For some of the schools I’m applying to (Brown, Umich, etc.) they have supplements about diversity and I wanted to write about when I saw someone in my conservative town wearing some pride bracelets- is this a good idea if I don’t have any LGBT clubs on my applications (like gsa etc)? I’m really passionate about lgbt activism and whatnot but my high school has been weird about lgbt clubs so it’s impossible to find out when they’re actually running (I’d mention this a bit in my essay). Also, I wasn’t out to my parents for most of hs so I never did any lgbt related community service.
I thought it was a cool topic because I think I’ll be able to write a really good essay on it (even if it is cliche lmao) but now I’m not sure if I should.
Well, considering your username is desi"lesbian" I’m going to assume it’s a major part of who you are. I think it’s fine for a supplemental essay, I would just stay away from making it the main essay. You don’t want to be seen as just an LGBT story.
I dont have any LGBT ec’s but i talked about me being gay in an essay for MIT. It all depends on what you think the college should know about you. Good luck!
I’m not sure I would write about being gay if that’s the whole point of the essay-- no more than I would write about being a middle child or a redhead or short. All of those are things that are part of you because of the way you were born- simply part of who you are.
But if you want to write about any of those things in terms of how you’ve grown or how they’ve forced you to come out of your shell or to advocate for yourself or others-- if they show that you’ve made some positive choices-- then I think they’re all valid essay topics.
I wouldn’t sweat the cliche thing. Write a solid essay that shows them who you are and why they want you on their campus, and don’t worry about the other essays they’re reading.
Agreed. As a topic, it’s far from unique. I’m not saying to avoid it but it’s been done before (as just have most topics at this point). You want to show the colleges what makes you you.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but OP isn’t talking about the CommonApp essay. She’s talking about supplements like this one:
“We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you.”
I’m just saying that it’s the quality of the essay that matters. The OP does not seem to be concerned about cliched essays, which is fine that she realizes that the topic is not unique (nor is growing up black in Prague, white in Qingdao, etc) so she has to make it more than just about the topic.
As for not having any LGBTQIA EC’s while writing about the topic - it’s fine.
@PetraMC She can certainly write about it. Of course anything well written is good. But it is not going to give you an advantage I don’t think. You could write about being redhead and having freckles too. I just think it’s a little bit common. If you were an active part of a community, I just think it would be more interesting. A bellydance troupe which raises money for women’s health causes for example would seem more interesting than I was just born this way IMO.
@desilesbian - I agree with all the good advice posted above, and that you should not hesitate to write about your experiences growing up lesbian in a conservative town if you think that experience has significantly shaped you. But your statement that “my high school has been weird about lgbt clubs so it’s impossible to find out when they’re actually running” seems strange for someone who is “passionate about lgbt activism.” If there is an active GSA Club at your school and you haven’t participated in it, perhaps because it would make your parents very upset, then that is something you could write about in an essay, if the schools you are applying to are attractive in part because their LGBT communities are strong and completely integrated into the student culture/community of those campuses. In general, however, the strongest applications will be ones that present a consistent, coherent, and authentic narrative about who you are as reflected in your choice of classes, extracurricular activities, and community service work. Best of luck!
If you don’t have any lgbt extra curriculars (which is fine), then definitely write about being gay and coming out in the context of the challenges you faced, what you have learned through the process, how it has changed you, and how you plan on applying that perspective to your studies and career.
That’s not how I was planning to write about it, I was going to focus on why that situation made me realize how important diversity is/being able to see yourself in others is