c/o 2019 LGBTQ Applicants (2015-2016) Forum

[gobears!!]

Post removed.

[Troianii]

Just out of curiosity, does LGBTQ status affect admission chances? I assume there is some impact, but fairly small, and this is mostly just out of curiosity. Not LGBTQ, but I find it interesting what kind of things apart from LSAT and GPA affect admissions. Blacks are underrepresented broadly and so get a boost, Asians are overrepresented broadly and so are negatively impacted - I wonder if LGBTQ gets a bit of both, depending on the school. That is, I wonder if LGBTQ applicants get a boost at schools with few LGBTQ, and possibly a penalty at schools with high LGBTQ numbers.

[Elexica]

Just out of curiosity, does LGBTQ status affect admission chances? I assume there is some impact, but fairly small, and this is mostly just out of curiosity. Not LGBTQ, but I find it interesting what kind of things apart from LSAT and GPA affect admissions. Blacks are underrepresented broadly and so get a boost, Asians are overrepresented broadly and so are negatively impacted - I wonder if LGBTQ gets a bit of both, depending on the school. That is, I wonder if LGBTQ applicants get a boost at schools with few LGBTQ, and possibly a penalty at schools with high LGBTQ numbers.

This has been discussed (to death) in the URM boards, you can check there for a full examination.

TL;DR Generally agreed that there is not really a boost unless your diversity statement is powerful enough, mostly seems to be for LGBTQ student org recruitment.

[jwwoodma]

I hope everyone is receiving good news from their schools! I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with the LGBT community and visibility at the more isolated schools? I'm not expecting the next West Hollywood to be in Ann Arbor, but I just have very little experience with cities as small as Ithaca or Ann Arbor and I'm starting to get nervous .

[gobears!!]

I wanted to drop in again hoping that everyone has been getting good news!

Have any admitted applicants been contacted by students at various schools yet?

[Draconem]

Hey, fellow LGBTQIA persons.

Just checking in.

[monceau]

How's everyone's cycle going so far?

[Po$eidon]

I've been waitlisted (priority reserved) by Duke and heard nothing back from the rest of the Top 14. #s above both 75ths for everyone but H and Y and above 75 on GPA there while above median on Lsat. Not holding breath. I seem to be doing very poorly.

[gobears!!]

I've been waitlisted (priority reserved) by Duke and heard nothing back from the rest of the Top 14. #s above both 75ths for everyone but H and Y and above 75 on GPA there while above median on Lsat. Not holding breath. I seem to be doing very poorly.

I'm sure they are: 1) yield protecting or 2) considering you for money. With those numbers things should look stellar.

[Po$eidon]

I've been waitlisted (priority reserved) by Duke and heard nothing back from the rest of the Top 14. #s above both 75ths for everyone but H and Y and above 75 on GPA there while above median on Lsat. Not holding breath. I seem to be doing very poorly.

I'm sure they are: 1) yield protecting or 2) considering you for money. With those numbers things should look stellar.

I just got "YP" by UPenn too. Nah they hate me: I have c&f issues from my teenage years, a weird major and a light resume. They just aren't biting.

[percyt0]

I hope everyone is receiving good news from their schools! I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with the LGBT community and visibility at the more isolated schools? I'm not expecting the next West Hollywood to be in Ann Arbor, but I just have very little experience with cities as small as Ithaca or Ann Arbor and I'm starting to get nervous .

+1

[newrad]

Columbia sent me a really nice email asking about my preferred pronouns and prefix.

[Draconem]

Received a really great message from a member of UCLA's OUTlaw group.

[OLitch]

The Outlaw student group at GULC was so welcoming. I've never felt more comfortable with a group of strangers.

[Elexica]

Heard back from Berkeley a little while ago-- accepted, YAY! Anyone else headed to admitted students weekend with the bears? I'd love to have someone so it is less awkward when I wander up to the queer caucus table!

[OtterLaw]

Nice to see a LGBT thread. Married guy here. Honestly, the only school that I've felt a negative effect from has been UT Austin. I'm on the WL with pretty good numbers and I'm beginning to wonder if my personal statement that talked about coming to terms with myself as a gay man didn't turn them off. Having lived in Texas for many years, I can say it's not the most gay-friendly state and I'm beginning to rethink that personal statement.

[ltbenn]

Nice to see a LGBT thread. Married guy here. Honestly, the only school that I've felt a negative effect from has been UT Austin. I'm on the WL with pretty good numbers and I'm beginning to wonder if my personal statement that talked about coming to terms with myself as a gay man didn't turn them off. Having lived in Texas for many years, I can say it's not the most gay-friendly state and I'm beginning to rethink that personal statement.

I mean, if you're in love with UT than far be it from me to dissuade you - but I for one would much rather go to a lower-ranked option where I'm comfortable being who I am than closet up for three years to have a little more prestige...
But then again I'm also a northeasterner who is used to my gayness being a non-issue.

[HabeasandCo]

Nice to see a LGBT thread. Married guy here. Honestly, the only school that I've felt a negative effect from has been UT Austin. I'm on the WL with pretty good numbers and I'm beginning to wonder if my personal statement that talked about coming to terms with myself as a gay man didn't turn them off. Having lived in Texas for many years, I can say it's not the most gay-friendly state and I'm beginning to rethink that personal statement.

Since you can't know for certain all the factors that went into your particular admissions decision, I think it's irresponsible to speculate that the reason you were waitlisted was due to an inherent bias against your sexual orientation.

Austin is an inclusive city, and it is pointless to make blanket statements about Texas since it is such a large and culturally diverse state.

