<p>in my essay, i have the chance to let duke know tht im gay. basically the essay im writing, i could either mention that im gay or not it wont matter much…but what i want to know is that if being gay might potentially harm my application?</p>
<p>people usually say that it helps, which i dont really believe but is there any way it might harm my app?</p>
<p>when reading about the LGBT community at Duke i have come across a lot of conflicting views. some say it’s good some disagree…</p>
<p>sooo should i let them know? or am i better off without it?</p>
<p>Do it if it fits into your essay and if it makes sense! Don’t do it if you’re mentioning it just to mention it. AOs can tell; however, I cannot ever imagine it hurting your application (really, I can’t imagine it helping your application either).</p>
<p>If your sexuality is an integral part of your identity, and you can’t tell the story of your identity without it, it would be appropriate to identify. If you have become involved in advocacy for LGBT causes, it would be appropriate to mention. But if you’re doing it because you hope to score some kind of points as a drop-in, please don’t do it.</p>
<p>(And please use capital letters. And punctuation.)</p>
<p>if i do decide to add it, it will definitely fit in and make sense. but then again, if i do decide to omit it, it’s absence wont affect the story much. the essay has nothing to do about my sexuality.</p>
<p>Just as with other aspects of your life, if being gay doesn’t enhance your essay it shouldn’t be in there. If you have any reservations about mentioning it in your essay you should go with your gut instinct and leave it out.</p>
<p>For the same reason that straight people do, presumably. “There I sat with my boyfriend” is a pretty innocuous comment for a young woman to include in her essay. Why should a young man feel obligated to edit it out?</p>
<p>Straight people make gratuitous references to their sexuality so often that it doesn’t even register most of the time. Disclosing that you’re gay doesn’t mean tossing in a random sentence about what sex acts you prefer; it means not consciously editing out all those casual references.</p>
<p>If it’s a comment like that, and it’s the only time you mention it, I doubt it will do anything to your application. AOs read applictions pretty quickly, and they’re more likely to care about the story of your application than your sexuality, especially if it’s not central to any part of your application.</p>
<p>Put <em>you</em> in the essay. Don’t build a facade - either to hide behind or to promote a false impression. I have the good fortune to know several of the folks who end up doing the reads, and what I know for sure is that they are all looking for The Genuine in what they read to build an awesome tapestry of people for each incoming class. </p>
<p>As an aside to all this, I am an ally of and faculty advisor for the undergraduate sexual and gender diversity student group on campus, Blue Devils United. If you’d like more information about campus from the angle, or would like to get in touch with any of the students who lead that group, or would like to talk to some of the staff from the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, just let me know!</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the Duke (or any other forward-thinking school’s) adcom won’t care one way or the other if you’re gay or straight; that fact won’t hurt or help. The essay is important!</p>
<p>I agree with those saying to make sure it fits in your essay. Don’t throw it in just to throw it in; however if it fits, and doesn’t detract from the flow of the essay, definitely don’t take it out. It’s a part of you, and after all the essay is supposed to be a snapshot of you.</p>