University applications-Tell or not?

[Agathax]

Hi, I'm going to apply to University next year, hopefully to study either Adult nursing with the Royal Navy (started the application process for that already) or an Adult-child nursing course in Southampton. These are my first choices.

I'm not sure how many of you guys are from the UK, so know the in and outs of the UK Uni application process (I live here and I sure as heck don't fully understand it ) but to apply you have to submit a 'personal statement, talking about your interests and job, volunteering.etc

For my Navy application, I ticked 'heterosexual' on the questionnaire, I couldn't bear the thought of possibly being discriminated against, I know it's silly to assume such things but it bothered me all the same.

For my civilian nursing application, I'm hoping to talk about my work within my church with children (Sunday school helper.etc), it's a catholic church and even through I'm not 'out' to them, It's still a *big* part of my life-Catholic youth group, counting, taking up the host, Sunday school helping. I've even been offered a care assistant job by a lady from the church. But on the other hand, I'm part of the LGBT support group at college and I'm involved in support for Gay rights. Most of my college friends and my family know I'm a lesbian.

I'm worried that if I don't mention my LGBT stuff and just put my catholic stuff down, college admissions will assume I'm a straight-laced 'catholic' and that I'm going to have trouble with contraception and relating to gay people under my care. What will happen if I get into the uni and one of the people who interviewed me sees me dating a woman and thinks I'm dishonest for saying I was 'catholic' or even worse thinks I'm likely to be bigoted against gay people for being catholic.

I don't want to hide who I am, especially at Uni or in the Navy. For Nursing your trustworthiness and character is extremely important, 50% of the course is influenced by character reviews. My mum thinks I should keep quiet about being Gay on my applications, but I'm starting to think that being a gay christian is actually something that influences my character for the good...I want to be proud of who I am, but I couldn't bear working so hard and then being refused for the navy or Nursing Uni. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Do you guys have any advice, thanks!

[robclem21]

Hey there,

Well there are a few different things here going on through my head after reading your post I'll try address all of what you mentioned but well see how it goes haha.

I think firstly on your application, mentioning participation in an LGBT support group and gay rights support, doesnt automatically lead people to assume you are gay. There are plenty of straight people who actively support and participate and so by putting those on your application it doesn't necessarily imply that you are gay, but it would rather be an assumption on the part of those reviewing your application. If it will hurt your chances of admission into the school you want however, then I would have to agree that schooling is important and you shouldn't jeopardize it over something like this. Sadly, there are stereotypes associated with both religion and LGBT so most of it will depend on the person reviewing your application and how they interpret what you have written

Secondly, your ability to talk to kids and patients and the advice you give is largely dependent on your experience. While often it is best to separate your experience in order to give non-biased support and what may be best for the patients, it is part of who you are and has definitely shaped your character so I think it is important to mention from that standpoint that it may make you much more accepting, understanding of both religious as well as LGBT patients who require support. The fact that you represent both populations helps you understand the viewpoints of each, not only the parts that agree with each other.

Finally, on campus it depends entirely on the environment of the school. I know personally my school is very accepting and open about stuff like that. There is very little hatred for the gay community, in fact there is overwhelming support for it. So I say to do what you are comfortable with and what will make the school easy for you. Perhaps find some close friends you can trust to tell before you go fully public with it if you are worried, or spend some time gauging the school and the students and faculty before you go in and face a lot of controversy.

Hope that helps!

[Ben]

After your acceptance, I don't think they pay any attention to what the personal statement actually said (not at uni, anyway). For applications, it's only going to be helpful if you mention that you're involved in whatever you're involved in, and you can always just call it "charitable work" or whatever if you want. They can't discriminate against you for activity in either Catholic or LGBT groups, so I think it'd be a smart move to just put them both down.