[OtterLaw]

Nice to see a LGBT thread. Married guy here. Honestly, the only school that I've felt a negative effect from has been UT Austin. I'm on the WL with pretty good numbers and I'm beginning to wonder if my personal statement that talked about coming to terms with myself as a gay man didn't turn them off. Having lived in Texas for many years, I can say it's not the most gay-friendly state and I'm beginning to rethink that personal statement.

Since you can't know for certain all the factors that went into your particular admissions decision, I think it's irresponsible to speculate that the reason you were waitlisted was due to an inherent bias against your sexual orientation.

Austin is an inclusive city, and it is pointless to make blanket statements about Texas since it is such a large and culturally diverse state.

Reading back through what I wrote, I can certainly see where you might have thought I was insinuating that they were being discriminatory. It was actually meant to express a fear that I may have been too forward with that aspect of my life and overstated it on my application. I'm not saying it was the reason I was waitlisted. I'm pretty sure my LSAT being under their median was the main reason.

[HabeasandCo]

Nice to see a LGBT thread. Married guy here. Honestly, the only school that I've felt a negative effect from has been UT Austin. I'm on the WL with pretty good numbers and I'm beginning to wonder if my personal statement that talked about coming to terms with myself as a gay man didn't turn them off. Having lived in Texas for many years, I can say it's not the most gay-friendly state and I'm beginning to rethink that personal statement.

Since you can't know for certain all the factors that went into your particular admissions decision, I think it's irresponsible to speculate that the reason you were waitlisted was due to an inherent bias against your sexual orientation.

Austin is an inclusive city, and it is pointless to make blanket statements about Texas since it is such a large and culturally diverse state.

Reading back through what I wrote, I can certainly see where you might have thought I was insinuating that they were being discriminatory. It was actually meant to express a fear that I may have been too forward with that aspect of my life and overstated it on my application. I'm not saying it was the reason I was waitlisted. I'm pretty sure my LSAT being under their median was the main reason.

Thank you for taking the time to clarify your position. That makes sense, and I can understand why that might be a concern (though I hope that it's not justified ) I wish you all the luck on the rest of your cycle!

[monceau]

Hi LGBT+ friends, I'm in kind of an odd predicament. In my apps, I checked the box saying I'm LGBT and wrote about it somewhat in my PS. For those of you who made your LGBT identity apparent in your applications, has it ever been brought up on a school tour? I'm visiting four schools with both parents, one of whom I'm out to and the other I'm not. Thanks!

[GrayGamut]

Hi LGBT+ friends, I'm in kind of an odd predicament. In my apps, I checked the box saying I'm LGBT and wrote about it somewhat in my PS. For those of you who made your LGBT identity apparent in your applications, has it ever been brought up on a school tour? I'm visiting four schools with both parents, one of whom I'm out to and the other I'm not. Thanks!

I have very limited experience with this (only been on one school visit), but it was not brought up, and looking back I find it hard to imagine how it would have been brought up in that context without me saying something first or proactively attempting to approach an Outlaw student org table or something. In general, other than being seated at lunch by students who expressed semi-similar career interests, no specific info about any student was disclosed.

[monceau]

Hi LGBT+ friends, I'm in kind of an odd predicament. In my apps, I checked the box saying I'm LGBT and wrote about it somewhat in my PS. For those of you who made your LGBT identity apparent in your applications, has it ever been brought up on a school tour? I'm visiting four schools with both parents, one of whom I'm out to and the other I'm not. Thanks!

I have very limited experience with this (only been on one school visit), but it was not brought up, and looking back I find it hard to imagine how it would have been brought up in that context without me saying something first or proactively attempting to approach an Outlaw student org table or something. In general, other than being seated at lunch by students who expressed semi-similar career interests, no specific info about any student was disclosed.

Thanks for the input! Anyone else care to weigh in?

[Olliedemars]

Hi LGBT+ friends, I'm in kind of an odd predicament. In my apps, I checked the box saying I'm LGBT and wrote about it somewhat in my PS. For those of you who made your LGBT identity apparent in your applications, has it ever been brought up on a school tour? I'm visiting four schools with both parents, one of whom I'm out to and the other I'm not. Thanks!

This happened to me at Wellesley (undergrad, obviously); I asked about LGBT student orgs during an interview, then the interviewer walked me out to the lobby where my mom was waiting. My interviewer brought up the topic again, and I cut her off, er--twice? Very awkward. Very dinged.

Now that I'm a nearly-married old lady and my mom likes my fiancee more than she likes me, I can laugh about it. Anyway, no, won't happen at law schools. I've been on two visits, and no one rushed up to me to slap a rainbow sticker on me.

[OtterLaw]

Hi LGBT+ friends, I'm in kind of an odd predicament. In my apps, I checked the box saying I'm LGBT and wrote about it somewhat in my PS. For those of you who made your LGBT identity apparent in your applications, has it ever been brought up on a school tour? I'm visiting four schools with both parents, one of whom I'm out to and the other I'm not. Thanks!

This happened to me at Wellesley (undergrad, obviously); I asked about LGBT student orgs during an interview, then the interviewer walked me out to the lobby where my mom was waiting. My interviewer brought up the topic again, and I cut her off, er--twice? Very awkward. Very dinged.

Now that I'm a nearly-married old lady and my mom likes my fiancee more than she likes me, I can laugh about it. Anyway, no, won't happen at law schools. I've been on two visits, and no one rushed up to me to slap a rainbow sticker on me.

Aww shoot, I was hoping to get slapped with a rainbow sticker at UVA's open house tomorrow.