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University of California - Berkeley
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University of California - Berkeley - Diversity - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler4.24

Diversity

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

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 4%
Asian American 41%
Hispanic 12%
International 4%
Native American 1%
White 31%
Unknown 8%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 27%
Common States of Residence
  • Foreign countries
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Washington
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 2%
18-19: 27%
20-21: 32%
22-24: 15%
25+: 25%
Female Faculty 35%
Male Faculty 65%
Faculty Diversity African American: 2%
Asian American: 15%
Hispanic: 4%
International: 4%
Native American: 0%
White: 69%
Unknown: 5%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

While Berkeley is considered racially diverse in the sense that Caucasians are a minority, the campus is predominately Asian or white. There is a strong representation of most races, except for an underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students. Many culturally based clubs help connect students but have also been criticized for segregating races. Outside of these groups, the racial diversity and acceptance is impressive. Cal is home to many well-traveled, curious students who want to know more about other cultures, and nobody seems to notice different skin colors.

Though it's not often appreciated, the school’s economic and social diversity enriches the campus with new perspectives. Cal is home to more Pell Grant recipients than the entire Ivy League system combined, so for a student body that is generally colorblind, this diversity plays a large role in campus life. Famous for being liberal, Berkeley is also home to a proud LGBTIQQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, and Questioning) community, which has a large presence on campus and makes the environment feel more tolerant. Furthermore, many students try to live up Berkeley’s radical, crazy stereotype by dressing boldly, which builds the campus’s overall tolerance. It’s not unusual to see students in costume, protesting political issues, or sporting bright-colored mohawks and rainbow-striped knee socks. More than anything, Cal’s diversity is tied closely to its tolerance—there are endless backgrounds represented here, and the campus tends to embrace everyone's differences.

 

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UC Berkeley Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at University of California - Berkeley

missheather

Literature '08

4.6
A

Diversity!! Yeaaa!!

Cal is very racially and economically diverse. I made friends with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. I come from a small affluent, mostly white community, and UC Berkeley was a welcome change for me. On any given day, I heard a wide variety of languages spoken. In my dorm room, for example, we had a girl who identified as Chinese, a Persian girl, two white girls, and a girl who was Salvadorian and Iranian. Like most schools, Cal is composed predominately of white and Asian students, yet the school and the university are still very diverse.

May 28, 2012

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Diversity at University of California - Berkeley

jelisemack8

Mathematics '14

5.0
A+

Perfect

Not only does the school continuously have students of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds matriculating about but it's located a Bart ride away from San Francisco one of the most diverse populations for every option mentioned above. One of the largest concentrations of gay populations in the world, some of the most economically fortunate and deprived walking down the same streets, and neighboring someone of every religious background on every corner. The campus is not quite as extreme but the environment and the acceptance is definitely shared with that of its neighboring city.

May 27, 2012

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Diversity at University of California - Berkeley

BerkBear

Public Health '15

5.0
A+

Melting Pot

You will bump into people of all ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations at UC Berkeley. People voice their religious and political beliefs every day out in public for the world to hear. Most importantly, we respect each others' beliefs and backgrounds because we appreciate diversity. The differences bring us together, if anything.

May 15, 2012

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Page 1 of 19
User rating for University of California - Berkeley - Diversity is 4.6 out of 5 based on 57 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 LGBT community is very active and visible on campus. The Unity House dorm option supports diverse genders and sexualities, and the Queer Resource Center hosts many events to support LGBT students. Like anywhere else in the Bay Area, it’s hard to find anyone who would speak out against gay rights or lifestyles.

Political Activity

While students tend to be more liberal, most students enjoy political debate. The Berkeley College Republicans are consistently the largest student group on campus. Many students strive to continue the tradition of radicalism started by the Free Speech Movement, and it is not uncommon to watch student protests on Upper Sproul.

Economic Status

Berkeley attracts students from every economic class. While there are a lot of rich Southern California students, Cal also has a sizeable population on financial aid—UC Berkeley has more Pell Grant scholars than the entire Ivy League system.

Most Common Religions

Atheism and agnosticism are very popular, and many students are spiritual without being religious. Many students are Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. There are several Christian clubs, and Hillel is less than a block from campus.

Minority Clubs on Campus

There is high visibility and participation of minority organizations at Cal. The most active on Sproul Plaza are Asian organizations, minority business organizations, Christian and other religious groups, and ethnic volunteer organizations. The Gender Equity Resource Center is also very active, hosting classes that explore gender and events such as the Vagina Monologues.

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Meegan Brooks
Hometown
Granite Bay, CA
Major
Political science

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.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.