A look into the most LGBTQ friendly colleges

Makalyn Kowalik
Journalism Intern

While most students going into college are ready to face struggles and stress due to the college experience, LGBTQ students have a unique set of challenges to consider. As a 17 year old, questioning (Q) female going into college in the next year with plenty of LGBTQ friends by my side, knowing which universities are both the safest and most accepting of LGBTQ students is extremely important to me. Luckily, more and more universities are working towards making their campuses, traditional or online, more inclusive and comfortable for their LGBTQ students.

To be considered a friendly and safe LGBTQ environment, colleges have to meet the following criteria:

1. LGBTQ student club/organizations available.

2. Gender inclusive dorms.

3. An affirmative declaration of LGBTQ inclusion policies.

4. LGBT health/counseling services.

5. LGBTQ/Gender studies programs available.

According to the LGBTQ Friendly Colleges and Student Resources website, the following colleges are the top ten in the country who are known for meeting and exceeding these criteria as of 2015-16. The ranking is not only based on the LGBTQ criteria but also scored according to retention and graduation rate. These top ten colleges are leading the United States for LGBTQ students in higher education and paving the way for other colleges to follow in their footsteps.

1. University of Chicago
2. Stanford University
3. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
4. Cornell University
5. Brown University
6. University of California-Berkley
7. University of Maryland-College Park
8. University of Wisconsin-Madison
9. University of California-San Diego
10. Emory University

All of these colleges are especially known for their programs designed to promote diversity, provision of a variety of services, including primary health care and HIV/STD prevention, and a number of resources, education programs and services. These services include workshops, counseling, and medical services tailored to the needs of LGBT students. 

For example, some of the workshops available at the University of Berkeley (#6) include Transgender 101 and Beyond the Gender Binary. Berkeley also has an LGBT sorority, which consists of a group of Jewish members of the community, and a residence hall for students enrolled in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender studies minor.

One of the most important aspects of the college experience that I’ve been told is the ability to allow students the opportunity not just to earn a degree in a specific field or even to  learn about a broader world through coursework, but to also deepen our understanding of ourselves through exploration with the world around us.

These colleges listed help their students do just this in a comfortable, safe and friendly environment. Their ability to do this, as an upcoming senior in high school ready to apply for college, definitely helps me pick out the schools that feel best for me and makes them stand out against many other universities.

The Gayly - 6/8/2016 @11:34 a.m. CDT