<p>ryanxing: read my above post</p>
<p>I wouldnt just throw it in unless you plan on elaborating though. Like, if you mention coming out add on a few details just to make it more personal.</p>
<p>“He felt he was adding to the diversity of a university.”</p>
<p>As what, a gay Indian, a lying gay Indian, or just a liar. The only one that seems unequivocally true is door number three. Hell of a guy.</p>
<p>[Princeton</a> University | Fiona Miller ’09](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/admission/whatsdistinctive/studentprofiles/miller_fiona_09/]Princeton”>http://www.princeton.edu/admission/whatsdistinctive/studentprofiles/miller_fiona_09/)</p>
<p>Clicky.</p>
<p>“This is really interesting actually. My Indian friend decided to pretend he was gay and faked an essay on how he was coping, etc (It was really well written). After you can’t really disprove he’s gay, so its a lie you can’t bust.
His reasoning was “How many gay Indians have you seen?” Its really true, to this day, I’ve never met one. He felt he was adding to the diversity of a university.”</p>
<p>I suspect that he’s a closeted gay.</p>
<p>I second Northstarmom.
Ha.</p>
<p>
I do not think many schools will have it an influence of admission due to an example above about StarScream Indian friend.</p>
<p>Hahah Northstarmom speaks the truth!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>PICK ME! Weird thing is, I actually thought I was the only gay Indian atheist going to my school (class of about 1000). Then I met a guy on FB who likes the movie Milk - I suspect I’m not so unique after all. :</p>
<p>Unfortunately most of the colleges that might value “gay diversity” probably have enough gays already. For example, I don’t think identifying as gay in the admissions process at Swarthmore is going to help you much. In fact it might even work against you - too many gays there already.</p>
<p>Be very, very, very careful. You don’t want to come off as using it as a crux. My friend used it in his essay, but you have to have a reason why you are talking about it.</p>
<p>NSM, my “straight” Indian roomate says there’s no gay in India. But I think this 25-yo virgin is a closeted gay.</p>
<p>^LOL
I can’t believe some of the answers on this thread saying No.
It is very often that gays go through harsh discrimination at their schools, and as bad as this is…it makes for an awesome essay topic…that is if the OP has been discriminated. You don’t wana lie or sound cliche. BUt if you have a concrete memory of harsh discrimination you experienced then go for it.
But as for the URM…it depends on who is reading your app (their political view on gays) and their empathy with the topic</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Why? Unless the OP has done something remarkable regarding gay rights as an EC, the only way being gay in and of itself would be a boost were if gays were URMs. At most top universities, where the student body tends to veer left of center, it does not offer diversity.</p>
<p>If you define underrepresented minority as a minority group that is a larger percent of the general US population but a smaller percent of the university’s population, then homosexual orientation is (most likely) a very overrepresented minority. What I am saying is that the homosexual % of population at the university is greater than the homosexual % of the US population (and most likely to a great extent). </p>
<p>I’m not saying that homosexuals do not gain an advantage in the admissions process or that it doesn’t make for a compelling essay topic, but I am saying that homosexuals are the opposite of an underrepresented minority. I would also like to add that I find it very ironic that the same people who complain about treated differently because of their sexual orientation have no problem being treated differently because of their sexual orientation if it results in their benefit. (I suppose this also applies to the affirmative action posts that come up everyday asking “I’m x race, do I benefit from affirmative action?”)</p>
<p>
I’m gay and I agree with this, but only to the extent that sexuality is not an issue in that person’s life (i.e. everyone around is very accepting). For someone like me (I have not come out to my family), whose mom openly criticizes gays as unnatural and both my parents have very traditional views on marriage and children (I have a fair chance of being disowned if I come out now), there are definitely more hardships to life. In other words, I support sexual orientation consideration only if there’s discrimination involved the applicant’s life; I certainly don’t want other LGBT people to have a boost if their orientation have little negative impact on their lives. This is why I oppose affirmative action; its very definition does not involve individual evaluation. Rather, it sees race collectively. Minority applicants should only get a boost if the individual have experienced severe cases of racism.</p>
<p>I’ve been curious for a while: how come LGBT are so over-represented in college? I would imagine the hardships for all those who experienced discrimination or those who hasn’t come out yet (and thus experience psychological effects) would have less impressive stats and ECs than straight applicants.</p>
<p>Well I don’t agree with you that affirmative action has anything to do with an applicant’s discrimination in life but that is another argument entirely.</p>
<p>The reason I think LGBT are over-represented in college is because college is generally more liberal than the rest of America therefore it is more inviting to this group of people. I also have heard that gays are more likely to be more wealthy than the average American so that my factor in as well. But, this is all purely speculation.</p>
<p>“I also have heard that gays are more likely to be more wealthy than the average American so that my factor in as well. But, this is all purely speculation.”</p>
<p>This probably isn’t true of most gays applying to college since most probably have straight parents.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if gays are more likely to be wealthy than the average American. On average, I feel that wealthy people would be more accepting of gays than the working class. They’re just underrepresented in the poorer classes.</p>
<p>Also: I’m gay and only one of my parents is straight.</p>
<p>Does that per chance give me some sort of scholarship advantage? (;</p>
<p>^ So the gay gene has been passed down! 
jk</p>
<p>I disagree that the rich are likely to produce gays. I just don’t see a correlation between sexuality and wealth. >_></p>