Thank you! I had not seen this. Wow. What great advice from so many people here! Thanks! I do think a lot of these programs are in states that are actively being pretty unfriendly to trans people. So, I don’t know. But I have never heard of this before.
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I actually did this when we started to tour colleges. I met with the LGBTQ centers. But, honestly, my kid didn’t care. I think she did not want to live exclusively with LGBTQ+ people. She doesn’t like the idea of that being her main identity. But I had the same thoughts.
Honestly, pretty much all of the colleges we would consider are quite LGBTQ friendly…even ones I didn’t necessarily think would be. But I DO love the living/learning communities some schools have–not just for being LGBTQ, but for ALL kinds of things. I think they would really help students make friends.
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If your kid isn’t sold on engineering, you can take School of Mines off your list. It’s all engineering. But actually when reading your daughter’s interests, I think engineering might be a good fit but not a traditional field of engineering. Maybe Industrial Design or something like that? I’m a civil engineer and I chose engineering because I liked the intersection of math and science but didn’t really enjoy my math classes in high school and only a few of my science classes, chemistry I did enjoy. I minored in English because I found that was where all my electives were so it didn’t take much extra to get the minor. And now I head up the marketing dept for the engineering firm where I work and have long given up design!
Thanks! Yes. I think I’m still hoping she might be interested in engineering if she learns more about what it actually involves. Pretty much all of her favorite classes have been STEM classes, and then she also really likes art. I feel like engineering is the practical application of science as opposed to pure theory? But I’m not a science person. I’m hoping she’ll go to this day long program about engineering, and then, if she still thinks it’s not for her, those will come off the list.
Hi - My high stats D21 (or should I say They-21?) loved all the women’s colleges and ended up at Bryn Mawr with a large merit award. She also got substantial merit at Mount Holyoke, Smith, Sarah Lawrence and one more I can’t now remember (time heals all wounds lmao). Some friends also got merit at Scripps but she did not . She found all of these schools to be very queer-friendly, but not overly so . She has all types of friends studying all types of things and finds the school and classes very challenging, interesting and just an overall great place to go to school. She really loves the profs and says they are really engaged with the students. The proximity to Philly is a huge plus-factor for her (medical issues) as well as near enough to a major airport and train lines. All in all it’s been a great fit and I would highly recommend taking a closer look.
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It probably matters for your very first job (professional success is about connections/network). Beyond that, it’s what you can deliver…
Thank you! I think we’re going to go visit in April along with Swarthmore and Haverford, since they are right there. I also saw Ursinus is close, so I could add that for variety. I am a little concerned about being a trans woman at a woman’s college–not because I think she would be alienated–since I know these schools are very liberal–but more so honestly with dating, if she ever chooses to do that. I think being closer to a big city would give her more options, if she ever takes that leap. But they seem like great places to be if you’re a woman and/or queer and into STEM. I like that Bryn Mawr seems like it’s a little less competitive, and that it’s pretty close to Philly. I spent a summer at Mount Holyoke, and it was kind of in the middle of nowhere.
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Today, school published the 2023-2024 school calendar…for the last year that my ODD is going to be in high school.
IT’S GETTIN’ REAL, Y’ALL! I’M NOT READY!
Our school has trimesters. Seniors take these ‘capstone’ classes only during trimester 1 & 2. Trimester 2 in 2024 ends on 2/9.
OMG…you know what that means…D24 is going to be done with all of her regular HS classes just a smidge over a year from now. Then in trimester 3, they all do senior projects/internships on whatever topic they want. Then they do a final presentation on their project/internship by mid-May.
IT’S SO CLOSE! And so far away.
I’m ready…and not ready…all at the same time. 
We already have out of town relatives asking when is the graduation ceremony (I have no idea but yeah, I asked today).
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Wow 2/9/24 is not far at all.
100% feel the same about It so close and So far away part.
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D24 completed her second MP today and barely got any sleep in the last 2 weeks between her drama club and other ECs, insane amount of MP2 tests/assignments while dealing with cough/running nose/sore throat. She is totally exhausted and went to bed at 5PM trying to catch up on her 
Doesn’t want to get up for dinner.
Tomorrow is another day and another MP to deal with
First semester officially over today and still not settled on next year’s classes. S24 wants to take AP Bio and AP Physics C, AP Calc BC, AP LIt and Honors FL4 and Honors History (class that kids take in our school after APUSH) along with orchestra. I am hesitant to have him take the two science classes. Guess this is his first time making these decisions and have to let him go with it.
