Simplifying the College Selection Process: Tools for a Clear View of Campus Culture
Choosing a college has become more complex as students now consider factors such as bans on diversity initiatives, critical race theory, and state laws affecting voting and LGBTQ rights. USA TODAY and The Hechinger Report have created the College Welcome Guide, which provides information on state laws and institutional policies that impact students. The guide also includes data on racial and gender diversity, hate crimes, free speech rankings, and support for students from rural areas. Students are increasingly ruling out colleges based on the political climate in certain states, with liberal students avoiding Republican-leaning states and conservative students avoiding Democrat-leaning states. The culture wars have led to students feeling unwelcome, uncomfortable sharing their views, and questioning their sense of belonging on campus. The impact of these trends on college enrollment is yet to be fully understood, but early surveys suggest that they are having a significant effect.
