cultural background essay example

Cultural Background: Definition, Examples & Features

Cultural background refers to a set of beliefs, norms, values, and practices a person has inherited from their cultural group.

This aspect of identity is shaped through language, religion, family customs, history, and geography of the culture you come from (Boyle, 2021).

People are often identified by their culture. This identification stems from shared characteristics, practices, or beliefs with a group of people.

As an example, if you’re from France (the geographic influence), you may speak French (language), enjoy croissants for breakfast (a social custom), and take part in Bastille Day celebrations ( historical context ).

Cultural Background Definition

Cultural background refers to the set of beliefs, practices, traditions, and values that individuals inherit and learn from the communities, regions, or countries of their ancestry (Daniels et al., 2016). It encompasses various elements like language, religion, cuisine, social habits, and arts, which collectively shape an individual’s personal and communal identity.

We can conceptualize cultural backgrounds along three vectors: shared beliefs, values, and practices,

Firstly, the core of our cultural background often lies in shared beliefs . These beliefs can be spiritual, political, or social (Boyle, 2021).

For example, cultural beliefs provide a sense of belonging and help to guide behaviors. Consider the faith-based dietary restrictions observed by Jewish individuals (Kosher laws) and Muslims (Halal practices). Such norms are integral parts of their cultural backgrounds, shaping day-to-day behaviors.

Secondly, a culture’s values are often passed-on through families and social interactions . Values are ingrained convictions that help us distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad. They are directly linked to our cultural background and shape the way we perceive the world. For instance, people from Japan often value harmony, respect, and hard work , resulting from their cultural teachings, societal norms, and a reverence for tradition (Pethes, 2019).

Thirdly, your cultural background deeply infuses your everyday practices . These may range from meal times, social interactions to education and work ethics . In Spain, for instance, it’s customary to take a “siesta” or a short nap in the afternoon – a practice tied to their cultural background that may seem peculiar to an outsider.

Cultural Background Features

Beyond the above three core features, there are a range of other aspects of cultures that can feed into a shared ‘cultural background’:

1. Cultural Values : These are fundamental beliefs and principles that dictate the behavior within a culture. Values are the societal yardsticks that guide the behaviors and mindset of people within a culture. For instance, in many Native American cultures, harmony with nature is a core value . This means that decisions – from what to eat, how to live, and how to interact with animals and the environment – are all grounded in this fundamental belief.

2. Language: This is a crucial aspect of cultural background and acts as a solidifying factor for communities. For example, Quebec, a predominantly French-speaking province of Canada, has held fast to its linguistic roots despite being surrounded by English-speaking territories. This commitment to language is a concrete representation of their cultural background.

3. Traditional Customs and Rituals : These are set practices and ceremonies fundamental to a culture’s social fabric. Customs can include distinct practices tied to life milestones, religious celebrations, or community events. For example, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexican culture is a ceremony that celebrates deceased loved ones, featuring colorful altars, special food, and lively processions.

4. Dress and Artistic Expression: Clothing styles and artistic traditions often define a culture. For example, in India, wearing sarees, salwar kameez, or kurta-pajamas demonstrates affiliations with the Indian cultural background, while Indigenous Australians’ painting and storytelling traditions reflect their cultural narratives.

5. Food and Cuisine: Every culture has unique culinary traditions, with certain dishes being symbolic of cultural heritage. The Cajun and Creole cuisines of Louisiana, for instance, embody the region’s French, African, and Spanish roots.

6. Education and Literacy: The importance a culture places on education is another defining aspect. In Japan, there’s a great emphasis on academic success, reflecting the cultural value placed on achievement and perseverance.

7. Social Norms : These are the behavioral expectations within a community. In many Middle Eastern cultures, it is customary to greet the eldest person in the room first, signaling respect for their wisdom and age.

8. Role of Family : The structure, role, and significance of family in an individual’s life is markedly shaped by culture. In China, for example, the concept of “filial piety” guides family relationships and obligations, underlining respect for one’s parents.

9. History and Folklore : Histories and folk tales help communicate a culture’s values, heroes, and significant events, providing a deeper understanding of cultural background. For example, the buffalo’s importance in folklore, symbols, and rituals indicate its central role within Native American tribal cultures.

10. Religious Beliefs: Religion, or the lack thereof, plays a significant role in shaping our cultural background. It influences various aspects of our lives, from moral perspectives to daily routines (Fung, Wong & Park, 2018). For example, the Islamic practice of praying five times a day forms a routine that influences the followers’ daily schedule.

11. Music and Dance: These forms of artistic expression reflect the heart and soul of a culture. In Ireland, for instance, the tradition of Celtic music and Irish step dancing has significant cultural importance and is a reflection of Irish heritage.

12. Work Ethic and Business Practices: Every culture has defined norms about work ethics and business etiquette. In the United States, for example, punctuality is stressed in corporate cultures, reflecting the value placed on time and efficiency.

13. Architecture and Planning: The structures a culture builds and the cities it designs are a reflection of its values and lifestyle . In Greece, the presence of ancient amphitheaters and temples like the Parthenon echoes the significance of the arts and deities in ancient Greek culture.

14. Customs Related to Life Milestones: These rituals help organize life and provide a structure for understanding growth, aging, and death. For instance, in Judaism, the Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies celebrate adolescents reaching religious maturity.

15. Attitudes Towards Health and Wellness: Each culture has uniquely defined the norms around health, illness, and healing. In some cultures, holistic approaches and traditional medicine practice take precedence over Western medicine. For instance, in Chinese culture, the practice of acupuncture for healing and maintaining health is an intrinsic aspect of their ancestral wisdom.

16. Attitudes to Collectivism: One key way of dividing cultures is by their position on the collectivism vs individualism spectrum. Generally, Asian cultures place greater value on the collective good over the individual, while western cultures emphasize the opposite (Heinke & Louis, 2009).

17. Attitudes to Leadership: Research shows cultures also differ in their beliefs about good leadership (Holt, Bjorklund & Green, 2009). Some cultures, such as Russian culture, tend to embrace a strong social hierarchy and strong leader; whereas western cultures tend to embrace a more democratic leadership model.

Real-Life Examples of Cultural Backgrounds

1. Indian Background: Defined by a tapestry of religions, languages, customs, and cuisines. The Hindu philosophy of karma and dharma influences everyday life, and the celebration of festivals like Diwali signal the prevalence of religious heritage. A diverse culinary spectrum, from the spicy curries of the South to the delectable sweets of the West, underlines India’s multifaceted culture.

2. Mexican Background: A blend of indigenous, Spanish, and other influences, forming a unique cultural identity . This comes alive in traditional dances like the Jarabe Tapatio, holidays like the Day of the Dead, and cuisine that includes dishes like enchiladas and tamales. The Spanish language and Catholic religion also significantly shape Mexican cultural background.

3. Greek Background: The birthplace of Western civilisation, Greek culture is characterized by its historical and intellectual heritage, evident in folk music and dances, Mediterranean cuisine, Orthodox Christianity traditions, and the Greek language’s use.

4. Italian Background: Known for its rich contributions to art, science, music, and gastronomy. Key cultural practices include a love of local produce, the celebration of Christian festivals, and a focus on family life. Notable elements include the Italian language, the popularity of opera, and renowned dishes like pizzas and pastas.

5. Thai Background: The culture of Thailand is deeply influenced by Buddhism. Regular rituals like daily Buddhist prayers, or special festivals like Songkran or Loy Krathong, are a testament to this fact. A distinct element is the far-reaching influence of the monarchy. Traditional Thai dance, music, distinctly flavorful cuisine and language are central to Thai culture.

How Cultural Background Influences Us

Internalizing cultural values is a complex process, principally achieved through socialization and internalization.

Socialization refers to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating cultural norms , customs, and ideologies. On the other hand, internalization, a subset of socialization, refers to the process through which an individual accepts a set of norms and values as their own, directly influenced by various agents of socialization like family, education, peer groups, and media.

1. The Role of Socialization

Socialization is the process through which individuals absorb the cultural elements of their society, including its norms, values, customs, and modes of operation (Macionis, 2013).

This process starts from the moment you were born, when your parents or guardians imprinted their behavior patterns, gestures, and attitudes on to you. For example, a child born into an American family will quickly learn to value independence and self-reliance, traits deemed admirable in American society (Witt, 1997).

Similarly, the education system plays a vital role in socialization. Schools, specifically, act as melting pots where values from different cultures amalgamate. Children are exposed to and learn the importance of equality, respect, and mutual cooperation . Let’s take the example of participating in team sports at school. This experience teaches you the importance of teamwork, hard work, and fair play, all central values to many cultures.

2. Absorbing Values through Internalization

Internalization comes into play when the learned ideologies start to convert into our personal belief system , thus becoming an intrinsic part of us (Macionis, 2013 ).

Family, peer groups, media, and cultural institutions are significant contributors to the internalization process. If you’re from a Greek family, it’s likely that you internalize the value of Filotimo (a love of honor), a cultural value highly revered in Greek culture.

Peers also influence the process of internalization. For example, a teenager may learn and internalize the value of kindness and loyalty by being part of a friend group that upholds these values.

Media is omnipresent and influencers our value systems excessively. By consistently consuming media that glorifies values like honesty and empathy, you may internalize these values over time.

The Importance of Cultural Competence

Understanding cultural backgrounds helps us to be more inclusive in our practices, both in personal and professional life.

We can see the importance of cultural competence in a range of fields, such as:

• In Education: Teachers need to be aware of cultural backgrounds for two key reasons. Firstly, they need to ensure their classroom is inclusive. This may include using books and teaching materials that feature children from a range of cultural backgrounds in order to ensure all children are welcome and belong in the classroom (Rienties et al., 2013). Secondly, they need to be aware that children of different backgrounds learn in different ways. By being aware of the learning styles of different cultures, the teachers can differentiate instruction to support all children, in an approach called multicultural education .
• In Healthcare: Healthcare practitioners need to create inclusive healthcare institutions and practices in order to encourage people of minority cultural backgrounds to seek healthcare when needed. As a result, healthcare practitioners such as nurses and doctors are often trained in cultural competence in order to ensure they have the skillset to engage and communicate with their diverse client base.