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Also working on next years schedule. She has less that two weeks to decide. Difference is, my D24 wants to take drawing and painting 2, drama, choir and 3d modeling. She threw in AP Stats and AP gov only because they are required. luckily the school has block scheduling and there are 8 classes for the year, so she will have to pick an English class also. When you add ASL 4 through duel enrollment it’s a reasonable schedule, but definitely not the most strenuous.
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Do you have kids who are not motivated to prepare for SAT/ACT? My kid has 1-1 tutor too but she doesn’t do the homework. They just ask her do one passage per day but that’s not working out too. Otherwise kids is doing well with the school and other ECs but usually a last minute person and as a mom I am getting really tensed. Any tips or experiences to feel little relaxed?
Not sure if this approach/thought process is applicable for most people, but this is me.
With DS2022, he’s a GREAT test-taker, and high stats, so he was definitely reaching for the Ivies/Elites (for deep pocket financial aid), so the push was to get perfect ACT 36 (which he did superscore).
So he worked hard prepping ACT (taking an entire ACT or PSAT -chased NMF - every Saturday at home), understanding what was at stake.
But DD2024 is not a great test-taker, and not like big bro academically, so she’s definitely NOT reaching for the Ivies.
While high SAT/ACT would be helpful, there are many colleges that are test-optional.
==>> So my approach with DD2024 is to just do her best, and build upon her strengths (Reading section instead of the math).
Every Saturday, she takes 1 section of the ACT (as I proctor). Following week, she goes over the wrong answers and the tutor helps explain where she went wrong if she didn’t understand the problem.
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What is his intended major?
No Computer Science class?
Does he have a Fall sport?
Hard to juggle 4 AP, Fall sport, and applying to college Sept-Jan.
My DS2022 had similar load, no Fall sport (yes Winter sport), but writing 38 application essays nearly killed him while keeping A+ in his classes, with ECs and part-time job.
@huango, I think my story is exactly the same as yours. Older one is very motivated and was a NMF too. Close to perfect ACT but having hard time with the younger one. I don’t think it’s the issue with her test taking strategies at this point, it’s just that not putting effort to practice and she is not understanding the importance of it take it off from her plate.
Being a last minute person, I am not sure if she’s going to spend time at least in Summer. As I have totally 2 different personalities, I am getting tensed. the older one finished it in sophomore year itself.
That’s a heavy 4AP to do, but if it is somewhat typical for the top students at his school then I bet he will be fine! That grouping is done at our school and the organized kids seem to do ok. APBio is somewhat easier/less homework at our HS though, so it pairs better with physC than brutal Chem for example, which no one seems to do in tandem with PhysC(top kids usually do APChem in 10th, after HonChem in 9th). If your school’s APBio is a huge workload it may be tough with PhysC.
D23 has doubled in science almost every year of HS but had PhysC/BCcalc/Lit/HonBio in 11th, so her senior year is “just” APBio plus post-AP maths and the rest of her Hon/AP to total 7 courses. She had an easier time this fall than the classmates who have the PhysC as a senior(one of our hardest courses) with a second science, though her application essays were a lot, basically an 8th class(she had far more essays than D21, well over 50), plus performing arts 20 hrs a week.
So that is my big issue with it, the extras. He will be auditioning for BM instrumental performance programs and attends a precollege program for 8 hours on saturday. His course load of APUSH and AP lang and all other honors classes (which are required before AP at our school) has been easy for him but he will continue to do 20-30 hours of music a week and some weeks more! There will also be missed days for audition weekends. The kids in our school that are struggling with AP bio are also struggling with APUSH or are not in the class and he has not had an issue with the course work for that class so he is not concerned. Physics and math this year have been easy so he is not concerned about understanding. I am concerned about the cumulative issue but the 16 year old brain is not totally up to that!I guess it is up to him!
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D24 is not motivated at all to prep for SAT/ACT. Doesn’t really matter how much I bug her about it. So for us, some schools that have holistic admissions and don’t require test scores are ideal.
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I bet he can do it. I agree I think the conceptual difficulty with physics and math would have shown up already, and he is breezing through. He seems like he has been a very strong student, and must be very organized & efficient with the outside music hours. I honestly think the outside commitments for years help them learn time management. Especially in the “big” rehearsal seasons–mine is gone all day Saturday and parts of Sunday, plus every weeknight home around 8-9. It’s just what she is used to, for many years, and it sounds like he is too. She had arts supplements (learn solos then record) which also added a lot of hours this fall, but she did not audition anywhere. I really do not know how these kids do it. Good luck to him!
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