You get admission chances boosted if you're GAY?!

SATObsession · January 2011

I was wandering around Stanford admission results threads, and I happened to noticed that nearly all applicants who admitted to being gay were accepted.. Is there really a correlation between admissions and sexuality? Will I "stand out" if I change my sexualty? serious question.

LindsayLou · January 2011

That's an interesting question, because I know colleges are big on diversity, so statistically speaking, it seems like someone would have a greater chance of being accepted if they were gay. I've never thought things like that, where someone has a better chance based on sexuality/race/gender/hometown, are fair.

fledgling · January 2011

Colleges don't care which gender you have sex with. Being homosexual isn't the same thing as being a URM. What you mentioned could simply be a coincidence. For anecdotal evidence, one of my friends is bisexual, and briefly discussed his sexuality in one of his essays. He also has AMAZING stats (even by CC standards), yet he got deferred from his top choice (Columbia ED).

FrenchSilkPie · January 2011

Hmmmm. I remember reading online someplace that Common App was thinking of an including a question about your orientation (optional, just like the race questionis optional).

I know someone who wrote an essay about his sexuality and was accepted into Yale, but this stats were amazing--from SATs to Subject Tests to GPA to ECs, so who knows. I'm sure it helped though.

Madame · January 2011

One of the latest orientations is "asexual". Indicate being "asexual" and you might gain admission everywhere.

ag2011 · January 2011

I'm gay, and I think that my sexual orientation speaks a lot about me. I'm from a tiny, rural, agrarian town in the middle of the Midwest, and, because my difference set me apart from my surroundings, I got really caught up in the zeitgeist of 2008 and the Obama campaign when it opened an office in my home town. I got really involved (I started volunteering like 50 hours a week), which led me to get really involved in politics since then.
I think there's probably a bit of a cut off in SAT scores, where everyone who scores above that score is qualified. At that point, it just becomes a game of finding applicants who have the most to offer to the university. My uniqueness (openly gay Presbyterian deacon political activist from the-middle-of-nowhere who does show choir) set me apart; by and large, I think that being openly gay can lead to applicants having different stories and world views that can contribute to the vitality of a university community.

LNSebastian · January 2011

I don't think that gay people are given an advantage because they are a minority; it's not analogous to being black or Minnesotan. But I think that writing an essay about being gay can (1) Make you stand out; (2) show that you've overcome obstacles; and (3) show that you'll fit in at Stanford.

Shazami · January 2011

One of the latest orientations is "asexual". Indicate being "asexual" and you might gain admission everywhere.

But then you better not be have sex for 4 years.

cornetking222 · January 2011

I know of several cases where applicants lied about being homosexual. It undoubtedly gave them a slight boost.

topramennbaklava · January 2011

I don't think sexual orientation is much of a boost toward admissions. It seems to me that there are highly talented individuals that identify themselves as LGBT and make the most out of their situation, so they are better applicants.

Imagine a person, regardless of sexual preferences, being a leader of the Gay-Straight-Bisexual Alliance Club on campus and who advocates for The Human Rights Campaign. That is one way of making the most out of your community, either by doing it to help others, set yourself apart from the crowd, or simply claiming your identity. Or a person writing about how their sexual identity is oppressed in their environment, if written well, it could show mature reflection ---it wouldn't help much if someone just curtly states in one sentence "I am homosexual, so I would would add diversity to your campus" without backing up the claim.

In addition, a homosexual or bisexual student's culture may be different, making the person more diversely minded or academically-focused opposed to the "typical" applicant. Well, this article TRIES to explain the correlation between sexual orientation and activities: http://www.miller-mccune.com/culture-society/gay-men-on-campus-smart-studious-involved-3662/

I don't see the purpose for anyone to "lie" about being gay to gain acceptance into a college, if so, would that person be accepted for him/herself? Maybe or maybe not, but that essay is delivered by some other persona that the college wanted instead.

NJDS · January 2011

Compared to many of its peers, stanford's gay (and other LGBTQ) community is technically over-represented (as in there is a larger proportion of "out" LGBTQ members than at other schools). The LGBTQ community is very active on campus and is definitely NOT small in number. While they are a very important part of the Stanford community (like all other groups), I wouldn't say Stanford is actively looking for gay or otherwise non-heterosexual applicants. Simply because of its location, atmosphere, diversity, and offerings, there is a high probability that non-sexuality-based admissions policies will still bring a large number of LGBTQ students.

I do agree that it, based on your own experiences, it can show overcoming challenges, dealing with diversity in others and yourself, etc. And while they might not be actively looking for LGBTQ students, they are looking for students who are active in their community and represent diverse backgrounds.

collegegrr · January 2011

I don't think the LGBT advantage comes from randomly throwing it into your application, but showing how it has shaped you. Like other posters have said, people who have an "advantage" because of it have an advantage because it is an impactful portion of their personalities that shines through on their application. Also, OP, I find your question ridiculous--(as you probably already know), you shouldn't lie about who you are on your application. While I am not sure I like that there is an incinuation that lying on your application is good/helpful, this thread has sparked an informative debate, so I guess thanks?

Clowiebear · January 2011

I don't think so... I think it depends though who reads your app

soccerproruler6 · January 2011

I was admitted and am also a gay male. I agree with those who said that if essays are written well they can become hooks. Living as an openly gay teen can demonstrate courage and bravery, however, so can growing up with severe medical issues like cancer or living in a household environment where you are the primary caretaker of four younger siblings because your parents are never around. It all comes down to how well you can write. These are all great topics, but if not executed well, they will not help your application stand out among the other thousands of applications.

One must still take into account the stats of admitted students who are gay...they are probably just as competitive with those of non-gay students. Perhaps these people spent their summers in a third world country building homes for people that lost their previous homes due to floods/other natural disasters. Efforts such as this one would show great leadership, which is the quality that Stanford admissions, if not all admissions, values the most.

x8equalsDtilde · February 2011

im gay and was openly gay on my applications and got rejected from seven out of the thirteen schools i applied to. only two or three of them were "reach" schools

FailSafe · February 2011

Kid from my school was a flagged athlete, top numbers and ecs, is gay, but was rejected.

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