Understanding people’s cultural backgrounds helps us to be more inclusive. Creating environments that embrace and celebrate a range of cultural backgrounds can help all people in society develop a sense of belonging and agency within their society. Furthermore, it can help us to be aware of the unique needs and lived experiences of a range of cultural groups. For an employer, for example, they might need to be aware of their employees’ religious practices and festivals and help work around that to be sensitive to their cultural traditions.

Boyle, M. (2021).  Human Geography: An Essential Introduction . New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Daniels, P., Bradshaw, M. J., Shaw, D., Sidaway, J., & Hall, T. (2016).  An introduction to human geography . Pearson education.

Fung, J., Wong, M. S., & Park, H. (2018). Cultural background and religious beliefs.  Handbook of parenting and child development across the lifespan , 469-493.

Heinke, M. S., & Louis, W. R. (2009). Cultural background and individualistic–collectivistic values in relation to similarity, perspective taking, and empathy.  Journal of Applied Social Psychology ,  39 (11), 2570-2590. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00538.x

Holt, S., Bjorklund, R., & Green, V. (2009). Leadership and Culture: Examining the Relationship between Cultural Background and Leadership Perceptions.  Journal of Global Business Issues ,  3 (2).

Macionis, J. J. (2013).  Sociology . 15th ed. London: Pearson.

Pethes, N. (2019).  Cultural memory studies: an introduction . Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Rienties, B., Nanclares, N. H., Jindal-Snape, D., & Alcott, P. (2013). The role of cultural background and team divisions in developing social learning relations in the classroom.  Journal of Studies in International Education ,  17 (4), 332-353. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315312463826

Witt, S. D. (1997). Parental influence on children’s socialization to gender roles.  Adolescence ,  32 (126), 253.

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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How to Write a Cultural Identity Essay With Tips and Examples

11 December 2023

last updated

Writing a cultural identity essay is an exciting academic exercise that allows students to develop and utilize critical thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. Unlike a standard essay, this type of paper requires learners to use first-person language throughout. In essence, a cultural identity essay is about writers and what makes them identify with a particular cultural orientation. When writing a cultural identity essay, authors should choose a specific identity and focus on it throughout their texts. Moreover, they should reflect and brainstorm, use the “show, not tell” method, utilize transitions to create a natural flow, and proofread their papers to eliminate mistakes and errors. Hence, students need to learn how to write a cultural identity essay to provide high-quality papers to their readers.

Definition of a Cultural Identity Essay

Students undertake different writing exercises in the learning environment to develop their critical thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. Basically, one of these exercises is academic writing , and among different types of essays that students write is a cultural identity essay. In this case, it is a type of essay where authors write about their culture, which entails exploring and explaining the significance of their cultural identity. Moreover, there are numerous topics that instructors may require students to write about in a cultural identity essay. For example, some of these essay topics fall under different disciplines, such as religion, socio-economic status, family, education, ethnicity, and business. In essence, the defining features of a cultural identity essay are what aspects make authors know that they are writing in this type of essay. In turn, these features include language, nationality, gender, history, upbringing, and religion, among many others.

Differences Between a Cultural Identity Essay and Other Papers

Generally, a cultural identity essay is similar to a standard essay regarding an essay structure and an essay outline . However, the point of difference is the topic. While standard essays, such as argumentative, persuasive, and informative essays, require learners to use third-person language, such a paper requires them to use first-person language. In this case, when writing a cultural identity essay, authors should use the word “I” throughout to show the audience that they are writing from their perspective. Indeed, this aspect is the primary objective of a cultural identity essay – to give the writer’s perspective concerning their culture. Besides, another point of difference between a cultural identity essay and other papers is that the former does not require writers to utilize external sources but to write from a personal viewpoint.

List of Possible Examples of Cultural Identity Essay Topics

1. cultural identity and socialization in a learning environment.

Here, a cultural identity essay prompt may require students to discuss the significance of culture in education, focusing on cultural identity and socialization. As such, this topic requires writers to reflect on how culture influences behavior in a learning environment.

2. The Impact of Culture Change on Family

Here, this prompt may require students to explore and discuss how culture impacts a family unit. Moreover, the theme is a family, and the students’ mission would be to explain how culture in all its dynamics affects families in diverse settings.

3. The Role of Language in Building a Cultural Identity

Here, instructions may require students to explore and explain the significance of language in cultural identity. Hence, writers should focus on explaining the place of culture in the sociology discipline, focusing on the connection between language and cultural identity.

4. The Significance of Culture in a Globalized Economy

Here, a cultural identity essay topic may require students to explore and discuss how culture affects individuals and businesses in today’s connected world. Also, the students’ task would be to explain how culture, in all its dynamics, such as language, is essential in business for individuals and enterprises.

5. How Culture Influences Relations in the Workplace

Here, an essay prompt may require students to explore and explain how culture, in all its dynamics, affects or influences social relations at the workplace. In turn, the task of writers, for example, would be to focus on how Human Resource (HR) departments can use culture to enrich workplace relations.

6. The Place of Culture in Individuals’ Self-Concept

Here, an analysis of a theme may require students to reflect on how their cultural orientation has affected their self-concept. Moreover, the student’s task would be to discuss how culture and its dynamics enable individuals to build a strong or weak understanding of themselves.

7. The Importance of Cultural Orientation in a Multicultural Environment

Here, assignment instructions may require students to explore and discuss how their cultural orientation enables them to operate in a culturally diverse environment, such as a school or workplace. In this case, the student’s task would be to explain how cultural characteristics, such as language and religion, facilitate or hamper social competency in a multicultural setting. 

8. How Global Conflicts Disturb Cultural Identity for Refugees

Here, this example of a cultural identity topic may require students to explore and explain how conflicts in today’s world, such as civil unrest, affect the cultural identity of those who flee to foreign countries. Also, the student’s task would be to explain how one’s culture is affected in a new environment with totally different cultural dynamics.

9. The Challenges of Acculturation

Here, a cultural identity essay prompt may require students to explore and explain the challenges that individuals face in identifying with the dominant culture. In particular, the student’s task would be to explain the significance of the dominant culture and what those from other cultures that try to identify with it must confront.

10. Host Country Culture and Multinational Enterprises

Here, this prompt sample may require students to explore and explain how a host country’s culture affects expatriates working for multinational corporations. Besides, the students’ task would be to show how one’s culture defines their behaviors and how that can be affected in a new environment with new cultural characteristics.

11. Compare and Contrast Native Culture and Dominant Culture in the United States

Here, such instructions require students to explain specific areas of similarity and difference between the Native culture and the dominant culture. In turn, the students’ task would be to define the Native culture and the dominant culture and help the audience to understand whether they mean the same thing. Hence, whether they do or do not, students should elaborate.

12. The Objective of Acculturation

Here, this example of a cultural identity essay topic requires students to explore and explain why people prefer to identify with the dominant culture. Moreover, the students’ task would be to note the advantages of the dominant culture over others and the opportunities that one may access to identify with this dominant culture.

13. The Challenges That the LGBTQ Community Faces in the Modern World

Here, essay prompt instructions require students to explore and discuss the challenges that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people face in their normal day-to-day activities. In this case, the students’ task would be to explain the uniqueness of the LGBTQ community and how stereotyping makes their lives miserable in an environment where people are intolerant of different personalities and viewpoints.

14. Dangers of Cultural Intolerance in the Health Care System

Here, instructions may require students to explore and discuss how nurses that are intolerant to cultural differences may jeopardize patients’ lives.

15. Advantages and Disadvantages of Acculturation

Here, a cultural identity essay prompt requires students to discuss the pros and cons of identifying with the dominant culture.

How Students Know if They Write a Cultural Identity Essay

The defining features of a cultural identity essay give students the indication that they need to write this kind of essay. Basically, when learners read instructions regarding their essay topics they need to write about, they should identify one or several defining elements. In turn, these elements include language, nationality, religion, ethnicity, and gender.

Structure of a Cultural Identity Essay

As stated previously, the primary point of similarity between a cultural identity essay and standard papers is an essay structure and an essay outline. Basically, this structure and outline comprise of three main sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. Like in all other essays, writing a cultural identity essay requires students to address specific issues, which are, in essence, the defining characteristics of the essay’s structure and outline.

I. Introduction and Its Defining Characteristics

The introduction is the first paragraph of a cultural identity essay. Here, students introduce themselves to the audience, giving a brief background of their cultural identity. Moreover, rules of academic writing dictate that this part should not exceed 10 percent of the entire paper. In this case, writers should be brief and concise. Then, the most prominent component of this section is a thesis, a statement that appears at the end of an introduction paragraph and whose objective is to indicate the writer’s mission. In summary, the introduction part’s defining features are the writer’s background and thesis statement . In turn, the former gives a hint about a writer, and the latter provides the audience with insight into the writer’s objective in writing a cultural identity essay.

The body of a cultural identity essay is the most significant section of a paper and takes the largest part. Generally, writers use several paragraphs to advance different arguments to explain specific concepts. In a cultural identity essay, writers can use different paragraphs to explain important aspects of their cultural identity. Nonetheless, what determines the number of paragraphs and the content of each is a paper topic. Also, the most prominent defining features of a cultural identity essay’s body are paragraphs, with each advancing a unique concept about the writer’s cultural identity. In turn, paragraphs are where writers provide real-life experiences and other personal anecdotes that help the audience to develop a deeper understanding of authors from a cultural perspective.

III. Conclusion

The conclusion part is the last section of a cultural identity essay. In particular, writers restate a thesis statement and summarize the main points from body paragraphs. Moreover, authors provide concluding remarks about a topic, which is mostly an objective personal opinion. In summary, the conclusion part’s defining features are a restatement of a thesis, a summary of the main points, and the writer’s final thoughts about a topic.

Outline Template for a Cultural Identity Essay

I. Introduction

A. Hook statement/sentence. B. Background information. C. A thesis statement that covers the main ideas from 1 to X in one sentence.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. Idea 1 B. Idea 2 … X. Idea X

A. Restating a thesis statement. B. Summary of the main points from A to X. C. Final thoughts.

An Example of a Cultural Identity Essay

Topic: Identifying as a Naturalist

I. Introduction Sample in a Cultural Identity Essay

The period of birth marks the beginning of one’s identity, with culture playing a significant role. However, from the stage of adolescence going forward, individuals begin to recognize and understand their cultural makeup. In my case, I have come to discover my love for nature, an aspect that I believe has made me a naturalist both in belief and action.

