Calling all black Mners with university age kids!

[GreenLeafs]

Now this isn’t about universities that are full of black kids, nor is it meant to be about diversity policies the Unis have (some aren’t worth the paper it’s on!). It’s about top excellent universities where young black students feel comfortable and where they are just accepted as part of the student body.

Since I have embarked on the whole uni journey, I’ve noticed more and more, bright young kids deciding they are not going to university A, because it’s ‘too white and unfriendly’ and opting for university B, well below what they are capable of because there are lots of black people there. Oxbridge for instance, not even on their radar despite have excellent academics, supra curriculars etc. My DD and friends have already ruled out certain universities, so I’m hoping to start the conversation here. Where are your dc going or have been?

@RedMarauder I know some departments attract specific ethnicities as you mentioned, but hadn’t thought about it at all when it comes Uni choice etc. Perhaps aside from looking at the university as a whole to get an insight into how black students are treated within a specific dept? In a way that’s part of what I’m trying to do by starting this discussion to hear the experiences of others at these elite universities.

Re: Issues in halls - Don’t these types of issues tend to be more in the collegiate universities e.g Oxbridge/Durham?

[quote GreenLeafs]**@Jamdown123* I said amongst other things, I have advised my dc to apply to the best uni they can get into for their subject. Hopefully, others will see them and feel encouraged to apply. to which you replied I sacrificed my happiness, I on't do that with my children's. I went to what is apparently the best university in the country (yawn). It was a very sad three years for me, I won't encourage my children to go there so that others see them and feel encouraged. Forget that. I literally got a headache every time I walked into the place. An actual headache.*

You don’t have to say the word ‘you’ to make it pretty obvious you were replying to me, besides there isn’t anyone else talking from my viewpoint and this isn’t an echo Chamber!
It’s entirely your choice wether you participate in the thread or not.[/quote]
Again, I was not talking about you and yours. I was talking about my experience, which is considerable given I have four degrees, all from unis in the UK top 10. My children will benefit from that considerable experience. I shared my opinions so that you and your child could, too. You can discount it as malicious warbling. It was not. I know nothing about your parenting, so I didn't, and won't, comment on that.

Now again, good luck and leave me out of this.

@GreenLeafs

You mention in your OP that your DD and friends have already ruled out certain universities.

Which universities, and why? I'm interested to know.

@Jamdown123 Luckily your post is in print for all to see, so we don’t need to argue about this any further. I appreciate however your will to backtrack. As for ‘leaving you out’, you said you were leaving, then came back to post of your own free will.

What is happening here?!!? This went left unnecessarily 🤦🏿‍♀️

@EchoNan Exeter seems to be the worst of the lot. I’m certainly not advocating encouraging young people into toxic environments but I also am not encouraging them to confine themselves to a tiny selection. I think you asked where have my dc discounted? Exeter for sure. The basis for this thread is precisely because we are considering diversity in uni choice and wanted to know where black students have had positive experiences at top Unis previously thought of as too ‘white’ to add to our list.

@Soma It is funny isn’t it? White privilege at its best. That a young white person can choose and worry about university based on wether it’s a party town or not while a young black person with same qualifications has to prioritise possible ‘prejudice’ against their skin colour and then everything else on top.

I fell about laughing at Oxford being ‘rough’, they must’ve lead a very sheltered life.

@EchoNan They left out Exeter- race scandal etc, Imperial and LSE as just not fun places. They’re all academic but felt those were just too serious. Thanks for the mention of Bath, that sounds positive.

Thank you @EchoNan.

Two universities in Bath.
Bath Spa University, and University of Bath had recent trouble, but both have a zero tolerance approach to racism.

There will always be an element of students who are cannon fodder for extremist groups at any University. I like that these two Universities seem to be more proactive than some.

Surprised at DD and pals rejecting LSE though. I've always heard good things about it from former students..

Imperial and LSE are in central London where they are lots of other universities.

This means as a student you can choose to socialise with students at other institutions.

I know my friends and acquaintances who went to central London universities do (and did) regardless of the level they are studying at.

@Soma I think you misunderstood my post about halls though your later post alludes to some of what I was trying to cover.

@RedMarauder , I probably did, because I know I usually find myself agreeing with you more often than not.

@EchoNan it’s Good to hear some universities are having zero tolerance towards vile behaviour. Nothing wrong with LSE just not the right fit them. LSE is a very particular type of university.

@Red perhaps you could expatiate on joint social activities between some of the universities and I’ll share that with dc and her friends. They’re under the impression they won’t know anyone as the campuses are all aspread out and students live all over town. How easy is it really to get know other students especially if many live at home and you’re not from London?

I totally get @Jamdown123’s point. I’m more interested in dc’s mental and emotional well-being rather than them paving the way for others.

Elder dd considered Exeter until I pointed out the recent racist incidents and asked her to do her own research. She was astonished by what she found. Had she still wanted to go after that I wouldn’t try to stop her but would caution her. She is especially sensitive and I think that environment could be very damaging to her.

