<p>Ok so I’m applying to Brown and I want to mention that I’m gay in one of my supplements. I’m only mentioning it because it is relevant to another story that I want to write about. It is definitely not the focus of my supplement but my essay doesn’t make much sense without knowing I’m gay. So my question is, will this hurt my chances of admission? Thank you!</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>Try not to make the focus of your essay too political, but I think that aside from that you’ll be fine. Good luck with your essays!</p>
<p>Thanks, I really appreciate the advice!</p>
<p>No. :)</p>
<p>Gay is the new black</p>
<p>No. My son, who is not gay but is a supporter of marriage equality, was happy to see a large rainbow flag promimently displayed from a dorm window. I think that Brown is a pretty socially liberal place.</p>
<p>My daughter wrote her common application essay about challenging her southern, conservative high school administration to have a day of silence in response to LGBT bullying. She was admitted to Brown and received a hand-written note from Brown admissions specifically acknowledging the essay and the event.</p>
<p>“Is Gay OK”? First three answers are “No”. </p>
<p>You guys had me worried there for a second until I decided to read the whole original post…</p>
<p>I would imagine there are only a relative handful of schools these days where being openly gay would affect the admissions decision. Brown is definitely not one of them, but instead would be described by most as one of the most liberal of schools in nearly all aspects.</p>
<p>Not only is it OK it’s a mini-hook to come from any minority. If that minority has been treated poorly by the majority it is even better. The problem all top private U’s have is most of the “qualified students” come from the least diverse high schools in the country…private, magnet, and elite public high schools in affluent parts of large cities. Private U’s need these well funded students but they come from nondiverse environments. So U’s need to diversify things up to. </p>
<p>haha. Gay applicants, while minority in terms of numbers – have certainly not been absent from Brown. Brown has no difficulty attracting numbers for this pool.</p>
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<p>Interesting. I would like to know your source for this statement of fact or opinion, whatever it is. Is it from the Brown Department of Admission? From a survey you have seen? Your own experience? </p>
<p>Brown would be among the most tolerant campuses. I don’t think anyone would suggest writing about your struggles with sexuality (who doesn’t?), but at this point, can’t we just say what we mean, and mention if we happened to date boys or girls or both no matter our gender?</p>
<p>I would be curious how your essay wouldn’t make sense unless somehow you add “and I’m gay” to it.</p>
<p>If you are a guy and you wrote “I had just broken up with my first boyfriend, and I was feeling sad” do you honestly think someone isn’t going to get that you’re gay? </p>
<p>I’m not sure any straight people would note “because I’m straight” for any reason, but they might mention boyfriends or girlfriends. I’m not sure why you’d need to note “because I’m gay” for any reason, just describe what you want to describe.</p>
<p>@fenwaypark Anecdote only. My Ivy was known as the “gay ivy”: Yale. But our student body was very similar to Brown’s. I’m sure Brown’s LGBT orgs and presence on campus is pretty visible. I’m sure one could research previous polls/surveys.</p>
<p>We often joked with our LGBT friends the following ditty:</p>
<p>One in four, maybe more.
one in three, maybe me.
One in two, how about you?</p>
<p>It was funny and tongue in cheek. My LGBT friends felt lots of freedom on my campus. I can imagine that Brown’s environment would even be more so.</p>
<p>Thanks for that response. I understand it was based on no direct information or sources, and no anecdote that was cited anyway.</p>
<p>Yes, Brown has a well-deserved reputation for inclusiveness and acceptance. Insofar as this reputation pertains to sexual orientation and gender identity, readers may be interested to see a description of the LBTGQ Center, which can be found here:</p>
<p><a href=“LGBTQ CENTER | LGBTQ Center”>LGBTQ CENTER | LGBTQ Center;
<p>Having said that, I do not have any information that would tend to show that Brown has “no difficulty” or more or less difficulty “attracting numbers” for the LBTGQ pool than the rest of the Ivies or other peer institutions.</p>
<p>Maybe there is someone else out there who might have information to share about this.</p>
<p>T26W4, be careful. In today’s PC world your ditty would get you in trouble for sexual harassment…haha</p>
<p>I get that the ditty is ribald but often I think both straight and LGBT said it in jest to one another – I don’t think you could recognize who was the harasser or the harassee in 99% of the time! lol</p>
<p>If you really analyze what the rhyme is saying-- it’s quite witty in some ways not so obvious!</p>