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College of Charleston - Diversity - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler2.31

Diversity

C
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 6%
Asian American 2%
Hispanic 2%
International 2%
Native American 0%
White 82%
Unknown 6%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 50%
Common States of Residence
  • Georgia
  • Maryland
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • Virginia
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 1%
18-19: 37%
20-21: 40%
22-24: 14%
25+: 7%
Female Faculty 42%
Male Faculty 58%
Faculty Diversity African American: 5%
Asian American: 2%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 4%
Native American: 0%
White: 86%
Unknown: 0%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Diversity is not the College's strong point, but it’s not completely behind the times. More and more international students come here every year, and though the number of racial minority students grows every year, too, so does the student population as a whole. Many students feel that they are surrounded by sameness and that the College’s student population does not reflect the changes in our society. Culturally, some students feel that they are immersed in a world of Southern mind-sets, mannerisms, and ways of life, and there is tension between Northern and Southern students. In spite of the lack of diversity here, several students make the personal effort of diversifying their social circles and encourage those who don’t to consider it.

With the Multicultural Center leading the way, the College hopes to attract a more diverse student body, and it even offers programs to minorities to ease the transition into college. Even with these resources, non-white students don’t tend to flock to the College of Charleston the way white students do. The student body could use some diversity, and the more the school grows, the more the students hope the student population will become more balanced.

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College of Charleston Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at College of Charleston

LMG1503

Communications '15

3.8
B+

There Is Diversity

But not as much as I've witnessed at other schools. But there are still people from all over the country and the world who attend CofC.

Apr 25, 2012

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Diversity at College of Charleston

wmhood

Physical Education Teaching and Coaching '15

5.0
A+

Diversity

Diversity at the College of Charleston is a huge asset to the school. There are hundreds of students from many different places that have many different cultures. It is a very wide range of individuals but every type economic background, political stances, religions, and sexual orientation all are different. The College should be known as a melting pot of different people.

Mar 15, 2012

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Diversity at College of Charleston

jadescollege

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology '14

2.7
C+

A Different Kind of Diversity

As I'm sitting here now in the Beatty Business Center, I'm looking at three African Americans out of a group of about twenty students, and that's a very high percentage. I hardly see anyone Hispanic, though I have quite a few Hispanic friends, and the same goes with other minorities. The faculty is much more diverse, but still around average. Our diversity lies in the amount of out-of-state students and religious/sexual orientation diversity. Most of my friends are not from South Carolina, and there is a large and powerful LGBT community on campus. Judaism has a large following, as well as a few Hindu and Muslim. There are especially atheists down here. If you look beyond the lack of non-whites on campus, there is quite a bit of diversity, but then again, it wouldn't make a favorable first impression.

Mar 15, 2012

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Page 1 of 11
User rating for College of Charleston - Diversity is 3.5 out of 5 based on 33 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

The Gay Straight Alliance is the only student organization dedicated to gay students, and the club regularly holds meetings on campus. The gay community at the College of Charleston is not huge, but they are respected and welcomed, nonetheless.

Political Activity

Although the College is nestled in the heart of the South, not every student is a conservative. There seems to be a mixed balance between liberals, conservatives, independents, and those who simply don’t care. The College experienced a frenzy of political activity during the 2008 election. Barack Obama, John McCain, John Edwards, John Kerry, and Ron Paul all visited CofC. Many students were seen wearing T-shirts supporting their candidates, and on November 4, an election “watch party” was held at the Stern Student Center. Aside from national campaigns, students regularly take trips to Columbia to petition the state for more funding. In addition, students show their concern for on-campus issues, such as the debate over cutting down a number of trees on the Cistern.

Economic Status

As a whole, the student body appears to be pretty affluent; however, there are many students that are on scholarships or who take out student loans. Out-of-state students generally tend to have more money because they can pay the higher tuition, although there are many rich South Carolinians, as well.

Most Common Religions

The most popular religion at CofC is Christianity, and second to that is Judaism. There are many Christian groups on campus, such as Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Catholic Student Association, and the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. The Jewish Student Union is also quite active on campus and holds weekly Shabbat dinners. Other religious organizations found on campus include the Baha'i Club and the Pagans of the College of Charleston. Traditionally, in terms of religious tolerance, Charleston is an anomaly of the South. From its very foundations, the "Holy City" has been known to respect other religions and tolerate alternative lifestyles. Whether you are a Christian, a Jew, an atheist, or a Buddhist, your beliefs will be respected.

Minority Clubs on Campus

The College offers a variety of minority clubs including Aya Hwe M’, the Black Student Union, the Indian Culture Exchange, and SUMA (Student Union for Minority Affairs).

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Nancy Blayney

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
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