I’m looking to plan a few spring college visits with my S26. We waited until junior year with D23 and found it difficult to fit in tours when schools were actually in session. We are limiting our search to the Northeast (he doesn’t want to get on a plane, and he is transgender, so I have concerns about sending him to school in certain states).
He is a very good student (3.9UW) with good course rigor: one AP so far (Econ) with plans to take 4 each junior and senior years. No test scores yet, but I don’t expect them to be super high (i.e., not 1500+). He’s running on the varsity xc/t&f teams and would potentially be interested in running in college. He’s not likely to have the times to try out for any but the weaker D3 teams, but a strong running club/community would be important for him. He’s also expressed interest in rowing, but that’s mostly a whim at this point. He likes to hike, ski, and generally be outside. Likely major would be Economics, but he’s also interested in physics and potentially engineering. He doesn’t want a STEM-focused school, though (so no WPI, RPI, RIT, etc.). He prefers a smaller school. It doesn’t necessarily need to be SLAC small (though I think he would do well in that environment as an ADHDer), but he’s turned off by the size of the state flagship schools. He does not want an urban school, but would love a walkable town.
I would love feedback on any of the below schools based on the above criteria, particularly with regard to how trans-friendly they are. I’m familiar with Campus Pride and the Newsweek lists of LGTBQ-friendly and -unfriendly schools, but as many of them are either the big state schools or reach-for-all schools, they are of limited help. I would also appreciate any additional suggestions, especially schools with acceptance rates in the 30-60(ish) percent range. All schools are possible financially.
University of Rochester
Union College
UVM
Clarkson
Ithaca College
Clark
Skidmore
Brandeis
Wheaton (MA)
Syracuse
Lehigh
Clark is very LBGTQ+ friendly from what I understand and also very accommodating. A good friend’s daughter is neurodivergent and it has been an awesome experience for her - they’ve been really accommodating and she just loves it there (she is a sophomore now). I have two friends with transgender kids who are seriously considering Clark. From an outsider’s perspective, my sense is that UVM is very accepting - a bit crunchy and very progressive. I can’t speak to the rest. Best of luck!
Yes, I do want him to see some bigger schools before he rules them out entirely, but he balked at UVM’s 11k students (on paper, he hasn’t seen it yet), so I expect Syracuse will feel too big for him. If he’s open to bigger schools, he might like Delaware. My niece went there, so I’ve seen it and am sure he’d like the town. Pitt and American would both be a bit far for us (we’re in the Boston area). I had considered Lafayette, but wasn’t sure about the religious affiliation. TCNJ I haven’t looked at yet; I will now. Thank you.
Yes, two of my daughter’s classmates (both ND) are current students at Clark and love it! Worcester is in our backyard, so he’s not excited about it from that standpoint, but I agree that it could be a great fit for him, and is the only school on the list where he could actually walk on to the xc team. Maybe that will hold some sway.
I was going to say UVM, Skidmore, Ithaca, ConnColl, StLawrence, Clark, Marist, Wheaton MA perhaps (?), but I see you already have most of them on your list
I’d pick Lafayette over Lehigh in terms of LGBTQ friendly but check in person; stop by F&M and Dickinson if you’re in the area to compare.
Union is very Greek-heavy and traditionally it has meant that social life isn’t very lgbtq friendly, for guys especially, but frats are allegedly changing fast. It’s worth investigating.
What about smaller SUNYs like Geneseo or New Paltz?
If visiting UVM, you could drop by St Michael’s - not sure it’d work for all criteria but would likely be a safety and close enough it wouldn’t alter your itinerary.
Good luck on your search! Of the other schools you listed, I do have a friend whose daughter is at Skidmore - and she likes it a lot. I think there is an artsy vibe there. From what I remember, Union is kind of a traditional preppy/jocky type place (although it may have changed) - not sure what your son would prefer.
I thought about Bard since my daughter applied there. It was a safety for her and we never actually saw it, but I wondered if it might be a bit too artsy and avant-garde for him. I’ll take another look, thank you.
FWIW, my LGBTQ (but not trans) child who is primarily interested in SLACs loved UVM. It felt smaller than the 11K would suggest, and the vibes are very queer-friendly; a family friend started there this year and confirms all of these impressions. So it might be worth a look at some point, even if not on this first set of visits.
Another school to consider if you decide to look farther afield is Macalester. Very LGBTQ-friendly in a progressive city and state.
If you want to look at a more selective school, I’d put Vassar in the mix; my kid has a trans friend there now who is very happy.
Thank you! Conn is definitely on the list, too, but we’re very familiar with it as my daughter is a current student.
That was my concern with Union, too, and frankly any school with a big Greek system.
I debated St. Lawrence. My daughter also applied there, and while in some ways, I think it might be a good fit, I wondered how accepting it would be of a trans athlete.
Noted on Lafayette vs. Lehigh. I will take a look at the other PA schools you mentioned, as well as the SUNYs and Marist!
Thank you! I visited Skidmore with my daughter after she was accepted and we both liked it a lot, though she ultimately chose a different school. My son did like Saratoga Springs when we were there on another occasion!
Thank you! That is great to hear about UVM. It was actually going to be our very first visit, as I’ve been plotting for months to bring up for a tour on the morning of the total solar eclipse. As of today, my plans have been foiled by a school band festival, but we will definitely still get up there!
Appreciate the feedback on Vassar. It’s on the shortlist of reach schools, along with Wesleyan.
Macalaster would probably be perfect if it didn’t involve a plane ride, lol. Maybe he’ll feel differently in a year, who knows.
Engineering being a serious option at small schools can be a challenge (and I agree about 3+2 programs being a little suspect).
But Trinity (CT) seems to me like it should be on your list. Engineering at a SLAC, seems really committed to being positive for LGBTQ+, 36% admit rate, obviously not too far from home. Of course I get the setting might not be perfect, but it seems worth a visit because sometimes things work in person.
On your list already, I would say Rochester also seems like a really good fit academically and culturally, bigger than a SLAC but not too big, and while Rochester the city is a short shuttle ride away, the main (River) campus is in a pleasant setting (basically a big river bend with the land side mostly a park-like cemetery).
Thank you! I haven’t seen Rochester yet and am excited to visit with him. I hadn’t realized that Trinity offers engineering. Yes, the setting is not all that appealing, but you’re right, it’s at least worth a visit. I will add it to the list.
My 2023 loves Syracuse, and she feels it is very inclusive, BUT it’s very large and urban, so I don’t think that fits what you’re looking for? Maybe Hamilton(which is pretty competitive) or SUNY Geneseo? Ithaca too. Good luck!
While I personally find the breakeven between a (direct) flight and driving for me is usually somewhere in the 5-6 hour range, I am also someone who has flown a LOT for both personal and business reasons. I know other people who simply do not like flying, and so will prefer to drive for longer than that. And a few people who if given the time will prefer a multi-day road trip to flying.
The other thing I will say is that DC and Pittsburgh are getting to the point where it is becoming pretty obvious you are slipping outside of the Northeast. Both are interesting examples in that they are not necessarily something else most people recognize either–like DC isn’t South, Pittsburgh isn’t Midwest, and so on. But I think at least for some people from the core Northeast, they can feel like not-home.
Of course some of us wanted to go not-home for college! And the OP’s kid might evolve in their thinking before actually going to college. But I get why some people might see Pittsburgh and DC as crossing some sort of mental line.
