The degree to which the lives of America's gay youth have improved over the past decade is staggering. In no small part due to frequent exposure to gay issues and gay people in the popular media, there is greater acceptance of differences in sexual orientation, and in many communities youth can access one of hundreds of gay student associations that have sprouted up across the country. But the challenges to many gay teens are still daunting. Especially for those in small, rural or conservative school districts, life can be riddled with complexities that are often far more stressful than those of their straight peers. Students who are out, rumored to be gay, or simply deemed to exhibit stereotypically gay behavior or interests are sometimes victimized in varying degrees, from verbal harassment to physical violence. At the very least, these students are often marginalized in the fickle and sometimes ruthless high school social scene, many of whom are also dealing with the anxiety of deciding whether or not to come out to family or friends. College counselors play a major role in helping students in their college search. A first step for college counselors is embracing the fact that it would be extremely unlikely for there not to be gay students at their institution, no matter the school's location, makeup or culture. This article lists some questions that may help gay students in learning more about the colleges and universities they are considering and discusses how college counselors can help their gay students.