Elmhurst College officials added this question to their admission application: \u201cWould you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBT community?\u201d While students can opt out of answering the questions, those who do identify as part of the community may be eligible for a scholarship worth up to one-third of tuition. \u201cIncreasing diversity is part of our mission statement,\u201d said Gary Rold, Elmhurst\u2019s dean of admissions. \u201cThis is simply closing the loop, in many ways, of another group who has a very strong identity. It may not be race and religion but it\u2019s an important part of who they are.\u201d Elmhurst is the first college in the U.S. to ask about sexual orientation of prospective students.<\/p>\n