A few schools I’m applying to (among these, Case Western and OSU) have option questions about the applicant’s gender identity/sexual orientation. I’m gay, but closeted to my parents. Should I answer questions about sexual orientation honestly? As far as you guys know, will the college send me letters/brochures/etc indicating the sexual orientation I selected on the app?
I have no idea how these schools use info about orientation, so I want to be honest in case it’s important, but I also don’t want to inadvertently out myself. Thanks in advance
You can just leave it blank if you want to be extra careful. However, I really don’t think it can hurt you. The school is very very unlikely to be contacting your parents (or even you) about your sexuality and if they do, it will probably just be in the form of a brochure that advertises how accepting the school is. I’m not sure why so many colleges seem to ask this question. It seems quite odd to me. Maybe they’re trying to create more diversity? I don’t know. On my Macalester supp (they ask the same optional question about “identity or orientation”) I briefly mentioned being pansexual but then I talked about the other things I identify as (poet, artist, friend, student, etc) and how the school would have more to gain from my enthusiasm and my community involvement than from something as arbitrary as my sexuality. Good luck!
