A “C” will hurt - we just don’t know at how many places.
I would suggest to have your Child’s counselor make a mention of the same in their LORs and give more context to your unique situation and why the grade was a C.
As others have mentioned, include an explanation in the Common App as well.
Take a shot at applying to BS/MDs and Ivies with an open perspective that a “C” has created some hurdles that you may or may not overcome.
Those who play DEI game are having better results but we refused to do that for application sake. Whatever ECs DS did you see too match interests and didn’t get interview at couple of schools I thought he would get.
hello @anban2024 - In which state does your kid attend high school? Is it New Jersey (this is where there are many health oriented specialized high schools per my knowledge).
Also, are you an ORM? There are too many ORMs applying.
Also, what is your kid’s rank at the end of their junior year in high school? Should be ok, if they are in top 3-5%
Programs in northeast states tend to be over-saturated with kids who have 4.0 GPA and 1600 SAT in addition to excellent ECs and awards. So, choose other geographies as well.
Finally, please apply broadly to a diverse set of colleges and programs such as apply to atleast a few T20 colleges, T30-60, T60-100 ranked colleges as well in 2-3:2-3:2-3 ratio. Also, when applying to BSMD, apply to atleast 12 BSMD programs. SO, a total of 18 colleges should be good.
All the best to your child. Wish them a successful application cycle.
Another trend I am seeing is “coming out” as a LGBTQ+.
Someone shared a stat with me: ~7% of students admitted to Ivies identified as LGBTQ+.
Read an article yesterday which says 40% of Brown kids are Identifying themselves as LGBTQ+.
WoW!
BTW - Brown is the most woke university out there.
This is also part of DEI. I think it’s the way the whole society is leaning, not so much for college app. The younger generations seem more free to come out. I think they feel accepted by the society and peers in general and want to be true to themselves. I wonder if most older people still in positions of power really accept the LGBTQ+ as the laws state they should. If these people who are still in control of admission, hiring, etc only sell lip-service, then the LGBTQ+ group is still at a disadvantage.
I wouldnt bet on free to come out as the reason. Historically the numbers have remained the same except some were more closeted. 40% is definitely no where real and people are either using it for clout or admissions since it does not cost them to claim to be part of a minority being given preference. When it hits 40% though they lose their status completely.
Admissions deans are more about optics and will be proud to show their demographics.
I know quite a few med schools where the 25% - 40% of their MS1 and MS2 class identify as LGBTQ+
Sounds like they are gaming the system.
You missed the operative words:
Sounds like they are trying to game the system. If that’s what they’re doing.
While colleges often talk about diversity, I am unaware of any campus mentioned on this thread where the LGBTQ population is underrepresented compared to their surrounding community.
I don’t think that the vehicle you heard rumbling by was a turnip truck from which all admissions officers fell.
People are trying different things to get a leg up - it seems LGBTQ+ adds one more “favorable” factor among many.
I appreciate your responses. My child doesn’t identify as LGBTQ+. Does belong to an ORM though. I am responding to your comments in the thread.
@skieurope How do the admission officers validate anyone’s claim of what they are since per the new rules, anyone make a claim to be whatever they want to be? I understand it is not just gender but also race. I have seen people advise everyone to claim to be an URM LGBTQ person to get favorable treatment.
As an Ivy graduate, do you believe the numbers given out by Brown in the recent survey? I can’t imagine their admittees being that different from other Ivies.
Only C+ in the transcript. 3.8 / 4.2 GPA. Not offering excuses, but a couple of factors contributed to the bad grade. The teacher is one of those persons who finds thrills to give Cs and Ds to students to compensate for the frustrations and failures in her life. She has a reputation of writing bad LORs. Unfortunately, the course also clashed with Swim season, C had to leave for swim meets, missing part of the classes without any make - up. The school refused to move to a different schedule. Anyways, we have to play the cards that have been dealt.
@Vicky2019 - Yes, belongs to ORM++ 
Appreciate the advise. Going through past discussion forums INMHO Pre-Med route to Medical School is very good. Gives the student an opportunity to confirm their love for the profession before being committed.
My point was that anyone thinking that LGBTQ is an advantage in admissions is sorely mistaken. My further hope is that anyone falsely claiming such status has an AO who really is LGBTQ who will roll their eyes and think, “Honey, let me tell you what growing up as an LGBTQ youth is really like, because your claim is beyond offensive.”
What students think will be important/ differentiating for admissions often has a follow-up of “Yeah, and…” from admissions. “I’m gay” by itself is meaningless. “Yeah, and I worked with The Trevor Project to assist at-risk LGBTQ youth” is more meaningful. “I self-study Russian.” Who cares? "Yeah, and I work with refugees displaced from the Russo-Ukrainian War is more interesting
As far as the Brown survey, I fault the reporters, including The Brown Herald, for incorrectly spinning the narrative by lumping categories like “asexual” and “unsure” in with LGBTQ. Regardless, I am unsurprised by the fact that a university that markets itself as quirky, would attract LGBTQ students. Nor am I surprised that students at Brown (and its peers) would exhibit some fluidity in their youth; it’s hardly a novel concept.
Let’s not focus on Brown though, since that thread was shut down by another moderator.
@skieurope Glad to see your feedback on the question. Havent been reading any other college threads outside of premed so I am woefully underinformed what others are saying about the quirky school.
We are not trying to be political here, only trying to understand if there are perceived advantages to declaring to be anything in combined and medical school admissions. It is very unclear at this time what the medical schools are doing when someone claims to be part of this group but some schools are stating percentages in their stats as @Park1212 mentioned.
Our interest here is only tied to PLME as opposed to Brown as a whole.
I totally agree! It’s not possible for a student with LGBTQ status to get a leg up based on only that criteria, since admissions committees are very thorough!