<p>i really didn't know where to put this thread so i was wondering does being gay effect your ability to get into columbia or any other ivy for that matter?
thanks</p>
<p>how would they know you're gay?</p>
<p>i'm not but a friend of mine's essay topic talks about it so obviously admissions would read that essay</p>
<p>It doesn't "effect" your chances, but it might have an effect on your chances.</p>
<p>Not knowing the difference between affect and effect would affect your chances, certainly. (beaten to the punch by C02)</p>
<p>There is a strong LGBT community at columbia, although (of course) it's nothing like the raging inferno at NYU. I doubt admissions officers care one way or the other. But the tone in which it is referred to in the essay is crucial, there are good ways to use it to frame a discussion and bad ways. Definitely avoid sounding like it's a handicap or such a severe disadvantage. Stay positive in your tone.</p>
<p>like as in how a person discovered that they were gay and how it makes them happier in that kinda way, would it make the app stand out in a good or bad light, like my friend's chinese and he's gay and that is like breaking all the rules of chinese society/traditionl, if his family knew they would disown him</p>
<p>The coming out essay topic is so overdone. You're not going to stand out with this sort of essay.</p>
<p>wow that's cynical, this is about a person's life, i can't believe this board sometimes, hehe, maybe i should just tell him to forget about the whole getting into an ivy thing</p>
<p>Don't tell someone that.. if its your dream to enter an ivy league then do it.. who cares what your sexual preference is. Apply if you want it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
wow that's cynical, this is about a person's life,
[/quote]
</p>
<p>There are plenty of essay topics that are about a person's life that are hackneyed and best to be avoided.</p>
<p>
[quote]
maybe i should just tell him to forget about the whole getting into an ivy thing
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't get your logic here. What does my eschewing of your essay topic have to with forgetting the whole ivy thning?</p>
<p>agreed. ace and yale are overreacting.</p>
<p>look, there are polished, deep and meaningful ways to present even the most cliched essay subject - but your odds are much lower. Creativity from the start is the best plan.</p>
<p>I didn't write my essay about my being gay, but I did mention it in my description of an extracurricular (my involvement in my school's SGA and local AIDS/gay rights groups). While no one on admissions would ever admit this, I'm sure it differentiated me from all the other overachieving white guys who applied (maybe not that much, but a little). Even though a lot of gay and lesbian students apply to Columbia, the numbers are nowhere near those at NYU, and a well-written essay about coming out definitely won't hurt you (I've spoken to a friend who's an admissions officer at Brown, and it's not as overdone as you might think). </p>
<p>While Columbia admissions has been known to respond favorably to "identity" essays (just ask current students), writing about being gay will not make your application stand out much unless you are articulate and creative about it.</p>
<p>Well, no one is required to indicate his or her sexuality on the apps-_-</p>
<p>uh this is the dumbest question i have ever seen. unless you're applying to a conservative/religious college, ie Liberty or Biola, being gay won't affect your chances at all.</p>
<p>
[quote]
uh this is the dumbest question i have ever seen. unless you're applying to a conservative/religious college, ie Liberty or Biola, being gay won't affect your chances at all.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This is quite a horrible response. The issue here, which pretty much everyone else has identified, is whether it helps!</p>
<p>actually, i'm pretty sure my answer deals with that: "WON'T AFFECT YOUR CHANCES AT ALL"</p>
<p>being gay is no more helpful than being straight... your individual character is what determines "diversity." ie, if someone just happens to be gay but doesn't necessarily identify with any sort of gay community or participate in any gay culture, than i doubt that that person is any different from a similar straight person... again, this whole discussion is pretty silly. </p>
<p>why do you need confirmation from an external group of people as to whether or not your sexuality will help you get into college? it really comes down to your personal experiences and if you think that is a valuable part of who you are. if it is, go for it. </p>
<p>also, it seems a little weird to me that you would even want to know if it would hurt your admissions chances--since colleges that wouldn't like it are presumable not going to be gay-friendly in the first place...</p>
<p>i dont think being "gay" qualifies you as being "black" in the same sense. That siad, a compelling story about rising from prejudice would work really well as an essay choice</p>
<p>Also to the person who said quote "there is a raging inferno of LGBT pride at NYU," please, what the hell were you expecting? UofChic/BU/Emerson/Any-major city-school-not-in-the-south have the same gay populations</p>
<p>It will not affect your chances in any way whatsoever. Neither negatively nor positively. Absolutely not. No.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Also to the person who said quote "there is a raging inferno of LGBT pride at NYU," please, what the hell were you expecting? UofChic/BU/Emerson/Any-major city-school-not-in-the-south have the same gay populations
[/quote]
hey Einstein,</p>
<p>I was comparing Columbia's queer presence on campus to that at a school more known for it, such as NYU. This is, after all, a Columbia board. I wasn't "expecting" anything, I was making a comparison between two things not obviously highly distinct. Try to keep up before you start making disparaging remarks.</p>
<p>ok new question, I am not gay but I have a question...</p>
<p>will doing a coming out essay for Sarah Lawrence College garuantee your acceptance?</p>