Younger dd on the other hand is extremely thick skinned and has her sights set on the best unis here and Ivy League in the us (good for her, dunno who’s paying for dat!).

But point being that choice of uni is not just about attending the best but finding a good fit. Some will be able to navigate the racism (covert and overt) far better than others. Indeed some may even relish activism for change. Others won’t.

@GreenLeafs many of the universities on this thread would not be great if you had a creative child. Exeter was mentioned, but if a DC wanted to study drama / theatre, communication or film, Falmouth would be better.
Leeds is an excellent university, but it would be the third or fourth best university in Leeds if you wanted to do something creative. Leeds Arts University and Leeds Conservatoire would knock spots off Leeds University.
The same with animation and computer game art, Abertay University in Scotland was the first university in the world to offer a degree in computer games. Liverpool (another Russell Group) offer combined degrees X with computer game design, this course would be inferior to Abertay, Hertfordshire, and both the Bournemouth university courses.
Oxford's Ruskin fine art degree and UCL's Slade fine art degrees won't be better than Goldsmith, University of the Arts London, which includes St Martins, Chelsea College of Arts. If I remember correctly the Oxford and UCL fine art graduates had lower employment prospects than art students from most other art schools.

I attend QMUL (mature student), it is a campus University and is 60% non white entrance. (and looking around my law course, this is reflected in what i see in lectures). Lots of students do live at home but most live on campus or in the Unite accomodation next to the campus.

Really important that parents don't discourage kids from going to unis because they had a horrible experience - so much has changed since many of us many have gone to uni 15 years ago!

I know many black people who have gone to Oxbridge, Russell Group unis, Bham, Manchester, Warwick, Leeds etc and had a great time (I do recommend areas of the country that are slightly more diverse) but it's possible to find a good friendship group anywhere. There were not many black people at mine, but made lots of great friendships with non-black people and we socialised with black people from other nearby unis.

Black people are a small minority in the U.K. so kids can't be put off by a uni with a smaller university population. Also, going to a uni with several unis in the same city can also help, as there is room to meet people from other unis at socials & in clubs.

Important that kids go to the best possible university they can get into, as it really does affect your job prospects for life!

Cambridge honestly. Half black (sorry I appreciate that may not count, sorry) is the bame rep and does lots of outreach. Her college has mainly state school children and is very down to earth. The cleverest and one of the most popular students is black.

The university gets frustrated that not more black children apply - how else can they get in?

I appreciate this is just my daughter’s experience, and other black young people may have a much worse experience. I am just saying perhaps don’t rule it out.

The only racism she saw and had to deal with was by a porter, and that was swiftly dealt with.

I would have intervened had she chosen Exeter. No way on Earth would I have let her go there.

@RaskoInikovsGarret Hey, no need for "sorrys" . You make an important point, I think, re Cambridge Colleges.

I went off and did a bit of reading up on the back of your post. What I found was very encouraging indeed. Inspirational young woman in the link, who is of African heritage. I was smiling away reading it.

Her family must be so proud of her!. Great to see that they have a thriving African Carribean Society there.

www.cam.ac.uk/stories/onbeingblackatcambridge

Great post, purpleneon.

Mines going to Imperial in two weeks. I'm starting to get sad. Will it be ok?

Half black (sorry I appreciate that may not count, sorry) is the bame rep and does lots of outreach.

What does this mean?

TheHouseILiveIn I'm sure it will be all good! How exciting!

It's sad when they are all grown up and gone to Uni though, but remember all you've done to support and them to this point. So well done to you too! Be proud of yourself, as well as your DC.

I think Imperial has been named University of the Year?

Really interesting thread. Would love to hear from parents who have children at the most ‘elite’ of unis to share their experiences.

I was advised to apply to Oxbridge but I chose not to, for fear of getting in and not being able to turn down the place & for fear that, being from a very humble background, I’d have no chance of finding like minded friends etc ! There were 6 Uni options available, I left the 6th blank. Ironically, I applied to UCL, Durham, Manchester, Brighton and Derby. I got into all of them and chose Durham, which I later realised was similar to Oxbridge anyway! They call it Doxbridge!

My husband and I (both black) met @ graduated from Durham. It was a positive experience. I don’t recall suffering at the hands of subconscious bias or anything of the sort. If anything, I was awarded prizes, and graduated with a first class hons and one of my lecturers wrote to a potential PhD supervisor to advise that I could skip a masters degree all together.
I do recall not feeling like I fitted in at times (very white middle class) but I told myself ‘I know why I’m here’

I then completed my PhD at Uni of Manchester & had an ABSOLUTE blast!

Fast forward a decade plus, I am watching this thread with interest because I know the doors that can be opened by the top most Unis but I also know how much fun and how comfortable I felt in Manchester. I’m not sure what I’d advise my eldest, she’s a few years away from this but has already mentioned LSE..

I would love her to go to Cambridge because now that I work with many Cambridge graduates, I think she would thrive but at the back of my mind, she might really come into her own somewhere like Manchester or Birmingham & I don’t believe it would hold her back.

I’ll leave the choice to her but would love to hear from parents who are living this journey now.