While this is a month to celebrate diversity in gender and sexuality with our rainbow apparel and flags – and in my case a huge inflatable rainbow in my front yard – it’s not all rainbows, sunshine, and unicorns when thinking about applying to college as part of the queer community. Over the last year in the US, there’s been a record number (over 250) of anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed — almost half of those anti-trans. These are scary times for many in the queer community, and especially among our trans brothers and sisters and non-binary and genderqueer siblings.

I mean applying to college is stressful enough, but worrying about whether a state is actively legislating against you and whether a college is going to have your back can make it especially tough. Like everything college admissions, I encourage you to ask questions and learn as much as you can about admissions, campus safety, and the culture and vibe on the campus.  By taking some time and learning more with intention, you can find a space where you can thrive. College campuses are overwhelmingly supportive spaces and you can find places to grow and live the life you want to live. 

I think, first and foremost, it’s essential you find schools that are safe and that openly accept queer students. And I think you should consider being open about it in your application — especially if you’re trans and planning to transition while in college — using the additional information section to explain your situation, whether you’ve already transitioned, for the most part, are in the process, or are planning to in the future. Trans students have to be aware of some practical concerns that could have an effect on their college experience, like the dorm and bathroom situation. Are you applying with the transcript of one gender, but know you plan to transition while in college? In that case, you might want to look for schools that have mixed-gender floors and bathrooms. 

Also, investigate the state laws and look into how accommodating the school is for trans and other queer students. Many liberal arts colleges are particularly safe and welcoming to the queer community. You can find out by snooping around their website, going on a visit and asking students or the admissions office, or checking out their LGBTQ clubs and groups online and seeing how active they are. If you can visit, definitely stop by and check any services or LGBTQ+ centers they may have for you. Or reach out to them online or by phone. Ask if there is one; if there’s not, that might be a sign that the school wouldn’t be particularly welcoming.

As far as writing about it, that will be up to you. My suggestion is to use the Additional Info section if you feel like there are issues you’ve had or any circumstances that have affected your application because of being queer. But I def don’t think there’s any harm in discussing who you are in your essay either.

To me, if a college didn’t want to accept me for an essential part of who I am, then I wouldn’t want to go there. So, I ask you why would you want to go to a college that wouldn’t accept you simply because you’re trans, gender non-conforming, gay, or another gender or sexual minority? As far as your parents go, you don’t have to let them see all of your applications, but if they have total access and you worry they’ll see it, then you can always submit a paragraph later by email or in the upload section if necessary. Of course, I think it’s good to be open and honest with your parents, but I know that’s unfortunately not always the best option for everyone.

Take a minute to read this article about 20 amazing members of your generation who are creating change: Teen Vogue Presents GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 2021: The LGBTQ Youth Shaping the Future

?️‍? Four Quick Tips:

    1. If you’re a trans applicant, keep up with the Forms: While many colleges ask for your preferred name, you may still need to use your birth name, if it hasn’t been legally changed yet, so that all your paperwork and files won’t get lost or disorganized.
    2.  Think about Your Essays: To come out or not to come out? You don’t have to write about being trans or gay or queer etc in your essays, but you certainly can if it’s a story you want to tell. If you’re worried it might hurt you in admissions, ask yourself this question: Do I want to attend a college that would deny me because of who I am?  Below, I’ve linked to College Essays Guy’s great posts that are based on a workshop he held last summer that I attended. 
    3. Investigate State Laws
    4. Ask Questions: Be sure to ask colleges these kinds of questions when doing your research or reaching out or on tours/visits/info sessions:
      1. Do they have sexual identity and gender-inclusive housing?
      2. Do they have a nondiscrimination policy for trans/queer students?
      3. Do they allow students to change their names on campus records?
      4. What resources and opportunities do they have to support trans/queer students?
      5. Do the schools’ health clinics and health plans cover trans medical care if that’s something you are interested in?

?️‍? I love what u/collegesimp shared on a post asking for advice from one of our transgender friends:

“Campus Pride is a great resource, yeah! They measure by a bunch of stuff, including a general list of inclusive schools, but if you want to assess a school on your own, they also give lists of schools with various trans-inclusive policies that you can look at to check any places you’re considering. Here are a few of the ones that will likely be most useful to you:

Thanks for sharing all your wisdom and experience, u/CollegeSimp!

?️‍? Helpful Resources for Finding Schools That Work for You!

?️‍? Articles

?️‍? Should you write about being LGBTQ+ in your essay?

  1. Should I come out in my college essay? Part 1 College Essay Guy has a three-part series that’s well worth reading!!! 
  2. How to Come Out in Your College Essay (In a Way That Will Actually Help Get You Into College) Part 2 of CEG’s series
  3. 10 Great Example Essays by LGBTQ+ Students

?️‍? Scholarship Opportunities for LGBTQ+ applicants and students:

  • Top Scholarships for LGBTQ Students  — blog post from NerdWallet with 9 scholarships for LGBTQ+ students
  • HRC Student Scholarship Database — List of scholarships and grants created by Human Rights Campaign
  • GAMMA MU Foundation — The Gamma Mu Foundation focuses on rural and other underserved LGBTQ+ populations across the US
  • Point Foundation — “Point Foundation empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society.”
  • Stonewall Community Foundation Scholarship — From their site “We take education seriously, knowing that it has the power to help LGBTQ people overcome complex social and economic barriers. For nearly 15 years, we have partnered with donors to create scholarships that provide unique opportunities and access to education, both in New York City and throughout the country.”
  • College Data had a great post on Instagram listing some regionally specific scholarships. 

?️‍? Follow on Social Media 

*these are Instagram handles, but I’m sure they’re active on Twitter and maybe Facebook and TikTok too …

@HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC on Instagram)

@PointFoundation 

@CampusPride

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know much about applying to college as a gay, queer, trans, or non-binary student before the last couple of years. When my daughter came out as trans in 2018, I’d worked with a couple of kids here on Reddit and tried to help them work through issues with applications, but I hadn’t spent a lot of time researching or learning. I’m starting to learn, and I’m thrilled that there are so many resources available. I spent 4 hours last Tuesday on a NACAC webinar with presentations by the Human Rights Campaign and the Point Foundation. I learned a ton, but there’s so much more to learn, so as you’re learning about resources and hints and tips, please share them below! I’ll be sure to add them in. 

 

And, as always, feel free to ask questions! I’ll try to answer or maybe someone in our fabulous community can help!

 

“Everyone is a complicated human being, and everyone is strong and weak and funny and scared.”  ~ Laverne Cox

 

#MoreLoveLessHate