II. Examples of Body Paragraphs in a Cultural Identity Essay

A. idea 1: parents.

Parents play a critical role in shaping the cultural and personal identity of their children. In my case, it is my mother who has instilled in me a love for nature. Although I may not say exactly when this love started, I can only reason that since it was ingrained in me since childhood, it has developed gradually.

B. Idea 2: Naturalism

Today, naturalism defines my interactions with people and the environment. In short, I can say it shapes my worldview. As a lover of nature herself, my mother had this habit of taking me outdoors when I was a toddler. I have seen family photographs of my mother walking through parks and forests holding my hand. What is noticeable in these pictures besides my mother and me is the tree cover that gives the setting such a lovely sight. Moreover, I can now understand why I seem more conversant with the names and species of flowers, trees, and birds than my siblings- my mother was the influence. In turn, my siblings and friends make a joke that I have developed a strong love for nature to the point of identifying myself with the environment. Hence, the basis for this argument is my love for the green color, where even my clothes and toys are mostly green.

III. Conclusion Sample of a Cultural Identity Essay

Naturally, human beings behave in line with their cultural background and orientation. Basically, this behavior is what determines or reflects their cultural identity. In turn, my intense love for nature underscores my naturalist identity. While I may not tell the stage in life when I assumed this identity, I know my mother has played a significant role in shaping it, and this is since childhood.

Summing Up on How to Write a Good Cultural Identity Essay

Like any standard paper, writing a cultural identity essay allows students to build essential skills, such as critical thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. In this case, the essence of a paper is to provide the writer’s cultural identity, background, or orientation. Therefore, in order to learn how to write a good cultural identity essay, students should master the following tips:

• Decide where to focus. Culture is a broad topic, and deciding what to focus on is essential in producing a cultural identity essay. For example, one may have several cultural identities, and addressing all may lead to inconclusive explanations.
• Reflect and brainstorm. Given the close link between one’s cultural identity and personal experiences, learners need to reflect on experiences that would provide the audience with an accurate picture of their cultural identity.
• Adopt the “Show, not tell” approach by providing vivid details about one’s experiences. Using personal anecdotes may be effective in accomplishing this objective.
• Use transitions , such as “therefore,” “thus,” ” additionally,” and “furthermore,” to enhance a natural and logical flow throughout the essay.
• Stay personal by using first-person language to describe one’s background and experiences.
• Proofread a cultural identity essay to eliminate spelling and grammatical mistakes and other notable errors, such as an inconsistent life storyline.

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How to Write a College Diversity Essay – Examples & Tips

What is a diversity essay for college?

If you are preparing for your college application, you have probably heard that you sometimes need to submit a “diversity essay,” and you might be wondering how this is different from the usual admission essay. A diversity essay is a college admissions essay that focuses on the applicant’s background, identity, culture, beliefs, or relationship with a specific community, on what makes an applicant unique, and on how they might bring a fresh perspective or new insights to a school’s student body. Colleges let applicants write such essays to ensure diversity in their campus communities, to improve everyone’s learning experience, or to determine who might be eligible for scholarships that are offered to students from generally underrepresented backgrounds. 

Some colleges list the essay as one of their main requirements to apply, while others give you the option to add it to your application if you wish to do so. At other schools, it is simply your “personal statement”—but the prompts you are given can make it an essay on the topic of diversity in your life and how that has shaped who you are.

To write a diversity essay, you need to think about what makes you uniquely you: What significant experiences have you made, because of your background, that might separate you from other applicants? Sometimes that is obvious, but sometimes it is easy to assume our experiences are normal just because we are part of a community that shares the same circumstances, beliefs, or experiences. But if you look at your life from the perspective of someone who is not part of that community, such as an admissions officer, they can suddenly be not-so-common and help you stand out from the crowd.

Diversity Essay Examples and Topics

Diversity essays come in all shapes and formats, but what they need to do is highlight an important aspect of your identity, background, culture, viewpoints, beliefs, goals, etc. You could, for example, write about one of the following topics:

• Your home country/hometown
• Your cultural/immigration background
• Your race/ethnicity
• Your unique family circumstances
• Your religion/belief system
• Your socioeconomic background
• Your disability
• Your sex/gender
• Your sexual orientation
• Your gender identity
• Your values/opinions
• Your experiences
• Your extracurricular activities related to diversity

In the following, we ask some general questions to make you start reflecting on what diversity might mean for you and your life, and we present you with excerpts from several successful diversity-related application essays that will give you an idea about the range of topics you can write about.

How does diversity make you who you are as a person or student?

We usually want to fit in, especially when we are young, and you might not even realize that you and your life experiences could add to the diversity of a student campus. You might think that you are just like everyone around you. Or you might think that your background is nothing to brag about and are not really comfortable showcasing it. But looking at you and your life from the point of view of someone who is not part of your community, your background, culture, or family situation might actually be unique and interesting. 

What makes admission committees see the unique and interesting in your life is an authentic story, maybe even a bit vulnerable, about your lived experiences and the lessons you learned from them that other people who lived other lifes did not have the chance to learn. Don’t try to explain how you are different from others or how you have been more privileged or less fortunate than others—let your story do that. Keep the focus on yourself, your actions, thoughts, and feelings, and allow the reader a glimpse into your culture, upbringing, or community that gives them some intriguing insights. 

Have a look at the excerpt below from a diversity essay that got an applicant into Cornell University . This is just the introduction, but there is probably no admissions officer who would not want to keep reading after such a fascinating entry. 

He’s in my arms, the newest addition to the family. I’m too overwhelmed. “That’s why I wanted you to go to Bishop Loughlin,” she says, preparing baby bottles. “But ma, I chose Tech because I wanted to be challenged.” “Well, you’re going to have to deal with it,” she replies, adding, “Your aunt watched you when she was in high school.” “But ma, there are three of them. It’s hard!” Returning home from a summer program that cemented intellectual and social independence to find a new baby was not exactly thrilling. Add him to the toddler and seven-year-old sister I have and there’s no wonder why I sing songs from Blue’s Clues and The Backyardigans instead of sane seventeen-year-old activities. It’s never been simple; as a female and the oldest, I’m to significantly rear the children and clean up the shabby apartment before an ounce of pseudo freedom reaches my hands. If I can manage to get my toddler brother onto the city bus and take him home from daycare without snot on my shoulder, and if I can manage to take off his coat and sneakers without demonic screaming for no apparent reason, then it’s a good day. Only, waking up at three in the morning to work, the only free time I have, is not my cup of Starbucks.  Excerpt from “All Worth It”, Anonymous, published in 50 Successful IVY LEAGUE Application Essays Fourth Edition, Gen & Kelly Tanabe, SuperCollege, 2017 .

How has your identity or background affected your life?

On top of sharing a relevant personal story, you also need to make sure that your essay illustrates how your lived experience has influenced your perspective, your life choices, or your goals. If you can explain how your background or experience led you to apply to the school you want to submit the essay to, and why you would be a great fit for that school, even better. 

You don’t need to fit all of that into one short essay, though. Just make sure to end your essay with some conclusions about the things your life has taught you that will give the admissions committee a better idea of who you now are—like the author of the following (winning) admissions essay submitted to MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) .

[…] I always thought that I had it the worst out of all my family members because I was never allowed to get anything lower than what my brother or a cousin had gotten in a class. My parents figured if they could do it, so could I, and if not on my own then with a little of their help. It was not until recently that I realized the truth in this. In my short life I have seen my father go from speaking no English to excelling in it. I have heard countless stories about migrant farmers such as Cesar Chavez and my grandfather who had nearly nothing, yet persisted and succeeded. […] When I had trouble speaking Spanish and felt like abandoning my native tongue, I remembered my mother and how when she came to the United States she was forced to wash her mouth out with soap and endure beatings with a ruler by the nuns at her school for speaking it. When I couldn’t figure out tangents, sines, and cosines I thought about my father and how it took him nearly a year to learn long division because he was forced to teach it to himself after dropping out and starting to work in the 4th grade. […] All these people, just from my family, have been strong role models for me. I feel that being labeled “underprivileged” does not mean that I am limited in what I can do. There is no reason for me to fail or give up, and like my parents and grandparents have done, I’ve been able to pull through a great deal. My environment has made me determined, hard working, and high aiming. I would not like it any other way. From “Lessons From the Immigration Spectrum”, Anonymous, MIT, published in 50 Successful IVY LEAGUE Application Essays Fourth Edition, Gen & Kelly Tanabe, SuperCollege, 2017 .

How will your diversity contribute to the college campus and community?

The admissions committee would like to know how your identity or background will enrich the university’s existing student body. If you haven’t done so, researching the university’s organizations and groups and what specific courses the university offers might be a good idea. If you are applying to a large public school, you could mention that you are looking forward to broadening not just your horizon but also your community. Or maybe your college of choice has a specialized program or student organization that you feel you will fit right into and that you could contribute to with your unique background.

Tailoring your answer to the university you are applying to shows that you are serious and have done your research, and a university is obviously looking for such students. If you can’t find a way to make your essay “match” the university, then don’t despair—showing the admissions committee that you are someone who already made some important experiences, has reflected on them, and is eager to learn more and contribute to their community is often all that is needed. But you also don’t need to search for the most sophisticated outro or conclusion, as the following excerpt shows, from an admission essay written by an applicant named Angelica, who was accepted into the University of Chicago . Sometimes a simple conviction is convincing enough. 

[…] The knowledge that I have gained from these three schools is something I will take with me far beyond college. My roommate, across-the-hall mates, and classmates have influenced my life as much as I hope to have impacted theirs. It is evident to me that they have helped me develop into the very much visible person I am today. I have learned to step outside of my comfort zone, and I have learned that diversity is so much more than the tint of our skin. My small mustard-colored school taught me that opportunity and success only requires desire. I would be an asset to your college because as I continue on my journey to success, I will take advantage of every opportunity that is available to me and make sure to contribute as much as I can, too. Now I am visible. Now I am visible. Now I am visible, and I want to be seen. From “No Longer Invisible” by Angelica, University of Chicago, published in 50 Successful IVY LEAGUE Application Essays Fourth Edition, Gen & Kelly Tanabe, SuperCollege, 2017 .

