Buy our guides
Read our blog
Login Register

Northern Illinois University
- Diversity

RT
Currently attending or alumni?
Review this school!
Are you interested
in this school?
Yes, let this school know
Maybe, bookmark for later
No, get better matches
Saving your decision
Yes
Maybe
No

Your information has been sent to this school through our partnership with .

This school has been saved to your schools list.

This school has been removed from your recommended schools list.

For your next recommendation, check out .

Jump to a section:

Grade
Quick Stats
Student Author Overview
Student Reviews
Student Polls
Facts
Take A SurveyWrite A ReviewUpload A PhotoLink Up A VideoWrite The Guide
Northern Illinois University - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Diversity

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

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 13%
Asian American 6%
Hispanic 7%
International 1%
Native American 0%
White 67%
Unknown 6%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 3%
Common States of Residence
  • Florida
  • Foreign countries
  • Indiana
  • Ohio
  • Wisconsin
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 0%
18-19: 27%
20-21: 33%
22-24: 26%
25+: 14%
Female Faculty 45%
Male Faculty 55%
Faculty Diversity African American: 3%
Asian American: 7%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 10%
Native American: 0%
White: 76%
Unknown: 1%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

There is a good mix of men and women, although the latter do outnumber the former slightly. Most NIU students hail from middle class households, which means you don’t run into a lot of spoiled brats on campus. There is a sizeable gay population, but they aren’t as visible as perhaps they could be. Politically, most students are liberal, but there are a growing number of students who are quite proud to be conservative. Like many Midwestern universities, NIU could do better when it comes to diversity, but it still earns a high grade for how well various ethnicities, orientations, and backgrounds are represented and treated. It never feels like the student population is 70 percent white. Instead, cultural groups like the Black Student Union do an excellent job of making themselves visible, and resources like the Center for Latinos and Latin American Studies help by improving retention rates. In fact, students that come from largely white high schools might find themselves in for a big cultural shock as they adjust to their surroundings. But diversity is an essential part of the collegiate experience and a very healthy thing to be exposed to. And make no mistake, you will meet several people who look and act different than you right away on your dorm floor during freshman year.

See how you stack up against students who were accepted to this school . . .And calculate your chances!Register to get started

Northern Illinois Student ReviewsWhat's This?

Sort by:

Loading...

Diversity at Northern Illinois University

eyriegryph

'14

Illustration

3.5
B

Decent Enough for Rural

They have organisations for everyone with an opportunity for grassroots startups.

Jan 23, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Diversity at Northern Illinois University

aliciajs78

'14

Human Services

3.5
B

Very Diverse

I notice the campus is very diverse. I also notice there are many clubs and organizations available to everyone.

Jan 08, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate

Diversity at Northern Illinois University

kcook13

'13

Psychology Studies

1.2
D

Diverse Campus

There are more African American students throughout campus but Northern Illinois University still remains to be a diverse campus.

Jan 06, 2012

Comment actions: Rate
Report as inappropriate/inaccurate
Page 1 of 8

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

While there is always a whiff of homophobia in the air from some of the more ignorant members of the NIU community, most students and administrators are very accepting of gay students and go out of their way to make them feel comfortable. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center is a positive force and advocate, while PRISM is active in programming events. There have been some complaints that the gay community isn’t as vocal and open as it is on other college campuses, though.

Political Activity

Though the majority of the student body is liberal, the NIU Campus Republicans are far more powerful and organized than their democratic counterparts. They control the Student Association and have even won local government races. Still, peace demonstrations are somewhat frequent and well attended. There seems to be an honest effort by students to educate themselves on the issues.

Economic Status

NIU students are decidedly middle class, with many choosing NIU because of its affordability. This makes them more predisposed to be unassuming and mellow. There are the occasional “rich kids” who think they are better than everybody else, but they tend to be the ones who become ostracized.

Most Common Religions

There are several Christian groups on campus that aren’t shy about promoting their beliefs. However, there doesn’t seem to be a dominant denomination or faith.

Minority Clubs on Campus

The Black Student Union wields an incredible amount of power on campus, and they produce strong voter turnouts in campus elections. There are also several Asian American and Latino groups that program events on a regular basis. Some fraternities have a cultural bent.

Buy The Guidebook

Buy a hard copy of "Northern Illinois University 2012: Off The Record"

Read more about the book . . .Add to Cart

Buy the eBook:

AmazonBarnes & NobleGoogleSmashwordsDownload the FREE Printable Summary (PDF)

Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at NIU

Name: Alex Aguilar

see all student author bios > Become a student author to help update the guide for this school

Find a college

Find a major

Scholarships

Reviews

Company

Buy College Prowler school guides in our bookstore Get the real scoop on what it's like on campus and see what school is the place for you!

How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. Please note that the information presented on this site is updated periodically, but may not be the
most recent information available for a particular school. For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.