LGBT Applications Increase at Penn

Targeted outreach appears to have increased the number of LGBT applications at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Daily Pennsylvanian reports that the outreach effort, which was limited to regular decision applications last year, was expanded this year to include early decision applicants. The process flags applicants who identify as LGBT, consider themselves allies, or have LGBT parents, according to LGBT center director Bob Schoenberg.

"After the applications are flagged by readers, they undergo the same deliberation process which is 'equal for all students,' he said," the student newspaper reported. "Once accepted, students are matched with members of the Lambda Alliance -- Penn's umbrella organization for the LGBT community -- who contact them personally via e-mail."

Schoenberg said that the early decision process this year already showed an increase in LGBT applicants.

Penn students and administrators said the program, which encourages successful applicants to attend the university after they are accepted, does not give LGBT applications a leg up, although it has been wrongly portrayed by some people as affirmative action.