Tell stories about your lived experience

You might wonder how exactly to go about writing stories about your “lived experience.” The first step, after getting drawing inspiration from other people’s stories, is to sit down and reflect on your own life and what might be interesting about it, from the point of view of someone outside of your direct environment or community.

Two straightforward approaches for a diversity-related essay are to either focus on your community or on your identity . The first one is more related to what you were born into (and what it taught you), and the second one focuses on how you see yourself, as an individual but also as part of society.

Take some time to sit down and reflect on which of these two approaches you relate to more and which one you think you have more to say about. And then we’d recommend you do what always helps when we sit in front of a blank page that needs to be filled: Make a list or draw a chart or create a map of keywords that can become the cornerstones of your story.

For example, if you choose the “community” approach, then start with a list of all the communities that you are a part of. These communities can be defined by different factors:

• A shared place: people live or work together
• Shared actions: People create something together or solve problems together
• Shared interests: People come together based on interests, hobbies, or goals
• Shared circumstances: people are brought together by chance or by events

Once you have that list, pick one of your communities and start asking yourself more specific questions. For example: 

• What did you do as a member of that community? 
• What kinds of problems did you solve , for your community or together?
• Did you feel like you had an impact ? What was it?
• What did you learn or realize ? 
• How are you going to apply what you learned outside of that community?

If, instead, you choose the “identity” approach, then think about different ways in which you think about yourself and make a list of those. For example:

My identity is as a… 

• boy scout leader
• hobby writer
• babysitter for my younger siblings
• speaker of different languages
• collector of insightful proverbs
• Japanese-American
• other roles in your family, community, or social sub-group

Feel free to list as many identities as you can. Then, think about what different sides of you these identities reveal and which ones you have not yet shown or addressed in your other application documents and essays. Think about whether one of these is more important to you than others if there is one that you’d rather like to hide (and why) and if there is any struggle, for example with reconciling all of these sides of yourself or with one of them not being accepted by your culture or environment.

Overall, the most important characteristic admissions committees are looking for in your diversity essay is authenticity . They want to know who you are, behind your SATs and grades, and how you got where you are now, and they want to see what makes you memorable (remember, they have to read thousands of essays to decide who to enroll). 

The admissions committee members likely also have a “sixth sense” about whose essay is authentic and whose is not. But if you go through a creative process like the one outlined here, you will automatically reflect on your background and experiences in a way that will bring out your authenticity and honesty and prevent you from just making up a “cool story.”

Diversity Essay Sample Prompts From Colleges

If you are still not sure how to write a diversity essay, let’s have a look at some of the actual diversity essay prompts that colleges include in their applications. 

Diversity Essay Sample #1: University of California

The University of California asks applicants to choose between eight prompts (they call them “ personal insight questions “) and submit four short essays of up to 350 words each that tell the admission committee what you would want them to know about you . These prompts ask about your creative side (#2), your greatest talent (#3), and other aspects of your personality, but two of them (#5 and #7) are what could be called “diversity essay prompts” that ask you to talk about the most significant challenge you have faced and what you have done to make your community a better place .

The University of California website also offers advice on how to use these prompts and how to write a compelling essay, so make sure you use all the guidance they give you if that is the school you are trying to get into!

UC Essay prompt #5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you’ve faced and what you’ve learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

UC Essay prompt #7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?  

Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team, or place—like your high school, hometown, or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community? Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? 

Diversity Essay Sample #2: Duke University

Duke University asks for a one-page essay in response to either one of the Common Application prompts or one of the Coalition Application prompts, as well as a short essay that answers a question specific to Duke. 

In addition, you can (but do not have to) submit up to two short answers to four prompts that specifically ask about your unique experiences, your beliefs and values, and your background and identity. The maximum word count for each of these short essays on diversity topics is 250 words.

Essay prompt #1. We seek a diverse student body that embodies the wide range of human experience. In that context, we are interested in what you’d like to share about your lived experiences and how they’ve influenced how you think of yourself. Essay prompt #2. We believe there is benefit in sharing and sometimes questioning our beliefs or values; who do you agree with on the big important things, or who do you have your most interesting disagreements with? What are you agreeing or disagreeing about? Essay prompt #3. What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good? Essay prompt #4. Duke’s commitment to diversity and inclusion includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. If you’d like to share with us more about your identity in this context, feel free to do so here.

Duke University is looking for students with a variety of different experiences, backgrounds, interests, and opinions to make its campus community diverse and a place where ambition and curiosity, talent and persistence can grow, and the admissions committee will “consider what you have accomplished within the context of your opportunities and challenges so far”—make sure you tell them!

Diversity Essay Sample #3: University of Washington

The University of Washington asks students for a long essay (650 words) on a general experience that shaped your character, a short essay (300 words) that describes the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of your future university and allows you to submit additional information on potential hardships or limitations you have experienced in attaining your education so far. The University of Washington freshman writing website also offers some tips on how to (and how not to) write and format your essays.

Essay prompt [required] Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

Short response prompt [required] Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. “Community” might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW.

Additional information about yourself or your circumstances [optional] You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if:

– You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education

– Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations

– You have experienced limitations/opportunities unique to the schools you attended

The University of Washington’s mission is to enroll undergraduates with outstanding intellectual abilities who bring different perspectives, backgrounds, and talents to the campus to create a “stimulating educational environment”. The diversity essay is your chance to let them know how you will contribute to that.

Diversity Essay Sample #4: University of Michigan

At the University of Michigan, a diversity college essay that describes one of the communities (defined by geography, religion, ethnicity, income, or other factors) you belong to is one of two required essays that need to be submitted by all applicants, on top of the Common Application essay. 

Diversity essay prompt. Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.

The University of Michigan prides itself in “looking at each student as a whole package” and recruiting the most dynamic students, with different backgrounds, interests, and passions, into their college, not just the ones with the highest test scores. They also give consideration to applicants from currently underrepresented groups to create diversity on campus and enrich the learning environment for all students—if that sounds like you, then here is your opportunity to tell your story!

Frequently Asked Questions about Diversity Essays

What topics should i avoid in my college diversity essay.

Since the point of a diversity essay is to show the admissions committee who you are (behind your grades and resume and general educational background), there are not many topics you need to avoid. In fact, you can address the issues, from your own perspective, that you are usually told not to mention in order not to offend anyone or create controversy. 

The only exception is any kind of criminal activity, especially child abuse and neglect. The University of Washington, for example, has a statement on its essay prompt website that “ any written materials that give admissions staff reasonable cause to believe abuse or neglect of someone under the age of 18 may have occurred must be reported to Child Protective Services or the police. ”

What is most important to focus on in my diversity essay?

In brief, to stand out while not giving the admissions committee any reason to believe that you are exaggerating or even making things up. Your story needs to be authentic, and admissions officers—who read thousands of applications—will probably see right through you if you are trying to make yourself sound cooler, more mature, or more interesting than you are. 

In addition, make sure you let someone, preferably a professional editor, read over your essays and make sure they are well-written and error-free. Even though you are telling your personal story, it needs to be presented in standard, formal, correct English.

How long should a diversity essay be?

Every school has different requirements for their version of a diversity essay, and you will find all the necessary details on their admissions or essay prompts website. Make sure you check the word limit and other guidelines before you start typing away!

Prepare your college diversity essay for admission

Now that you know what a diversity essay is and how you find the specific requirements for the essays you need to submit to your school of choice, make sure you plan in advance and give yourself enough time to put all your effort into it! Our article How to Write the Common App Essay can give you an idea about timelines and creative preparation methods. And as always, we can help you with our professional editing services , including Application Essay Editing Services and Admission Editing Services , to ensure that your entire application is error-free and showcases your potential to the admissions committee of your school of choice.

For more academic resources on writing the statement of purpose for grad school or on the college admission process in general, head over to our Admissions Resources website where we have many more articles and videos to help you improve your essay writing skills.

Cultural Diversity Essay & Community Essay Examples

If you’ve started to research college application requirements for the schools on your list, you might have come across the “cultural diversity essay.” In this guide, we’ll explore the cultural diversity essay in depth. We will compare the cultural diversity essay to the community essay and discuss how to approach these kinds of supplements. We’ll also provide examples of diversity essays and community essay examples. But first, let’s discuss exactly what a cultural diversity essay is. 

The purpose of the cultural diversity essay in college applications is to show the admissions committee what makes you unique. The cultural diversity essay also lets you describe what type of “ diversity ” you would bring to campus.

We’ll also highlight a diversity essay sample for three college applications. These include the Georgetown application essay , Rice application essay , and Williams application essay . We’ll provide examples of diversity essays for each college. Then, for each of these college essays that worked, we will analyze their strengths to help you craft your own essays. 

Finally, we’ll give you some tips on how to write a cultural diversity essay that will make your applications shine. 

But first, let’s explore the types of college essays you might encounter on your college applications. 

Types of College Essays

College application requirements will differ among schools. However, you’ll submit one piece of writing to nearly every school on your list—the personal statement . A strong personal statement can help you stand out in the admissions process. 

So, how do you know what to write about? That depends on the type of college essay included in your college application requirements. 

There are a few main types of college essays that you might encounter in the college admissions process. Theese include the “Why School ” essay, the “Why Major ” essay, and the extracurricular activity essay. This also includes the type of essay we will focus on in this guide—the cultural diversity essay. 

“Why School” essay

The “Why School ” essay is exactly what it sounds like. For this type of college essay, you’ll need to underscore why you want to go to this particular school. 

However, don’t make the mistake of just listing off what you like about the school. Additionally, don’t just reiterate information you can find on their admissions website. Instead, you’ll want to make connections between what the school offers and how you are a great fit for that college community. 

“Why Major” essay

The idea behind the “Why Major ” essay is similar to that of the “Why School ” essay above. However, instead of writing about the school at large, this essay should highlight why you plan to study your chosen major.

There are plenty of directions you could take with this type of essay. For instance, you might describe how you chose this major, what career you plan to pursue upon graduation, or other details.

Extracurricular Activity essay

The extracurricular activity essay asks you to elaborate on one of the activities that you participated in outside of the classroom. 

