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it is just they are more conservative than other Ivy students, but not by much.
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<p>Yeah, key phrasing there is "not by much." Lol. :P</p>
<p>^ Lol, I shall never forget it.</p>
<p>Don't know if it's particularly important\relevant, but my Yale information session guy said he wrote his essay about being gay and got into Yale. (This caused quite the conversation among my very conservative Christian tour group. It was interesting to say the least.)</p>
<p>Anyway, if it really helps to define who you are, then write about it. You want your app to express who you are. But to answer your central question, I am not aware of any situation in which homosexuality would be treated like a minority group in college admissions.</p>
<p>Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe there was an article circulating on CC a while ago about Princeton looking to recruit LGBT kids. I thought it was fairly interesting because it's far less tangible than race or family legacy, and gays seem to be represented in fairly high numbers at the top (usually liberal) colleges compared to number of gays in the US at large. </p>
<p>For colleges that aren't Princeton, diversity does not equal homosexuality, but if you can write a compelling and contemplative essay that shares a lot about yourself outside your sexuality as well, I think you've made a successful essay. Now, I don't see an adcom going, "Hmm well Johnny here's gay, so one point for him," but if they see a side of you that sets you apart from other applicants you'll get a little boost. Just don't whine or focus too narrowly on discrimination, etc. Try and explore more of your character than just that one aspect with an essay.</p>
<p>And don't feel the need to apologize to the anti-gays! While everyone's ideas are certainly to be respected, you individually started your own thread without rudely confronting anyone else's established ideology.</p>
<p>For what it's worth: I know someone who wrote a long essay on being gay (involved in GSA, coming out, etc.); it was well-written, and he ended up getting into Dartmouth, Harvard, etc. (In fact, an admissions officer contacted him commending him on his essay.) It can prove to be a powerful factor in admissions if you do it right.</p>
<p>The day that top schools give an edge in admission to LGBTs just for more AA will be a sad sad day. In some circumstances however such as the last post, I don't mind it.</p>
<p>I imagine (and hope) that, as society becomes more accepting, homosexuals will face fewer and fewer challenges, thus negating the need for AA.</p>
<p>I have a gay friend who got into Berkeley with an ''I am gay essay''.</p>
<p>He was Muslim.</p>
<p>Connect the two and then you'll find out why he got in.</p>
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They say you need interesting hooks such as Perfect SAT or ACT scores, National Awards, being a URM, being a recruted athlete, legacy, very well rounded, number one in you class, ect.
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<p>Most of these aren't actually hooks at most of the sort of schools that are dream schools for the CC crowd. A lot of them also aren't very "interesting".</p>
<p>Being LBGT itself is unlikely to get you any special consideration - as far as I know, the state of being LBGT, on its own, doesn't have any weird academic-performance-impacting social psych associated with it that an admissions committee might want to accommodate, and LBGT students aren't rare at top schools (even, in some subcultures at some schools, the "T" part - I had two transgendered hallmates in four years).</p>
<p>As others have said, it is possible to write a powerful essay related to your LBGT status (though it's also possible to write a really awful one). It's possible to write a powerful essay about a lot of things, really, if you're a good writer. My U of Chicago essay was still one of the best I've written for anything, and it was about the experience of my divorced parents living in two different states in very different types of communities.</p>
<p>Quick sub-question:</p>
<p>I am a gay, closeted high schooler and have been frequenting this thread. I feel that I could write a pretty good essay about my homosexuality, and the inner struggle I've had with it: partially resulting in my rejection of the Christian faith as I turned to philosophy during my high school years. Despite being closeted, it has certainly been a struggle, and I don't necessarily want a "boost" from colleges, but I would consider writing my essay about this experience.</p>
<p>Because I'm closeted, would that be a good idea, a bad idea, neutral...etc? Opinions?</p>
<p>^ Yeah. Being in the closet in high school can be really hard. You feel like you are lying, you are always suspisious(sp?), and you never feel like your real self. I think it can make a very powerful essay if you try. Just don't make it too, "my life sucks because I am gay." That kind of essay is too cliche.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses y'all!</p>
<p>Maybe it's just me, but there's a bunch of ads for a gay fitness website with a bunch of shirtless men on this thread's webpage</p>
<p>If I go to a webpage that's remotely gay-friendly or just mentions gay, homo, etc., that RealJock add pops up, lol...</p>
<p>You can be memorable and 'diverse' without having to advertise your sexuality on your applications. I'm gay and didn't mention it once in any of my applications. It's important that you show passion and intellect in your applications, and writing about the way your sexuality influences your life is certainly an acceptable means to do that (if it actually HAS played such a large role in your life), but don't feel obligated to do so simply for the sake of projecting 'diversity.'</p>
<p>CC's ads are by google, so when a word is posted multiple times, ads relating to that word pop up.</p>
<p>^ Ha, I saw it and was like, "What happened to my thread?"</p>
<p>Just to reiterate what everyone else has been saying: if's a big part of who you are, if you've had personal/familial/whatever else struggles as a result of it that you have [tried to] overcome, if you're an active member of your GSA, etc...Sure. If you can write a good essay about it, go ahead. But that's true for anything.</p>
<p>In response to newyorka:</p>
<p>"Colleges get their share of gay students in the general pool. This may have been interesting years ago when few people were out at our age, but come on, this is 2008! You clearly don't live in NYC or CA!!</p>
<p>And I totally disagree with the above post that any of those things would make it a hook. There's a G/S alliance at every HS in the Country! I define hook way differently."</p>
<p>Well, it appears that "2008!" hasn't hit all areas of the country. I live in Texas and LGBT's are still very heavily discriminated against. My high school does not have a Gay-Straight Alliance, and I doubt the administration would ever allow one. </p>
<p>And I live in a fairly liberal part of Texas too.... the only place where LGBT MIGHT become acceptable is in Austin.</p>
<p>B
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