When applying to schools, would being LGBT (specifically gay) impact an application negatively or positively.
Essentially, I’m asking whether it would be a bad idea to write about this part about me has impacted me and formed me into the person I am today. Is that a substantial essay topic, or does it look like a desperate plead by playing the victim card?
I don’t think it’d be bad as long as you show how it made you into who you are today (which sounds like it is already your plan)
I did hear that the “your parent not knowing your sexuality” essay is an essay admission officers read a lot so just beware and make your essay unique
Being LGBT will have no impact on your college application in and of itself. But definitely don’t write an essay about it where you come off as a victim. If you choose to disclose/write about it be sure it is in the context of your personal growth etc.
BUT I have seen on another post that you are a freshman in HS. Why on earth are you thinking about this now. It is good to take school seriously and know that college will be on your horizon, but it is too early to start planning for what will go on your college application. I would highly recommend that you get off of CC until your junior year.
For now your time would be spent more productively on the following:
–Working hard, learning, and doing as well as you can in the most challenging curriculum you can manage.
–When the time comes study for standardized tests.
–Getting involved in activities you care about and work towards making meaningful contributions to those activities.
–Enjoying spending time with your family and friends.
@happy1 Thank you. I understand that even if I were an admissions officer, it’d be highly annoying to read an essay about a member of the LGBT community complaining about their past, saying they’ve been through a lot, blah blah blah. My main goal is to explain not that I know that life is hard because I’m gay (I think that’s stupid) it is to show how that particular trait in it of itself has shaped me and created me into the person I am today (or in 3 years for that matter), as colleges want to get to know who you are and what you can bring to their student body.
However, I know that things change, and you never know where you might be in 3 years, hell even 1 these days, but in my opinion (although quite biased, as I am a freshman) it’s never too early to start anything. Sure you could refute my argument with some random examples, but I think you understand the main objective. Why is preparing for college and gathering information early viewed as a bad thing? I know that some can view it as an unnecessary and negative stressor, but for me it’s a motivator and at worst a huge hub of useful information to keep in my head as I navigate through high school, slowly crawling closer to the promotion into university. I feel that getting as much information as possible and preparing early provides an advantage for myself, and I don’t see why anyone in high school should be discriminated from the forum.
Look, you do whatever works for you. All I can say is that time is a person’s most limited and most precious resource. How you spend it is important. IMO as a HS freshman your time would be better spent as I noted in my post above – on your academics, immersing yourself in activities at your school and in your community in a meaningful way, and socially with friends and family. If you think the best use of your time at this point in your life is to research colleges on CC then that certainly is your prerogative. I just don’t think it will do much of anything to help your meet your ultimate goals.
Recognize also that posters on CC volunteer their time to help people through the college application process. Ask for advice on this site judiciously You don’t want people to be tired of your questions three years from now when the answers will matter most.
An often recommended book on this site is “How to be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport which you may want to read.
It’s as simple as this. You don’t want to be another gay story. About 5% of America is gay/lesbian. Imagine when you are applying to college and there are about 30,000 application being sent. That means that 1,500 people applying will be gay. There will literally be thousands people with the same story as you applying to the same college. You want an essay that’s going to be uniquely you. No, it won’t hurt you write about your story or being gay, but it’s certainly not going to do it’s job distinguishing you from the thousand of people with that same background.
Be more than your sexual orientation. Don’t let that be your defining feature. Find something truly unique.
No impact. Very common
@gearmom @ConcernedRabbit @happy1 Thank you for all the advice! I will note it and definitely remember this when creating my application in the future. Your time is much appreciated 
and happy1, I’ll be sure to check out that book.
Good luck @NathanRubin10 !
Nick, it really is too early. Trust me that ANY essay you start today will be too immature for your college applications. Start thinking about it spring of junior year.
@intparent Nick? (lol) I don’t intend to start writing my essay, as I don’t even have the prompts yet, and I understand it would be counterproductive to start writing them before I develop better cohesion and understanding of good writing throughout my high school career. However, I mean that I don’t believe it’s premature to just be on the forum in a general context and gathering information about college is a beneficial thing for people, regardless of being in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.
Sorry. Nathan. (And if that is your real name, it isn’t such a great idea on a “Confidential” forum). But maybe it isn’t.
@intparent dont worry, it isn’t. lol. I wish my name was nathan.
See, maybe you really are Nick!
@intparent nope, haha!
“would being LGBT (specifically gay) impact an application negatively or positively.”
At this point in time I really don’t think that admissions officers will care one way or the other.
“I am a freshman”
Keep ahead in your classes. Keep your grades up. Participate in ECs that you care about. Stay off CC for two years and start thinking about all of this two years from now. When the time does come to think about universities, mostly ignore rankings and look for schools that are a good fit for you.
Also, when you do return to CC in two years, use a screen name that doesn’t include your real name.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Let’s move on from trying to guess the user’s real first name, please.
One thing I would like to add to the conversation, and it appears that “Nathan” has already considered it: you want to avoid any trite “Coming out it difficult” or being a gay teen has challenges" essay. Not saying that’s it’s difficult for any teen to be “different” in any generation, but an older LGBTIA AO who reads such an essay will immediately roll his/her eyes and say; “Child, let me teach you about Stonewall (or Matthew Shepard or pick another example) and then you can better appreciate how difficult it was.”
@ I think what many here are saying is that while this topic may be intensely important to you now in 9th grade, by 12th grade, 3 years from now, it may seem a bit… jejune. As a parent, I can tell you with 100% certainty, that the person you are today is NOT the person you will be as as a senior.
Go ahead and write the essay now (you might find it cathartic), tuck it away; go back and read it every year. Or start a list/journal/notebook of potential essay topics with a with a few corresponding key ideas to use as a reference point in the future. I think you will find, after reading it each year, you will have grown and that essay topic no longer sums you up as a whole person. In fact, as you mature, you may even find it to be rather trite.
You seemed quick to dismiss Happy1’s advice, when indeed it was spot on. Get off of CC for now, go live your life, see, do, get involved, immerse yourself in all the opportunities available to you. You will undoubtedly find, 3 years from now, that you have so much more to write about.