For this type of college essay, you’ll need to select an extracurricular activity that you pursued while you were in high school. Bonus points if you can tie your extracurricular activity into your future major, career goals, or other extracurricular activities for college. Overall, your extracurricular activity essay should go beyond your activities list. In doing so, it should highlight why your chosen activity matters to you.

Cultural Diversity essay

The cultural diversity essay is your chance to expound upon diversity in all its forms. Before you write your cultural diversity essay, you should ask yourself some key questions. These questions can include: How will you bring diversity to your future college campus? What unique perspective do you bring to the table? 

Another sub-category of the cultural diversity essay is the gender diversity essay. As its name suggests, this essay would center around the author’s gender. This essay would highlight how gender shapes the way the writer understands the world around them. 

Later, we’ll look at examples of diversity essays and other college essays that worked. But before we do, let’s figure out how to identify a cultural diversity essay in the first place. 

How to identify a ‘cultural diversity’ essay

So, you’re wondering how you’ll be able to identify a cultural diversity essay as you review your college application requirements. 

Aside from the major giveaway of having the word “diversity” in the prompt, a cultural diversity essay will ask you to describe what makes you different from other applicants. In other words, what aspects of your unique culture(s) have influenced your perspective and shaped you into who you are today?

Diversity can refer to race, ethnicity, first-generation status, gender, or anything in between. You can write about a myriad of things in a cultural diversity essay. For instance, you might discuss your personal background, identity, values, experiences, or how you’ve overcome challenges in your life. 

However, don’t feel limited in what you can address in a cultural diversity essay. The words “culture” and “diversity” mean different things to different people. Above all, you’ll want your diversity essays for college to be personal and sincere. 

How is a ‘community’ essay different? 

A community essay can also be considered a cultural diversity essay. In fact, you can think of the community essay as a subcategory of the cultural diversity essay. However, there is a key difference between a community essay and a cultural diversity essay, which we will illustrate below. 

You might have already seen some community essay examples while you were researching college application requirements. But how exactly is a community essay different from a cultural diversity essay?

One way to tell the difference between community essay examples and cultural diversity essay examples is by the prompt. A community essay will highlight, well, community . This means it will focus on how your identity will shape your interactions on campus—not just how it informs your own experiences.

Two common forms to look out for

Community essay examples can take two forms. First, you’ll find community essay examples about your past experiences. These let you show the admissions team how you have positively influenced your own community. 

Other community essay examples, however, will focus on the future. These community essay examples will ask you to detail how you will contribute to your future college community. We refer to these as college community essay examples.

In college community essay examples, you’ll see applicants detail how they might interact with their fellow students. These essays may also discuss how students plan to positively contribute to the campus community. 

As we mentioned above, the community essay, along with community essay examples and college community essay examples, fit into the larger category of the cultural diversity essay. Although we do not have specific community essay examples or college community essay examples in this guide, we will continue to highlight the subtle differences between the two. 

Before we continue the discussion of community essay examples and college community essay examples, let’s start with some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts. For each of the cultural diversity essay prompts, we’ll name the institutions that include these diversity essays for college as part of their college application requirements. 

What are some examples of ‘cultural diversity’ essays? 

Now, you have a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the cultural diversity essay and the community essay. So, next, let’s look at some examples of cultural diversity essay prompts.

The prompts below are from the Georgetown application, Rice application, and Williams application, respectively. As we discuss the similarities and differences between prompts, remember the framework we provided above for what constitutes a cultural diversity essay and a community essay. 

Later in this guide, we’ll provide real examples of diversity essays, including Georgetown essay examples, Rice University essay examples, and Williams supplemental essays examples. These are all considered college essays that worked—meaning that the author was accepted into that particular institution. 

Georgetown Supplementals Essays

Later, we’ll look at Georgetown supplemental essay examples. Diversity essays for Georgetown are a product of this prompt: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. 

You might have noticed two keywords in this prompt right away: “diverse” and “community.” These buzzwords indicate that this prompt is a cultural diversity essay. You could even argue that responses to this prompt would result in college community essay examples. After all, the prompt refers to the Georgetown community. 

For this prompt, you’ll want to produce a diversity essay sample that highlights who you are. In order to do that successfully, you’ll need to self-reflect before putting pen to paper. What aspects of your background, personality, or values best describe who you are? How might your presence at Georgetown influence or contribute to their diverse community? 

Additionally, this cultural diversity essay can be personal or creative. So, you have more flexibility with the Georgetown supplemental essays than with other similar diversity essay prompts. Depending on the direction you go, your response to this prompt could be considered a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or a college community essay. 

Rice University Essays

The current Rice acceptance rate is just 9% , making it a highly selective school. Because the Rice acceptance rate is so low, your personal statement and supplemental essays can make a huge difference. 

The Rice University essay examples we’ll provide below are based on this prompt: 

The quality of Rice’s academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective would you contribute to life at Rice? 

Breaking down the prompt.

Like the prompt above, this cultural diversity essay asks about your “life experiences,” “cultural traditions,” and personal “perspectives.” These phrases indicate a cultural diversity essay. Keep in mind this may not be the exact prompt you’ll have to answer in your own Rice application. However, future Rice prompts will likely follow a similar framework as this diversity essay sample.

Although this prompt is not as flexible as the Georgetown prompt, it does let you discuss aspects of Rice’s academic life and Residential College System that appeal to you. You can also highlight how your experiences have influenced your personal perspective. 

The prompt also asks about how you would contribute to life at Rice. So, your response could also fall in line with college community essay examples. Remember, college community essay examples are another sub-category of community essay examples. Successful college community essay examples will illustrate the ways in which students would contribute to their future campus community. 

Williams Supplemental Essays

Like the Rice acceptance rate, the Williams acceptance rate is also 9% . Because the Williams acceptance rate is so low, you’ll want to pay close attention to the Williams supplemental essays examples as you begin the writing process. 

The Williams supplemental essays examples below are based on this prompt: 

Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry – a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives, and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an Entry? What perspective would you add to the conversation with your peer(s)?

Reflecting on the prompt.

Immediately, words like “diverse,” “backgrounds,” “perspectives,” “interests,” and “differentiate” should stand out to you. These keywords highlight the fact that this is a cultural diversity essay. Similar to the Rice essay, this may not be the exact prompt you’ll face on your Williams application. However, we can still learn from it.

Like the Georgetown essay, this prompt requires you to put in some self-reflection before you start writing. What aspects of your background differentiate you from other people? How would these differences impact your interactions with peers? 

This prompt also touches on the “student community” and how you would “add to the conversation with your peer(s).” By extension, any strong responses to this prompt could also be considered as college community essay examples. 

Community Essays

All of the prompts above mention campus community. So, you could argue that they are also examples of community essays. 

Like we mentioned above, you can think of community essays as a subcategory of the cultural diversity essay. If the prompt alludes to the campus community, or if your response is centered on how you would interact within that community, your essay likely falls into the world of college community essay examples. 

Regardless of what you would classify the essay as, all successful essays will be thoughtful, personal, and rich with details. We’ll show you examples of this in our “college essays that worked” section below. 

Which schools require a cultural diversity or community essay? 

Besides Georgetown, Rice, and Williams, many other college applications require a cultural diversity essay or community essay. In fact, from the Ivy League to HBCUs and state schools, the cultural diversity essay is a staple across college applications. 

Although we will not provide a diversity essay sample for each of the colleges below, it is helpful to read the prompts. This will build your familiarity with other college applications that require a cultural diversity essay or community essay. Some schools that require a cultural diversity essay or community essay include New York University , Duke University , Harvard University , Johns Hopkins University , and University of Michigan . 

New York University

NYU listed a cultural diversity essay as part of its 2022-2023 college application requirements. Here is the prompt:

NYU was founded on the belief that a student’s identity should not dictate the ability for them to access higher education. That sense of opportunity for all students, of all backgrounds, remains a part of who we are today and a critical part of what makes us a world class university. Our community embraces diversity, in all its forms, as a cornerstone of the NYU experience. We would like to better understand how your experiences would help us to shape and grow our diverse community.

Duke university.

Duke is well-known for its community essay: 

What is your sense of Duke as a university and a community, and why do you consider it a good match for you? If there’s something in particular about our offerings that attracts you, feel free to share that as well.

A top-ranked Ivy League institution, Harvard University also has a cultural diversity essay as part of its college application requirements: 

Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. We welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development, or the intellectual interests you might bring to your Harvard classmates.

Johns hopkins university.

The Johns Hopkins supplement is another example of a cultural diversity essay: 

Founded in the spirit of exploration and discovery, Johns Hopkins University encourages students to share their perspectives, develop their interests, and pursue new experiences. Use this space to share something you’d like the admissions committee to know about you (your interests, your background, your identity, or your community), and how it has shaped what you want to get out of your college experience at Hopkins. 

University of michigan.

The University of Michigan requires a community essay for its application: 

Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong and describe that community and your place within it. 

Community essay examples.

The Duke and Michigan prompts are perfect illustrations of community essay examples. However, they have some critical differences. So, if you apply to both of these schools, you’ll have to change the way you approach either of these community essays. 

The Duke prompt asks you to highlight why you are a good match for the Duke community. You’ll also see this prompt in other community essay examples. To write a successful response to this prompt, you’ll need to reference offerings specific to Duke (or whichever college requires this essay). In order to know what to reference, you’ll need to do your research before you start writing. 

Consider the following questions as you write your diversity essay sample if the prompt is similar to Duke University’s

• What values does this college community have? 
• How do these tie in with what you value? 
• Is there something that this college offers that matches your interests, personality, or background?  

On the other hand, the Michigan essay prompt asks you to describe a community that you belong to as well as your place within that community. This is another variation of the prompt for community essay examples. 

To write a successful response to this prompt, you’ll need to identify a community that you belong to. Then, you’ll need to think critically about how you interact with that community. 

Below are some questions to consider as you write your diversity essay sample for colleges like Michigan: 

• Out of all the communities you belong to, which can you highlight in your response? 
• How have you impacted this community? 
• How has this community impacted you?

Now, in the next few sections, we’ll dive into the Georgetown supplemental essay examples, the Rice university essay examples, and the Williams supplemental essays examples. After each diversity essay sample, we’ll include a breakdown of why these are considered college essays that worked. 

