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Brigham Young University - DiversityCollege Prowler1.54
Comparable Schools'
Diversity Grades:
College Prowler Take
BYU is not a culturally diverse campus. The majority of students are white, middle-class Mormon kids. However, it is unlikely that you will go the length of your college career without meeting someone from another country. BYU has a large number of countries represented at the University. There is also added diversity in the fact that over half of
the students have spent significant time outside of the
United States. It is not uncommon to walk around campus
and hear the boy from your psychology class calling to a friend in Hungarian. So, while the student body is pretty homogenous, you can still have a very diverse experience
at BYU. 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:  |
It’s predominantly Mormon and...
It’s predominantly Mormon and Caucasian, but it’s still a very unique environment. Many of the students have spent extensive time overseas as missionaries, so they have an intimate understanding of foreign cultures, languages, and history, and a lot of experiences to share. Studying Arabic, I’ve also found plenty of Arab and Muslim students on campus—largely through the Arabic club, with whom I can hang around and study. |
Anonymous says: |
BYU prides itself on being...
BYU prides itself on being diverse, which is marginally true. However, the fact remains that BYU is a church-sponsored school, and the church is still pretty homogeneous. The majority of students are white, 18-to-25, American Mormon kids. |
Anonymous says: |
Before I came here, I just thought...
Before I came here, I just thought it was a bunch of Mormons who got good grades and never did anything wrong. I found out, however, that there are students there that come from all walks of life. They have over 23 religions at BYU, with a good-sized group of people from the Middle East, India, and Asia. There are students from all 50 states. BYU actually has one of the finest international centers in America (David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies). One of the roads leading into campus says ‘The World is Our Campus.’ |
Anonymous says: |
Well, I didn’t think the campus...
Well, I didn’t think the campus was too diverse, because of the numbers, but I’ve met people of all nationalities during this past summer! Really, they were so fun to talk to! And then, all the people who went on foreign missions added to that, too! The numbers may be small, but I think the campus is way more diverse than I thought before I came here. |
Anonymous says: |
The campus is not very diverse....
The campus is not very diverse. Since I’m from California, I’m not used to seeing so many white people. However, we are known to have the biggest representation of countries. I think we have a representation of 89 countries or something like that, and we’re always looking for more. We have lots of students studying abroad from many nations, but we definitely need more. |
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Brigham Young? FactsEconomic Status
Most students are middle class, upper-middle class, and upper class. Students are usually separated by economic class depending on where they live. Certain apartment complexes or condos have a reputation for the economic class of the students living there; this means that student wards are also often economically similar.
Gay Pride
Because the BYU Honor Code prohibits students from engaging in homosexual behavior, most gay issues are neither discussed nor acknowledged. Unfortunately, many students are left to deal with these issues on their own. No kind of student organization exists. However, a recent study done by the Psychology Department has shown that BYU students who have a gay friend or family member tend to be more accepting than those who do not. So, while not endorsed by the University, there are plenty of students more accepting of homosexual individuals than one would imagine.
Minority Clubs on Campus
Clubs and organizations are huge on campus, with over 360 clubs total. Since there is a large majority of the student body that has lived abroad, there is a lot of acceptance and support of minority groups. Clubs such as the Black Student Union, the Brazilian Association, and the Chinese Student and Scholar Association highlight some of the many available options for minority clubs. Minority wards such as the Asian ward are also available for church.
Most Common Religions
Unsurprisingly, most BYU students are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, it’s rare to graduate from BYU without meeting at least one or two people who aren’t Mormon.
Political Activity
Voting research studies have ranked Provo as the most conservative city in America for several years running, so it follows that Brigham Young University is overwhelmingly conservative as well. However, both College Republicans and College Democrats have clubs on campus that sponsor events and parties. BYU also has a chapter of Amnesty International which sponsors events and tries to spread awareness of international issues. BYU sponsors and distributes the BYU Political Review, a student-run paper which publishes articles by students dealing with political topics. Political activity understandably peaks during election years.
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