How Politics Influence Where Students Want to Go to College

One in four prospective students has ruled out certain colleges and universities because of the political climate of the states they are located in, according to a survey by the Art & Science Group. Students who describe themselves as liberal say they rule out states that are “too Republican” or have lax gun regulations, anti-LGBTQ legislation, restrictive abortion laws, or a lack of concern about racism. Students who are conservative reject states that they believe to be “too Democrat” or that have liberal abortion and gay-rights laws. Conservative students tend to avoid California and New York, while liberal students avoid schools in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. And one in eight high school students in Florida say they won’t attend a public university in their own state. According to a separate study, 60 percent of prospective students, of all backgrounds, say state restrictions on abortion would have at least some influence over where they choose to go to college.