So very true! All Texas schools have a mix of different students (with some that lean conservative and wear cowboy boots, which I personally think is cute =). I just think my daughter’s reason for not choosing A&M is so silly and based on what her friends think, rather than actual research on her part. In a school of 40,000, there’s a niche for all types of students. I strongly believe she’s making a big mistake, but I’m biting my tongue. I think she’ll find that Texas Tech, which she’s never visited, has a student population quite similar to A&M’s. The Honors College sounds good on paper, but I know most students don’t complete the program. But she’s made her choice and it’s not a terrible choice. I just hope she doesn’t regret passing up the amazing opportunity to attend A&M some day.
My born and raised Lubbock, Texas girl has never even owned cowboy boots. Her crowd are not the boot wearing kind. She is atheist and leans liberal and will have not trouble meeting like minded kids. And Congrats! I really think she will love her time at Tech. By the way. Have her attend the Red Raider Camp in Brownwood.
That must be a difficult situation to be in as a parent.
My son wears cowboy boots and cowboy hats, we are a cowboy boot wearing liberal family.
Didn’t realize cowboy boots equaled conservative.
@purplemama @gotham_mom It’s a date!
Funny, my moderate-liberal leaning UT OOS girl and all her friends have cowboy boots and the first stop in Austin during BHP admit day 2 years ago was to Allen’s Boot Store. I could joke that my next stop was to the ATM based on the cost! I should ask her if she even had a chance to wear them this year. I know she wore them a lot last year. If she wants another pair, she will be buying them with her internship $. I don’t know about the cost of TAMU or TT but the cost for in state at UT is such a steal. I don’t know where else in the country you can get a top notch education like that for $13k/year. Mine is going to stay a 5th for her MPA and their program is #1 in the country and even with the 5th year it is still WAY cheaper than most schools (including where her sister and brother go and will be attending) for four years.
@CollegeYaYa If it’s not the place for her, she will figure it out and she can always transfer. Nothing about this process has to be permanent. Lots of kids transfer even after a semester. Just support her choices and see how it shakes out, that’s all you can really do at this point.
@Aguadecoco Definitely don’t equate to conservatives. At least not at UT.
Woo this makes me so happy if they (U Michigan) can get this mandate done!! Cornell is now up to 35% of all staff and students vaccinated and the kicker is that they aren’t even currently doing the vaccinating so this is students and staff going on their own to get appointments. My kid went an hour to Syracuse for her two shots.
That’s funny. Had to convince my very liberal husband not to wear his favorite cowboy boots to work this morning. He’s got a new assignment and I didn’t think his new and very conservative boss would approve.
Agree with you. D just has ZERO desire for cowboy boots. Different story for her mom who started wearing them in my youth in the DFW area.
I love me some cowboy boots too 
I don’t even think my daughter knows what the heck she’s talking about. We’re solidly moderate and espouse viewpoints from both sides. I think she’s been somewhat brainwashed at school and by friends. It is very frustrating! When we moved down to Texas, our New England friends would ask us why we would move to such a “racist, backward, conservative, bible-thumping” place like Texas. They thought people would treat me badly because I’m Hispanic. Nope. I knew better not to judge a place by stereotypes and I was right - Texas is the friendliest and most welcoming place I’ve ever lived. My husband used to joke that I should let people believe the Texas stereotypes so they would stop moving down here - lol. I just wish our daughter was more open minded. But it is what it is. Luckily, all Texas schools are within budget for us, so she has lots of choices. I really hope she is making the right choice, and she can always transfer if not.
I hope my comment didn’t come across as criticism of your daughter. My Hispanic kids refused to look anywhere in the South (except Emory, after reassurance from their tíos) and I was fine with that. My brother tried moving to a less urban part of Texas, couldn’t take the close-mindedness and soon left. So I understand your D’s concern and I hope she’ll find her people. Cowboy boots just won’t be a sure indicator of which ones they are! My DH even wore his with his tux at our wedding, lol. The best man was mortified but I didn’t mind.
