When Gay Students Recruit Gay Students

Your college application can say a lot about you. It might say what your favorite subjects are, what sports you like, what plays you've acted in, or what job you want to have in the future. Might it also disclose your sexual orientation?

Cue an interesting story from the world of higher education. The University of Pennsylvania and Dartmouth College are both using queer students to try and lure potential queer recruits to their campuses. As Inside Higher Ed writes, the process requires a bit of creativity and a little bit of investigating. Potential students aren't asked directly about their sexual orientation, so instead efforts are made in evaluating applications to try and determine which students are gay.

"Penn is identifying gay admits through information they provide on their applications -- groups that they are members of, or statements they make about themselves in their essays," reports Inside Higher Ed.

Kind of cool to see colleges using student-based queer groups to lure potential students. Guess the right-wing was right -- we do recruit people! *rimshot* But seriously, it's a great way to sell a school's image as a safe place for queer students, as well as increase the diversity of the student body.

Of course, the guessing game aspect of all of this is a little weird. That fact isn't lost on queer groups or college administrators who think it would be easier to ask potential students up front on their application what their sexual orientation is. But until that question appears, it's a game of "Gay, Straight or European?" for Penn and Dartmouth.

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