they are novel people.
Historically, BSC has been an all-white school. Birmingham’s history with the Civil Rights Movement leads some people to think that things have not changed here since the 1960s, but at BSC, the administration is always trying to reconcile the image of the past with the changing image of the future by encouraging speakers to come and hosting special events during Common Hour. Also, new programs, special scholarship funding, and a more rigorous recruitment process is attempting to increase minority enrollment. There are several minority clubs that any student can be a part of, so even though there are a small number of minorities, they tend to be active in the social and academic landscape. Students are also fairly tolerant of other religions and sexual preferences, and the incidence of hate crimes in the recent past is slim to none. The close-knit atmosphere of the school may fool people into thinking that students at BSC are closed-minded, but more often than not, that’s not the case. Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
Anonymous says:  |
While we have minorities, the...
While we have minorities, the school is not very diverse. Like any private Methodist institution, the majority of the student body is upper-middle-class and Greek. |
Anonymous says: |
I don’t think our campus is very...
I don’t think our campus is very diverse, but it’s more diverse than some Southern colleges. |
Anonymous says: |
The administration and student-led...
The administration and student-led organizations are working to increase the amount of diversity on campus. The majority of students are open to other cultures and accepting of differences. |
Anonymous says: |
There aren’t a lot of minority...
There aren’t a lot of minority students. It’s a pretty white campus, but we do get some diversity from the international kids who come to play sports. |
Anonymous says: |
The student body is not very...
The student body is not very diverse. There is a strong Black Student Union, though, and other diversity groups are organizing more, so I think the atmosphere on campus is becoming more open to diversity. As a private school, the price of BSC attracts mainly richer kids, so this limits diversity. |
FactsEconomic Status
Given that BSC is one of the more pricey schools in the state, the majority of students come from middle- to upper-class families, and there are few from lower-class backgrounds. There are always exceptions, but generally speaking, students at BSC receive scholarships to attend if their families cannot afford the initial costs.
Gay Pride
Surprisingly, homosexuality on campus is not a hot-button issue. The gay community is so small or so quiet that it seems to slip under the radar. Nevertheless, there is at least one student organization on campus (ALLIES) which students can participate in.
Minority Clubs
There are several minority clubs on campus, and all of them welcome multi-ethnicity involvement. Most of them have yearly events that get publicized, such as the Black Student Union's spring step show, and then regular meetings throughout the year that are open to everyone.
Most Common Religions
Most religious activity on campus is from Christian denominations, simply because the school is United Methodist affiliated. There is weekly chapel and other events, but there are alternatives, such as the Muslim Student Association.
Political Activity
The political scene at BSC is mostly conservative, in part because the school is located in a conservative region of the country. There are political clubs and meetings on campus, but most students tend to be unaware of or apathetic toward the politics around them.
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