Georgetown Essay Examples

As a reminder, the Georgetown essay examples respond to this prompt: 

As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you.

Here is the excerpt of the diversity essay sample from our Georgetown essay examples: 

Georgetown University Essay Example

The best thing I ever did was skip eight days of school in a row. Despite the protests of teachers over missed class time, I told them that the world is my classroom. The lessons I remember most are those that took place during my annual family vacation to coastal Maine. That rural world is the most authentic and incredible classroom where learning simply happens and becomes exponential. 

Years ago, as I hunted through the rocks and seaweed for seaglass and mussels, I befriended a Maine local hauling her battered kayak on the shore. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, I had found a kindred spirit in Jeanne. Jeanne is a year-round resident who is more than the hard working, rugged Mainer that meets the eye; reserved and humble in nature, she is a wealth of knowledge and is self-taught through necessity. With thoughtful attention to detail, I engineered a primitive ramp made of driftwood and a pulley system to haul her kayak up the cliff. We diligently figured out complex problems and developed solutions through trial and error.

After running out of conventional materials, I recycled and reimagined items that had washed ashore. We expected to succeed, but were not afraid to fail. Working with Jeanne has been the best classroom in the world; without textbooks or technology, she has made a difference in my life. Whether building a basic irrigation system for her organic garden or installing solar panels to harness the sun’s energy, every project has shown me the value of taking action and making an impact. Each year brings a different project with new excitement and unique challenges. My resourcefulness, problem solving ability, and innovative thinking have advanced under her tutelage. 

While exploring the rocky coast of Maine, I embrace every experience as an unparalleled educational opportunity that transcends any classroom environment. I discovered that firsthand experience and real-world application of science are my best teachers. In school, applications of complex calculations and abstract theories are sometimes obscured by grades and structure. In Maine, I expand my love of science and renourish my curious spirit. I am a highly independent, frugal, resilient Mainer living as a southern girl in NC. 

Why this essay worked

This is one of the Georgetown supplemental essay examples that works, and here’s why. The author starts the essay with an interesting hook, which makes the reader want to learn more about this person and their perspective. 

Throughout the essay, the author illustrates their intellectual curiosity. From befriending Jeanne and creating a pulley system to engineering other projects on the rocky coast of Maine, the author demonstrates how they welcome challenges and work to solve problems. 

Further, the author mentions values that matter to them—taking action and making an impact. Both facets are also part of Georgetown’s core values . By making these connections in their essay, the author shows the admissions committee exactly how they would be a great fit for the Georgetown community. 

Finally, the author uses their experience in Maine to showcase their love of science, which is likely the field they will study at Georgetown. Like this writer, you should try to include most important parts of your identity into your essay. This includes things like life experiences, passions, majors, extracurricular activities for college, and more. 

Rice University Essay Examples

The Rice University essay examples are from this prompt: 

The quality of Rice’s academic life and the Residential College System are heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspective would you contribute to life at Rice? (500-word limit)

Rice university essay example.

Like every applicant, I also have a story to share. A story that makes me who I am and consists of chapters about my life experiences and adventures. Having been born in a different country, my journey to America was one of the most difficult things I had ever experienced. Everything felt different. The atmosphere, the places, the food, and especially the people. Everywhere I looked, I saw something new. Although it was a bit overwhelming, one thing had not changed.

The caring nature of the people was still prevalent in everyday interactions. I was overwhelmed by how supportive and understanding people were of one another. Whether it is race, religion, or culture, everyone was accepted and appreciated. I knew that I could be whoever I wanted to be and that the only limitation was my imagination. Through hard work and persistence I put my all in everything that I did. I get this work ethic from my father since he is living proof that anything can be accomplished with continued determination. Listening to the childhood stories he told me, my dad would reminisce about how he was born in an impoverished area in a third world country during a turbulent and unpredictable time.

Even with a passion for learning, he had to work a laborious job in an attempt to help his parents make ends meet. He talked about how he would study under the street lights when the power went out at home. His parents wanted something better for him, as did he. Not living in America changed nothing about their work ethic. His parents continued to work hard daily, in an attempt to provide for their son. My dad worked and studied countless hours, paying his way through school with jobs and scholarships. His efforts paid off when he finally moved to America and opened his own business. None of it would have been possible without tremendous effort and dedication needed for a better life, values that are instilled within me as well, and this is the perspective that I wish to bring to Rice. 

This diversity essay sample references the author’s unique life experiences and personal perspective, which makes it one example of college essays that worked. The author begins the essay by alluding to their unique story—they were born in a different country and then came to America. Instead of facing this change as a challenge, the author shows how this new experience helped them to feel comfortable with all kinds of people. They also highlight how their diversity was accepted and appreciated. 

Additionally, the author incorporates information about their father’s story, which helps to frame their own values and where those values came from. The values that they chose to highlight also fall in line with the values of the Rice community. 

Williams Supplemental Essay Examples

Let’s read the prompt that inspired so many strong Williams supplemental essays examples again: 

Every first-year student at Williams lives in an Entry—a thoughtfully constructed microcosm of the student community that’s a defining part of the Williams experience. From the moment they arrive, students find themselves in what’s likely the most diverse collection of backgrounds, perspectives and interests they’ve ever encountered. What might differentiate you from the 19 other first-year students in an entry? What perspective(s) would you add to the conversation with your peers?

Williams college essay example.

Through the flow in my head

See you clad in red

But not just the clothes

It’s your whole being

Covering in this sickening blanket

Of heat and pain

Are you in agony, I wonder?

Is this the hell they told me about?

Have we been condemned?

Reduced to nothing but pain

At least we have each other

In our envelopes of crimson

I try in vain

“Take my hands” I shriek

“Let’s protect each other, 

You and me, through this hell”

My body contorts

And deforms into nothingness

You remain the same

Clad in red

With faraway eyes

You, like a statue

Your eyes fixed somewhere else

You never see me

Just the red briefcase in your heart

We aren’t together

It’s always been me alone

While you stand there, aloof, with the briefcase in your heart.

I wrote this poem the day my prayer request for the Uighur Muslims got denied at school. At the time, I was stunned. I was taught to have empathy for those around me. Yet, that empathy disappears when told to extend it to someone different. I can’t comprehend this contradiction and I refuse to. 

At Williams, I hope to become a Community Engagement Fellow at the Davis Center. I hope to use Williams’ support for social justice and advocacy to educate my fellow classmates on social issues around the world. Williams students are not just scholars but also leaders and changemakers. Together, we can strive to better the world through advocacy.

Human’s capability for love is endless. We just need to open our hearts to everyone. 

It’s time to let the briefcase go and look at those around us with our real human eyes.

We see you now. Please forgive us.

As we mentioned above, the Williams acceptance rate is incredibly low. This makes the supplemental essay that much more important. 

This diversity essay sample works because it is personal and memorable. The author chooses to start the essay off with a poem. Which, if done right, will immediately grab the reader’s attention. 

Further, the author contextualizes the poem by explaining the circumstances surrounding it—they wrote it in response to a prayer request that was denied at school. In doing so, they also highlight their own values of empathy and embracing diversity. 

Finally, the author ends their cultural diversity essay by describing what excites them about Williams. They also discuss how they see themselves interacting within the Williams community. This is a key piece of the essay, as it helps the reader understand how the author would be a good fit for Williams. 

The examples provided within this essay also touch on issues that are important to the author, which provides a glimpse into the type of student the author would be on campus. Additionally, this response shows what potential extracurricular activities for college the author might be interested in pursuing while at Williams. 

How to Write a Cultural Diversity Essay

You want your diversity essay to stand out from any other diversity essay sample. But how do you write a successful cultural diversity essay? 

First, consider what pieces of your identity you want to highlight in your essay. Of course, race and ethnicity are important facets of diversity. However, there are plenty of other factors to consider. 

As you brainstorm, think outside the box to figure out what aspects of your identity help make up who you are. Because identity and diversity fall on a spectrum, there is no right or wrong answer here. 

Fit your ideas to the specific school

Once you’ve decided on what you want to represent in your cultural diversity essay, think about how that fits into the college of your choice. Use your cultural diversity essay to make connections to the school. If your college has specific values or programs that align with your identity, then include them in your cultural diversity essay! 

Above all, you should write about something that is important to you. Your cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay will succeed if you are passionate about your topic and willing to get personal. 

Additional Tips for Community & Cultural Diversity Essays

1. Start Early

In order to create the strongest diversity essay possible, you’ll want to start early. Filling out college applications is already a time-consuming process. So, you can cut back on additional stress and anxiety by writing your cultural diversity essay as early as possible. 

2. Brainstorm

Writing a cultural diversity essay or community essay is a personal process. To set yourself up for success, take time to brainstorm and reflect on your topic. Overall, you want your cultural diversity essay to be a good indication of who you are and what makes you a unique applicant. 

3. Proofread

We can’t stress this final tip enough. Be sure to proofread your cultural diversity essay before you hit the submit button. Additionally, you can read your essay aloud to hear how it flows. You can also can ask someone you trust, like your college advisor or a teacher, to help proofread your essay as well.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore

Looking for additional resources on supplemental essays for the colleges we mentioned above? Do you need help with incorporating extracurricular activities for college into your essays or crafting a strong diversity essay sample? We’ve got you covered. 

Our how to get into Georgetown guide covers additional tips on how to approach the supplemental diversity essay. If you’re wondering how to write about community in your essay, check out our campus community article for an insider’s perspective on Williams College.

Want to learn strategies for writing compelling cultural diversity essays? Check out this Q&A webinar, featuring a former Georgetown admissions officer. And, if you’re still unsure of what to highlight in your community essay, try getting inspiration from a virtual college tour . 

Cultural Diversity Essay & Community Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

Your supplemental essays are an important piece of the college application puzzle. With colleges becoming more competitive than ever, you’ll want to do everything you can to create a strong candidate profile. This includes writing well-crafted responses for a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay. 

We hope our cultural diversity essay guide helped you learn more about this common type of supplemental essay. As you are writing your own cultural diversity essay or community essay, use the essay examples from Georgetown, Rice, and Williams above as your guide. 

Getting into top schools takes a lot more than a strong resume. Writing specific, thoughtful, and personal responses for a cultural diversity essay, gender diversity essay, or community essay will put you one step closer to maximizing your chances of admission. Good luck!