Honestly, I think it is all relative and really depends where you are in Texas. There is a lot of racism and prejudice there and there is a lot of misinformation spewed there, we know plenty of people who have dealt with it. My daughter has had to deal with anti-semitism or being excluded from things only because she is Jewish. Or living somewhere that refused to put out any decorations, (even if students offered to get them) for their Jewish residents but had no problems putting out Christmas decorations. Additionally, I would have these discussions often with my daughter during the election about the amount of misinformation. She couldn’t believe what was on the news and what her friends there thought and/or believed. Many people are open minded, but a vast number are not. I think it just depends where in the state you are and what your upbringing is. I wouldn’t view your daughter as being brainwashed, maybe she’s starting to form her own opinions and you should give her the benefit of the doubt. It sounds like your daughter is open minded and maybe it’s you all who are not open minded to her forming her opinions. Obviously, none of us are in your shoes, but just listen to her and don’t shut her out or her opinions. Many families have been destroyed over people not valuing one another over their differing opinions. Many friendships have been lost as well. It’s really painfu to see. She’ll get to college and either the views will align with her own or they won’t and she’ll make a move but she will soon be an adult who hopefully will be able to judge for herself if she’s at the right place or not. We can only be there to pick up the pieces.
I really didn’t want my son to attend one of the schools he was accepted to and was strongly considering at one point. I felt there was not enough diversity among other things. I bit my tongue - a lot. I knew he had to come to the right decision for him as I went to college and had my turn. It’s his turn now and he had to find the right fit for him out of his choices, just as your daughter is trying to do. Fortunately, he did make what we viewed as the best choice he had, but on his own. If he’s miserable, he’ll just go somewhere else. We all just want our kids to be happy. I have one that opted to not go to college a month before he was supposed to leave. It was hard to take as a parent, thinking he was making a huge mistake. But ultimately, he didn’t. That was 6 years ago and he’s happy and doing well. We have to let them make their own choices even if we don’t always agree with them and the natural consequences that may follow are theirs as well. Things could be a lot worse and are for many people. Your daughter is lucky she has you and that you can send her to school. I’m sure she appreciates that and you more than you know!
Most of my college friends are radically liberal and that’s fine with me. I also know right-wing folk and that’s okay with me too. I really love hearing all sides of an argument and having rational discussions. I would never judge someone (especially my child) by their political views. I have done extensive research about A&M and most people feel like it leans conservative but is accepting of other viewpoints. In a college of 50,000 students, students will find like-minded peers. Of course, we’ve all faced prejudices in our past. I was the child of a teen immigrant mom and I couldn’t speak English until elementary school. There was no ESL program and I was the only Spanish-speaking kid in the class. Teachers were absolutely horrible to me, but I had a strong family that urged me to not feel like a victim and to work hard to succeed. I ended up graduating as valedictorian. My past experiences have made me unusually thick-skinned. Literally nothing offends me, which can be a blessing and a curse. I simply don’t understand not attending a school because it leans conservative, but my daughter isn’t as thick-skinned as me. I have come to accept this. You are right - she is exceedingly lucky to have parents who are stable and willing to help her pay for college. It will all work out as it should.
We have a decision here, my son is taking his cowboy boots to Indiana. Go 
!
That’s definitely not in Texas!!
Even though many up here for some reason absolutely hate the Irish- great school! Congrats!!!
She is definitely lucky to have you! What an amazing story. She may not even realize it yet but she will!!
You’ve done a great job it sounds. Congrats!!
My son committed to ND last week!
Awesome! My son is so excited! Maybe they will end up randomly matched as roomies or in the same hall.
Officially committed with ownership of a Brown t-shirt and an official brown email address as of this afternoon. It’s been a long, long time since that 11/1/2020 app deadline. I’m so happy and so aware of how blessed and privileged we are to have this opportunity for S21. But for real, Brown doesn’t have a grandma shirt and this is going to create issues since they have a Papa Bear shirt for Poppa (what the kids call my dad and we have no idea why he’s let them call him this from the beginning since he’s such a traditional and strict Asian man to his own kids!). Little sister, D24, has already requested the links to the merch. The bookstore is closed to the public so the campus visit did not yield any swag purchase.
Congratulations! I can’t say I’m surprised though. I bet you are happy about it, too 