PWI

What does PWI stand for?

Predominantly white institution

When discussing education, PWI stands for "predominantly white institution." This designation describes colleges and universities where 50 percent or more of the current student body is White. Many of these institutions are also HWCUs (historically white colleges and universities), meaning their student body has been majority White throughout their existence.

PWIs are most often discussed in contrast to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Typically, these discussions center on how and why PWIs are predominantly White, as well as what PWIs can or should do to increase their student bodies' diversity. Some examples of prominent PWIs include Harvard, Yale, Brown, and honestly most American colleges and universities.

Example

I was hoping Malia would attend an HBCU, not a PWI
Users discussing PWIs, HBCUs, and STEM on Twitter
Users discussing PWIs, HBCUs, and STEM on Twitter

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Updated September 9, 2021

PWI definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the acronym "PWI" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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