<p>CHARLOTTE, NC, March 12, 2008 - What do Princeton University, Emory University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California and University of Utah have in common? Well, they all want to recruit out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and are a few of the colleges to be in attendance at the upcoming Campus Pride College Admission Fair on Friday, April 11 in San Diego, California.</p>
<p>Finally, colleges are coming out of the closet and being visible in the recruitment process to seek LGBT students. Even the nations top colleges realize that being LGBT-friendly is not only in the best interest of enrolment figures but also a necessity to prepare for a smaller, more diverse student population in the future, said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit for LGBT students and campus groups and author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students.</p>
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<p>For more information on LGBT students at Princeton see:</p>
<p>And we'll also probably start reading "oh, s/he got in because s/he's GAY" instead of "s/he got in because s/he's an URM"
or
start seeing threads like "should I lie that I'm gay?" or "I'm a gay URM, what are my chances?" on CC :D</p>
<p>but people have to realize, lying about being gay won't get you in. it's how you affect your community, participate in your gsa, and overcome diversity issues and ignorance. that shows character strength, and that's what college is looking for.</p>
<p>I don't see why they have to go out and recruit these people. I mean, if you are gay, then you are gay. There is nothing wrong with that and it is a personal preference, but to get special preference or to claim "underrepresentation" at an university is absurd. The next thing you know universities will be recruiting people who like bananas. Who knows, maybe they are minorities at Princeton too.</p>
<p>That's right, because people who like bananas are discriminated.</p>
<p>Ugh, I hate these gay people!! Totally not fair to be recruited!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean wow, they have no problems at all being accepted by society! Wow, this is unfair!</p>
<p>i wouldnt say "no problems" being accepted by society. personally, yes i have not faced any problems, but i wouldnt say thats necessarily the norm</p>
<p>and they want to diversify their campus and make it appear more inviting and friendly towards the gay community. for gay students, a HUGE factor in deciding college is whether or not its an accepting environment. princeton and all peer institutions are constantly seeking the best students out there. If they feel that they may attract more excellent students by creating more accepting atmosphere, then in my opinion that is their prerogative.</p>
<p>I'm not really sure if this is an AA type thing. Will LGBT applicants actually receive any preferences in admissions, or are these schools just trying to make a statement their they are accepting places?</p>
<p>The recruitment of students from the LGBT community likely will not result in AA. Rather, the strategy is to reach out to students who may be under the impression that they will feel marginalized in the environment of that college or university. The goal is to knock down barriers by illustrating an inviting, accepting, diverse student body. It seems that these recruitment programs are devoted to cultivating an even broader body of applicants. </p>
<p>AA is mainly rooted in the idea that certain races do not have equal access to resources/opportunities that relate to achieving the same as their <em>generally</em> wealthier, more privileged, white peers. In the case of college admissions, this tends to relate to socio-economic status (some kids are privately tutored for SAT's, some can't afford a prep book), the strength of the public schools in a particular region (some schools offer AP's in every subject, some schools can't even graduate a large portion of the class), and family circumstances (some kids participate in tons of EC's and fancy summer programs, some kids have to go home and help the family and work). The sexual orientation of a student does not reflect the resources available to him or her, and thus, I do not see how AA would apply. Personal hardship, difficulty fitting the mold of society, etc. are facts of life that exist for some more than others and may lend to a good essay topic that shows a lot of character, but it is not something exclusive to the LGBT community. </p>
<p>I find this very interesting. Ironically, my boyfriend joked last year about making a conscious effort to make his list of interests and favorite books "appear gay" on his application for Columbia. He's as straight as they come, but thought that playing this "angle" would work ... luckily, karma plays it's course and he was wait-listed at that particular school.</p>