CollegeAdvisor.com is here to help you with every aspect of the college admissions process. From taking a gap year to completing enrollment , we’re here to help. Register today to receive one-on-one support from an admissions expert as you begin your college application journey.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, personal background essay examples.

Hey everyone! I'm working on my college applications, and part of it requires a personal background essay. I'm a little stuck, so if you guys could share some examples or tips, that'd be great! Please help me out, thanks!

Hello! It's understandable that writing a personal background essay can be challenging. Here are some tips to get you started and an example of how you might approach this essay:

1. Reflect on what makes your background unique. Consider your family's history, culture, traditions, values, and how these have shaped your experiences.

2. Delve into the details. Discuss specific experiences, anecdotes, or events that have had a significant impact on your life and highlight the lessons you've gained from your background.

3. Be authentic. Write from the heart and let your personality shine through. This essay is your opportunity to help the admissions officers get to know you beyond your stats and accomplishments.

4. Avoid clichés. Personal background essays are quite common, so if you're writing about a widely-covered topic (moving, learning a new language, etc.), try to find a unique angle or aspect that will set your essay apart.

Growing up in a multigenerational household, I've had the rare privilege of experiencing diverse perspectives on life from my grandparents, parents, and siblings. My grandparents, who emigrated from Vietnam, taught me the importance of staying true to our cultural heritage and maintaining strong connections with family. Daily rituals like preparing and enjoying traditional Vietnamese meals, participating in Lunar New Year celebrations, and listening to stories about my grandparents' journey to the United States helped me appreciate the strength and resilience of my ancestors.

However, this cultural pride was not always something I cherished. As a child, I was bullied for my Banh Khot and Banh Mi lunches, and I'd often ask my parents to pack more generic-looking sandwiches to avoid feeling like an outsider at school. It wasn't until my grandmother shared her own story of assimilation and how she strived to maintain her cultural identity in a new country that I realized the value of embracing my heritage. Inspired by her courage, I decided to educate my peers about Vietnamese traditions and founded a cultural exchange club at school. Together, we explored our heritages, organizing potlucks, cultural presentations, and language exchange sessions.

Through this experience, I've learned that embracing who I am and the unique background I come from has made me a stronger person. My personal background has taught me to be open to learning about other cultures, which I look forward to bringing to my future college community.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

What are examples of cultural background?

Understanding the different cultures that exist in the world is a great way to be tolerant of other people and their backgrounds.

There are many different types of cultural backgrounds, but they can all vary based on geographical location or ethnicity. It’s important to understand these differences so we know how to behave and be tolerant of other cultures.

It is important to be aware of and understand these differences so we know how to behave and be tolerant of other cultures. Let’s explore some examples of cultural backgrounds!

Table of Contents

What are cultural backgrounds?

Cultural background is the environment in which an individual grew up. The word “background” generally implies that it may pose some limitations on what they are able to do, their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

The context of one’s life experience as influenced by membership in organizations based on ethnicity, race, economic position, gender, exceptionalities, language, religion, sexual orientation, and geographical location.

There are many various sorts of cultural backgrounds that may differ depending on the country or region where the person was brought up. Culture might be defined as race/ethnicity-based, religion-based, or as language-based.

The culture of a person is the history and traditions that they have been brought up with from birth. In some cultures, people may eat different foods than what you are used to at home; in others, people will dress differently; in yet others, there are many different holidays and nationally recognized days of celebration.

A cultural background can be shaped at the family, societal or organizational level. Examples of different cultural groups include:

• Educated people (such as elites, middle class)
• People who value work ethic and approach goals with a strong sense of self-discipline (such as immigrants, entrepreneurs, small business owners)
• Religious people who values family and traditions (such as Christian, Muslim, Jewish)
• People who tend to be liberal and progressive (such as students, artists)
• People who come from a wealthy family and believes in saving money or people with a lower economic status (such as millionaires)

Cultural background influences the world we live in, and can create stereotypes between different groups of people. For instance, since some immigrants come Cultural background is an important way to define an individual’s identity.

What are some examples of cultures and their backgrounds?

There are many examples of cultures with certain backgrounds, but in general there are several key criteria that determine someone’s culture. Those important identifiers are geographical location, ethnicity, nationality, political beliefs or system of government.

• Geographical location, country or region in which someone lives or was brought up
• Ethnicity, a group of people that share a common national or cultural tradition
• Nationality, the legal relationship between an individual and a country, that is created by naturalization or birth in certain geographic territories. A nation is a group of people who have been linked by shared ancestry, history, culture, or language. This implies that all of the citizens in a country are from the same background, country, or region and shares a common border with other nations recognized by the United Nations
• Political beliefs or system of government, a governing system based on the ideology and power of the people who rule and control that specific nation for an extended period

How do cultures vary based on geographical location?

Geographical location is a huge factor in culture. Just because of the location, there are slight variations of culture that can influence values and traditions of a person or group.

For example: In the United States as one travels westward from Chicago to Los Angeles one will find progressively more Americanized cultures with higher populations of people of color and less racially segregated cities. Upwards toward Alaska there is a gradual decrease in flora and fauna, eventually ending at the Bering Strait that separates Asia from North America.

As one travels south or east from Chicago, there is a much higher probability of encountering more European and Middle Eastern culture. This could be because people migrated westward over time to follow economic opportunities and seek out new land. Beaches along the Pacific Ocean were likely populated with individuals who had more closeness with nature before white settlers arrived on their land.

Overall, it’s very easy to see how geography has influenced human development and can continue to help us understand how people of different backgrounds might behave in different areas of the world.

How do cultures vary based on ethnicity?

Cultures vary significantly based on ethnicity , and the reasons for this difference may be rooted in many places including religion, geographic location and history.

An Example of how nature vs nurture works: different cultures worship nature as a force that deserves respect, and this attitude is often reflected in its laws protecting land and water (An example of such a culture would be those found in South America). As an opposite example to those cultures with “Nature-worshipping” attitudes would be the American culture, where our country is considered more as a man made product rather than something influenced by forces such as religion or water (such as those who live near bodies)

While there are examples can be found everywhere can create studies to look at the differences between countries.

An example of how ethnicity can influence culture today: There are still pockets of people in the United States whose families have lived here for generations. They may be more likely to speak their ancestral language (for example, Mandarin) and follow traditions practiced by that ethnic group (such as celebrating the lunar new year).

How do cultures vary based on nationality?

Political beliefs or system of government can also heavily affect culture, especially within a nation. A nation will have norms with what is proper and improper behavior, with most people subscribing to these standards.

For example: While Americans might find it strange if someone were to pour their entire soda into the cup, Chinese people actually do this as a sign of respect. As another example, in America we place our shoes by the door when entering a house, but visitors in Japan will remove their shoes at the entrance before stepping on any interior flooring.

How do cultures vary based on political beliefs or system of government?

There are many reasons but let’s first look at the basics.

Many cultures vary based on political belief. Some people believe in a policy of government control, aka Communism or Nazism, while others believe in a system of self-governance with no one governing them which is called anarchy or Libertarianism. The populations from these countries typically display different values and beliefs towards how things should be done because they have been raised under different philosophies.

Get a person from one country to interact with a person from another country and there will often be a clash of ideas because their views on life could not be more different depending on what type of system their representatives created for them to live under.

The needs that the people have may also be affected by the political belief of the country they live in. People who believe in anarchy or Libertarianism, for example, might want to be able to carry guns to protect themselves where people who practice Communism may not want this ability. The policies that are enacted in one area will affect what type of culture their citizens can flourish under or create within.

For Example: The political ideology of Nordic nations is generally considered to be Socialism, which implies that their society has a well-developed middle class and a high standard of living.

When compared to Americans, who were reared in a capitalistic culture that thrives on competition, individualism, and consumerism.

The American attitude towards consumption may be contrasted with the energy-efficiency ethic in Nordic cultures, where exports generally include cars, but also dairy products.

What is the difference between a cultural background and ethnicity?

Cultural background is the framework of knowledge and references that define a person’s mental model for their past, present and future lives. Ethnicity defines who we associate with in our own imagination.

The two do not always coincide because we can share a culture with people who belong to other ethnicities and vice-versa.

For example, it would be possible for someone living in India to come from one or more different backgrounds – Muslim Gujarati, Hindu Tamil etc., depending on geographical origin.

Someone could also be American but have an Indian racial background if they trace their ancestry back through generations of Americans with Indian bloodlines mixed into the genealogical tree. 

A neutral definition of ethnicity might read as “the kinship lines which define membership in a group; the law of shared blood”.

As this definition would apply to anyone who is related by an ancestor, it does not identify differences between cultures.

While some people use the terms interchangeably, there are important distinctions that must be made when talking about them.

Why do people have different cultures around the world?

The human population is made up of billions and billions of people that come from an uncountable number of backgrounds and cultures.

This means there are many different cultural understandings and views across the world. One explanation for these differences might be because we’re all humans with similar emotions, desires, perspectives, memories and thought patterns (although there are still some who argue this point).

Another possible explanation is because we can’t ever know if our own culture is the “right” one – given that it’s impossible to completely understand other cultures on their terms.

The last option could also be true; this would mean that every country has its own unique subject matter in economics, politics, sciences, sociology which undeniably shapes how each culture thinks about themselves and others.

Is there a map for cultural backgrounds in the world?

Yes. A map is a great way to understand the geographical spread of different cultures, and a fantastic tool for organizing information about countries and cities around the world.

There are many free or low-cost alternatives, from Google or Bing when you’re just curious to play with this neat data, to more intensive web-based databases that go into more depth when you’re researching a particular kind of information in greater detail.

Some gathered together some interesting ways people have mapped out culture around the world in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 

One project in this field is called The World Culture Map. It was developed by the World Bank with researchers at Harvard University, who looked at how cultural diversity relates to economic growth and social progress.

Another map that’s interesting to look at is known as “ The World Values Survey “. This looks into people’s subjective preferences, including their opinions on sex, politics and religion. It is an organization that has looked into how people’s core beliefs are distributed across different countries.

How can communication be difficult with these varying cultures?

Culture is defined as any distinct way of behaving, relating, or thinking that lasts more than one generation.

