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Elmhurst College's 2012-13 Application Asks Students About Sexual Orientation

Sources say this is a first, or at least very rare, among American colleges.

Elmhurst College is now including a question about sexual orientation and gender identity on its admissions application.

The Chronicle of Higher Educating is reporting admissions officers are planning to use the question to connect students to campus programs and services.

The dean of admissions said the college is "trying to recruit students who are academically qualified and diverse," according to the Chronicle.

The question on the 2012-13 application states: “Would you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community?” Students are under no obligation to answer.

An article by InsideHigherEd.com said the move is believed to be a first among colleges nationwide.

The article also said, "Admitted students who indicate when applying that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered will be eligible for a diversity scholarship worth one-third of tuition."

Elmhurst is a liberal arts college affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

MIKE August 25, 2011 at 11:52 am
This seems like a violation of civil rights and privacy laws. How petty of Elmhurst College, so do they discriminate against straight people, that is what it sounds like .......
Ken August 25, 2011 at 02:05 pm
When I first saw this story I thought I was reading The Onion. Elmhurst College is a joke! I wouldn't give my children a dime toward tuition if they said they wanted to go to this so called institution of higher learning.
Kathy O. August 25, 2011 at 05:00 pm
Disgusting! The LBGT community is NOT disadvantaged in re: to education or finances. How many kids will say that are part of this group for a scholarship and how many actually will be? There is a difference between being marginalized and oppressed. I'm tired of this group and the PC crowd not knowing the difference between the two.
MIKE August 25, 2011 at 05:06 pm
Right on Kathy O. - what a joke!
Vincent Russell August 25, 2011 at 07:46 pm
Any college that gives scholarships based sexual lifestyle (and only to the homosexual lifestyle mind you) is about sick as it gets.
Hopefully, next year, homosexuals will make up 75% of the freshman class. Great job, United Church of Christ. I am ashamed to live in the same town as this joke of a school.
Vincent Russell August 25, 2011 at 09:23 pm
Ken, I got a laugh when you mentioned the Onion, but this is no joke. Elmhurst College is giving scholarships to homosexuals, simply because they are homosexuals. Now, if you are a minority student and a homosexual, you probably can go to school for free.
Jim R August 30, 2011 at 02:33 pm
The school has taken a morally wrong turn here. Why become part of a political movement?
Bob Santini September 1, 2011 at 09:08 pm
"morally wrong turn" ? in whose opinion ? ... don't kid yourself; all schools practice politics; but the public ones do it with your tax dollars ! fyi, this one third "scholarship" is not really a scholarship; it is the same standard "aid/grant" money that they give to all UCC members; so if a student was confirmed at any UCC church in the country, they are eligible for the same treatment. i do agree that educational institutions should focus on education, but they are private, so it's really their choice to make, a good lesson in freedom imo. kind of like when you don't want to listen to howard stern; change the channel; no one's forcing you.

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