Mentioning I'm LGBT in apps
HBS and a lot of other schools strongly encourage LGBT students to be out in the applications. While some insist that it doesn't influence admission decisions, all of the top schools actively recruit LGBT candidates. From the HBS site:
"If you have volunteered at LGBT-focused organizations or served on LGBT-related committees or boards, for instance, it is probably to your benefit to include these in your application, in the same way that all applicants discuss their involvement in various business and non-profit organizations. These activities and leadership positions demonstrate your passion and your abilities and help distinguish you from other applicants. To leave out these important experiences could hurt your application. Moreover, it is perfectly appropriate - and, again, probably advisable - for essays to reflect who you are as a whole person, including your sexuality and gender identity/expression, if you choose to do so."
I'm gay, and an admissions consultant has strongly encouraged that I mention this in my applications. It's what schools are asking for, and I have no problem being open about it. But unlike a lot of LGBT candidates, sexuality isn't the focus of my essays, and there are no LGBT organizations on my resume. So how should I mention that I'm gay in my application? If I got in touch with the LGBT outreach groups on campus, would they let admissions know about my involvement? Or would I have to mention is specifically in my essays?
won't really do shit many have tried; you are not the first to have this idea
feel free to milk ur privilege as much as possible though
i did not say it did not matter i was alluding to the fact that it will not be statistically significant
the idea of talking about your under represented status is not a new one- blacks, hispanics, native americans, gays, veterans, disabled people... they've all been doing it for the past 30 or so years
they likely ask you so that they can get a final quote for their brochure "42.7% oF oUr StUdEnts ArE pPl oF cOloR anD 19.1% aRe GAY", but i don't think it will help you in a meaningful way
it is up to you- if you don't have anything super meaningful to write about in the essay, go ahead and focus on it. but if you do, writing about your sexual orientation might have a large opportunity cost in the form of something that the adcom may like more
if I were you, I'd incorporate your sexual orientation into your essay, I don't see a way to incorporate it otherwise without it being forced.
The problem is that most of my schools' essay questions ask about demonstrated leadership, impact or career goals. Only one of my school asks for the "greatest obstacle," and I'm not sure sexual orientation is the best focus. It just doesn't fit in.
As I recall, most schools have a "Do you identify as LGBT?" question in the application, so it's easy to let the adcom know without working it into your essays if you don't want to go that route.
That's a tough call. If they blatantly ask for it in the app, I would acknowledge it. However, choosing to focus your essay around it sort of diminishes whatever you have actually accomplished/experienced. I appreciate the fact that you aren't trying to "milk it" as a URM.
Nothing to add, just curious to see the responses, as this is an interesting dilemma between what you think they want and what you want to write about.
(also, surprising kudos to WSO members for exceeding my expectations of professionalism on WSO message boards; my expectations are pretty damn low, so it's not a major compliment, but still...)
Some schools have LGBT specific open houses or presentations. Go to them - the info is tracked.
Just reach out to the LGBT groups on campus. They usually have an officer in the leadership dedicated to applicants (vs. first-years or second years)--these people will often let admissions know if there are promising candidates..
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Is that some sort of gay (or more likely lesbian) dating service?
If there was a big round red button on the application alowing the Admissions Officers to access that info they still wouldn't press it. They have a pile of applications to go through. The search for barely relevant information that is not already in the application will never happen.
Do you feel that you've overcome adversity by being LGBT? If that is the case it's probably in your best interest to incorporate it somehow into your essay, you can build a very powerful narrative. In order to have a diverse student body universities are allowed to screen based on race, it stands to reason they also do the same with regards to LGBT.
You don't need to necessarily write down your coming out story, but you should take advantage of the LGBT events they host (might even get paid for the trip). Also get in touch w the club so you can talk with current students about life there, and mention how you plan to be involved with the club while on school. Should also be mentioned during the interview. This can actually be a good storyline. E.g. I was never very active with the community events but after finding out how involved the club is I think this where I want to be, etc.
You would absolutely be at an advantage. Anyone claiming otherwise is clueless.
If you're a solid but plain vanilla candidate (top UG, banking, PE) you've got a 50 / 50 shot at getting in so long as you don't fuck anything up. You throw a littler buggery in there and you're (IMHO) a lock.
I'm sympathetic to LGBT, so I'd probably give you 1 bonus point out of a total of 50 on your resume.
If you queened through the interview, I'd probably give you -5 for cultural fit - not because I worked in a LGBT-unfriendly office, but because you've demonstrated that being true to a cliche is more important to you than showing willingness to adapt your personality to a workplace. The stereotype of a queen is a stereotype, but unfortunately one that does exert some gravity in the community.
Most likely benefit is that it gets your resume passed through by HR who need to tick the "diversity" box.
Downside is the people who then review the resumes for interns/grads/laterals for their teams are largely unreconstructed males who don't give a shit about diversity and are the sort of people who post threads in Monkey Around about poverty/lack of education/sexual preference/growing up with the right vales all being a conscious choice.
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I don't think it can hurt to share any organizations you've been a part of. That said, I have a personal view that the 'T's in LGBT are treated/viewed very differently than LGB, so if you're a T, you might want to consider staying closeted... I suspect this depends on the school/job/program though.
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