For a student who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community, safety and feeling welcomed, accepted and included can be important considerations. This article shares a few questions to remember when evaluating if a college will be inclusive or not, as well as some lists of schools to consider.
LGBTQ-Specific Questions to Ask When Evaluating a Campus
If you are visiting a college in-person, or researching remotely, consider the following:
LGBTQ+ Center
Director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Request a meeting - do you like the personality of the director? Would this person be someone you want to communicate and/or work with during your four undergraduate years?
Campus Clubs
What are the club options for students? Are there clubs for students with intersecting identities? You may want a club for LGBTQ+ students who are also athletes, for example. Are there specific club groups rather than one overall LGBTQ+ club?
Housing
Housing Options! What are the housing options for LGBTQ+ students? Is there a LGBTQ-living community? Are single rooms available in the freshmen dorms? How are roommates assigned? Can you easily change rooms, if needed?
LGBTQ+ Academic Studies
Does the university have a major or minor in LGBTQ+ Studies? This can signal institutional priorities and money spent at the university. This can also signal if there are professors on-campus who can advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and perhaps educate their fellow professors.
Campus Health Center
Health Safety. Speak with the health center and ask: Are there sexual health, mental health and gender health services, specifically for LGBTQ+ students?
LGBTQ-Friendly (and NOT Friendly) Campuses
If you want to review some schools that may be a good fit for you, below are some helpful resources. Please note that I recommend doing your own research, and visiting campuses, as these are the best ways to know if a school is right for you (or not).
LGBTQ-Friendly Campus Search
Campus Pride Index (here) provides a search tool to review campuses based on policy inclusion, support & institutional commitment, academic life, student life, housing & residence life, campus safety, counseling & health, and retention efforts.
LGBTQ-Friendly Sports Campus Search
Campus Pride Sports Index (here) provides a search tool to review campuses based on sports-related inclusion policies and practices, including training & education.
The Absolute Worst List
Campus Pride provides a "Worst of the Worst" List (here). This list of campuses have either received or applied for Title IX exemption to discriminate against LBGTQ youth and/or have demonstrated past history of anti-LBGTQ actions, programs or policies.
Have More Questions?
Reach out to Sami Greenberg, Founder of Rose College Prep, at rosecollegeprep@gmail.com, or schedule a free 30-minute consultation here.
Sami has worked with students since she graduated college in 2010, helping them through the full college application process---including career search, college list selection and essay writing.