Amid growing concerns over reproductive and LGBTQ rights following the 2024 presidential election, many JR students have begun to factor political party affiliation into their college application decisions.
“I’m definitely trying to not go to states that are heavily Republican because of the chance of abortion restrictions,” said senior Maya McLaughlin.
President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to limit abortion access and restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have heightened concerns among students who are deciding whether to apply to colleges in conservative states.
“The financial shift, the protections of students in marginalized groups, and the access to information will change drastically” in the next four years, said U.S. Government teacher Amy Collins.
Many students have limited or removed southern schools from their list. “I used to want to apply to UNC and schools in Florida,” said senior Naoma Huta. “Now, I’m looking at fewer schools in the south and more schools in Canada.”
Huta attributed her change in thinking to reproductive rights. “Women’s reproductive health is just going to go on a decline—it already has,” she said. “There are already fewer OBGYNs in Texas and the South and I feel like in college having access to abortion and reproductive rights is really important.”
Trump’s stance on abortion access has been contradictory. During his first term in office, he appointed three Supreme Court justices who voted in the majority in the 6-3 decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. In March, Trump suggested that he would support a nationwide ban on abortion after 15 weeks’ gestation, while in 2017 he supported a House bill to ban abortion nationwide after 20 weeks. He also has said that he believes states should determine their own abortion policies.
The election results drove some parents in Democratic DC to take a more hands-on approach to their senior’s college process. Senior Tabitha Haythe said that her mom removed Texas A&M from her list following Trump’s win. She said the decision was influenced by the school’s status as a predominantly white institution located in a red state. “Texas A&M used to be my top choice,” Haythe said.
For transgender students, concerns over restricted access to LGBTQ healthcare also will likely play a significant role in college decisions. “As a transgender student applying to colleges, I have to consider the area’s safety—especially anti-transgender legislature that has been introduced,” senior Jax Downey said.
Agenda47, the 2024 GOP platform, details the Republican party’s plans to revoke previous policies on gender-affirming care. Trump referred to such care as “a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children” in a public video posted to his campaign website in February 2023.
“Since the election, I’ve had to do more research on the state governments at my top schools and their views on transgender issues. I have concerns about my ability to continue receiving my hormone treatment in certain states after Trump takes office,” Downey said.
Regardless of local political agendas, Huta said she would be uncomfortable in a conservative environment. “I don’t want to have to go into my college town and see a bunch of Trump flags,” she said.
Added Downey, “The election results have caused me to reconsider some of my top choices, as well as begin thinking about applying to international schools.”
