Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual College Students: Risk, Resiliency, and Retention

While some colleges and universities acknowledge the presence of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)—or sexual minority—students on their campuses, few institutions gather and maintain data on the numbers or needs of sexual minority students. As a result, many sexual minority students in higher education tend to be invisible; therefore, their presence and experiences are known only anecdotally. This article proposes to examine the lives and experiences of sexual minority college students to provide an understanding of the students' language, behaviors, and stressors, and how those areas affect students' academic achievement and success in college.