Different cultures often have different communication styles and expectations. Even though communication can be difficult between these varying cultures, understanding each other’s communication style is key for productive communications.

If you’re unsure of the proper communication etiquette in the specific culture you’re communicating with it’s best to err on the side of caution by speaking in generalities until it becomes clear what customs are appropriate.

For example, in some cultures it is not considered polite to ask too many questions or be nosy. In such cases you might want to keep your conversations on a more superficial level until the other person opens up and invites personal questions.

Which countries have the most diverse populations when it comes to ethnicity and religion?

The United States, India, and Nigeria have a very diverse populations when it comes to ethnicity. In the United States 27% of Americans are African American or black, 39% are white non-hispanic, 24% are Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 6% are Asian American, 3% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American.

In India there is a rich diversity in culture but most people identify themselves as Indian because they follow many of the same traditions including customs and speak the same language.

Nigerians identify themselves by tribe or ancestry. 55 million Nigerians have an Igbo heritage specifically while 36 million Nigerians have Yoruba heritages. Nigeria contains more than 250 ethnic groups and over 500 languages total with 12 different types of accepted religions.

Another countries is Brazil, China, and Indonesia.

Brazil has over 50 million African descendants. The percentage of people in Brazil who identify as black, the largest ethnic group there, accounts for 38.5% of the total population.

China is also diverse with 55 different minorities. Indonesia has 34 provinces, but all are pretty similar when it comes to identifying themselves by their ethnicity. 97% of the population identifies themselves as being ethnically Indonesian.

What are some examples of cultural backgrounds?

Here is a list of specific culture examples:

• American (United States) Cultural Backgrounds: In the United States, there are many different cultures which includes immigrant or descended from an immigrant background. In modern times it is common to have a multicultural heritage due to the number of immigrants arriving in the recent 20th century. American culture places emphasis on thrift, hard work and self-reliance.
• Argentinian Cultural Background: This culture is known for being polite but assertive, they are family oriented and don’t like high-pressured situations. They enjoy talking through problems to avoid any confrontations or arguments.
• Australian Culture Background: Australians are seen as very laid back with a very casual demeanor. They love sports and beer making them easy going people who can make small-talk without thinking about it too much.
• Austrian Cultural Background: This culture is known to be tradition oriented, but very relaxed in their traditions. They take time to discuss problems and come up with compromises for them so everyone feels included.
• Belgian Cultural Background: Belgian people are known to be very thrifty and detail-oriented. They value their privacy and enjoy spending time at home rather than socializing.
• Brazilian Cultural Background: Brazilian people tend to be very passionate and friendly. They can also be quite sensitive and sometimes too willing to accommodate others.
• Chinese Cultural Background: People from the Chinese culture are very friendly and family oriented. They have a strong sense of duty to serve others, but can be short-tempered when it comes to criticism.
• Colombian Cultural Background: Colombian people are passionate and hospitable. They like to include everyone and make them feel welcome, but can be a bit too relaxed about things like punctuality, which drives others crazy.
• Danish (Denmark) Cultural Background: In Denmark, politeness and punctuality are considered extremely important. They have a very relaxed attitude to life but stick to their goals when they have one.
• Dutch (Netherland) Cultural Background: The Dutch are very frugal people who love working hard. They have a reputation for being friendly and self-controlled people who also value their privacy highly.
• Egyptian Cultural Background: People from the Egyptian culture are known to be successful business-wise. They are family oriented people, but also very gossipy and criticize others frequently.
• Ethiopian Cultural Background: Ethiopians are known for being very emotional people who often have their feelings on their sleeve, they can be extremely sensitive to criticism as well.
• English (UK) Cultural Background: The English value tradition and their heritage. Rules are important to them and they tend to be on time for appointments.
• French (France) Cultural Background: French people are known to be very nonchalant about many things. They are also known for creating a lot of drama by making everything seem more important than it really is.
• German (Germany) Cultural Background: The German culture is known to be very efficient and direct. They too value punctuality, rules, and being prepared.
• Japanese Cultural Background: Japanese people tend to be quiet and reserved in public, but in a private setting they are open about their opinions. They can also appear very aloof due to being unfamiliar with many public displays of affection.
• Greek/Mediterranean Cultural Background: People from this culture enjoy socializing and expressing themselves. They tend to be very family-oriented people, but sometime take on too much responsibility for others.
• Indian Cultural Background: Indian people are known for their very friendly nature. They love to host guests in their homes and celebrate any special occasion with much enthusiasm.
• Indonesian Cultural Background: The Indonesian people enjoy socializing and making new acquaintances. They tend to be family oriented and value their heritage, but also want the world to know that they’re quite progressive in involving women in business and politics.
• Iranian Cultural Background: Iranian people are very family oriented and value camaraderie. They can be too sensitive to criticism, however, and tend to argue over every little disagreement.
• Irish/Celtic Cultural Backgrounds: Similar to Americans, the Irish/Celtic people value their heritage and take a lot of pride in their families. They are quite fun-loving and don’t mind being a little reckless from time to time.
• Italian (Italy) Cultural Background: Italians are known for loving life, and enjoying whatever they do. They can be quite loud and boisterous, but also very romantic.
• Israel Cultural Background: Israelis take a lot of pride in their heritage and family. They enjoy being social and take great care to provide for their families.
• Jamaican Cultural Background: Jamaicans are known for their extremely friendly and welcoming nature. They love to socialize and they look out for everyone- whether it’s family or strangers.
• Korean Cultural Backgrounds: Even though people from the Korean culture are very shy, they are also very competitive and ambitious. They tend to study many years to achieve their goals.
• Mexican Cultural Background: Mexican people are very family oriented and value their heritage. They can be loud, but they love to show concern for family members that live far away.
• Middle East (Arabian) Cultural Backgrounds: Arabian people value their heritage, family, and tradition. They are very friendly with strangers, but can also be argumentative at times.
• Nigerian Cultural Background: Nigerians are known for being very talkative people who love sharing stories with others. They can be quite loud and boisterous, but they have a giving nature and always stick together in times of need.
• Norwegian Cultural Background: People from the Norwegian culture tend to be very hard working and goal-oriented. They place a lot of importance on education as well.
• Pakistani Cultural Background: Pakistani people are known for being very spiritual and family-oriented. They value their heritage, but also want to be recognized as modern citizens from a developing country.
• Peruvian Cultural Background: Peruvian people are very family oriented and they love to make new friends. They tend to keep most of their personal problems with themselves, not wanting to burden others with their struggles.
• Polish Cultural Background: Polish people tend to be family oriented and love spending time with relatives. They can be a little blunt at times, but they enjoy traditions and large gatherings.
• Russian Cultural Background: Russian people have a very strong work ethic and tend to be very independent. They value success and enjoy being in a leadership role.
• Spanish/Portuguese Cultural Background: People from this culture are known for being warm, friendly, and very open with everyone they meet. They love being social and interacting with others while dancing or playing music.
• Swedish Cultural Background: People from the Swedish culture are well known for their nature. They enjoy being in the outdoors, and take time to appreciate everything around them.
• Thailand Cultural Background: Thai people are very loyal to their friends and family. They treasure education, but also like to spend time relaxing with others.
• Turkish Cultural Background: Turkish people value close bonds between friends, groups, and families. They enjoy spending time socializing in large settings, especially when eating delicious food together!
• Ukraine Cultural Background: Ukrainian people are known for being very family oriented and they cherish their heritage. They enjoy celebrating with others, but also like to listen to music, play games and spend time with each other.
• Vietnamese Cultural Backgrounds: Vietnamese people are known for being very family-oriented and value traditions. They can be a little reserved at first, but they’re always willing to help out their friends or neighbors in need.

It is important to be aware of and understand these differences so we know how to behave and be tolerant of other cultures. Let’s explore some examples of cultural backgrounds! We hope you found this article helpful in understanding the different types of culture that exist around the world.

Understanding each type will help us better appreciate our own culture as well as those who live a life vastly different from ours.

In order for things to continue progressing, it is imperative that people are open-minded about others’ opinions, traditions, values etc., while always respecting their right not to share theirs if they choose not too.

It’s time for everyone on Earth to come together with one common goal: mutual respect and tolerance no matter what your background may be.

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If you want to know about Ethiopians cultural background read a bible it describes very well.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Cultural Identity — The Influence of Cultural Background on Personal Identity

The Influence of Cultural Background on Personal Identity

• Categories: Cultural Identity

About this sample

Words: 710 |

Published: Feb 12, 2024

Words: 710 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, the role of cultural awareness in research, initial prompt, interview questions, conclusion prompt.

• Where were you born? Where were your parents born?
• How long have you lived in the United States? Do you believe living here is different from living in your country of origin?
• How would you define culture?
• When you mentioned culture, you referred to [item 1, item 2, item 3, etc.]. Did you learn about these things within your family?
• If yes, do you believe it is important for children to know about these traditions?
• Can you tell me about your family's traditions? Do you think these traditions are specific to your culture?
• Do you speak English as a second language?
• If yes, do you also speak your native language? Why/Why not?
• In your opinion, is it acceptable to express discontent with the actions of others in public?
• In your opinion, do you consider it disrespectful to kiss in a public place?
• What are your eating habits? Which meal of the day do you consider the most important?
• How would you define success? How would you define happiness?
• How would you define family? How important is family to you?
• How important is it to respect the elderly?
• Do you hold any religious views?
• If yes, what are your religious views?
• Is religion important in your family?
• Do you celebrate any holidays specific to your nation?
• Do you believe men and women have specific roles?
• If yes, how would you define these roles?
• Have you personally experienced racism or prejudice?
• If yes, what is your opinion on racism and prejudice?
• Do you believe schools should have a multi-cultural curriculum?
• Why/Why not?
• Bamberg, M. (2010). Who am I? Narration and its contribution to self and identity. Theory Psychology, 21(1), 3-24.
• Coolican, H. (2013). Research methods and statistics in psychology (5th ed.). Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
• Elfenbein, H. (2006). Learning in emotion judgments: Training and the cross-cultural understanding of facial expressions. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 30(1), 21-36.
• Howitt, D. (2013). Introduction to qualitative methods in psychology (2nd ed.). Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson.
• Vang, C.T. (2010). An Educational Psychology of Methods in Multicultural Education.

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