For many students, choosing where to attend school after high school has been shaped by a variety of factors, including academic programs, the cost of attendance, location and campus life. However, with recent political instability in the United States, another variable has become part of the conversation; political affiliation.
Some students, who are in the process of applying and making college decisions, are beginning to question whether the political environment surrounding an institution should influence where they choose to attend.
In an article published Oct. 25, 2025, Ben Unglesbee breaks down many of the institutions that have struck deals with the current Trump administration regarding topics ranging from Diversity and Equity (DEI) to frozen funds. Columbia University, Brown University and the University of Virginia are just a few of the many schools that have been accused of pandering to the current, leading political party.
However, the questioning from critics following these public agreements is not about whether a specific college officially identifies with one political ideology. Instead, students are examining the educational impacts that could affect their higher education process when attending these schools. Federal and state initiatives related to diversity, curriculum and academic governance all have the ability to influence what universities prioritize for their students.
Senior Quiniska Thompson, who graduated from PV a semester early to focus on college applications, is concerned about getting the same education she was promised from some universities. “I want to go to a school that I know is objective on all fronts, so seeing colleges that I have been accepted to folding for a certain party or not protecting their students’ right to protest makes me less inclined to move forward with their program. I just want to be provided the best education I can get,” said Thompson.
However, besides just the concerns of individual education, some students are viewing their selections from an ethical perspective, and making their pick based on whether they will feel morally correct attending the school of their choice.
Junior Addie Trees is currently experiencing this internal dilemma with a few of the universities that she once would have dreamed of attending. “I believe that if a college doesn’t agree with what I have to say and their message and values don’t align, then why am I spending so much money to go?” Trees posed.
But, while some students are reconsidering colleges based on the political environments they perceive on campus, the conversation about politics in higher education does not end there. Questions are also being raised about whether colleges themselves are evaluating students through a political lens too.
Many high school students maintain active social media profiles, making admission offices have increasingly more access to information about applicants than just their transcripts. Public posts, political activism and controversial statements can become a big part of a student’s digital footprint, which raises concerns for some applicants on how their views could be interpreted during the admissions process.
“I feel like I’m vocal in my beliefs…it’s important to speak out when our country faces challenges.” Trees stated before she shared that she had “never considered the idea that [online activism] could get me deferred from universities, but as I began to hear about some colleges looking into things like that to make admissions choices, I didn’t [know if I should] feel differently about using my voice.”
This idea creates a complicated balance for both students and schools. On one hand, universities have always seemed to want students who are thoughtful, engaged citizens when it comes to contributing vocally to campus life. On the other hand, the heavy, public nature of political expression nowadays is causing inquiry about whether that same engagement may help or hinder a student during the application process.
As politics continue to evolve and shape how students view institutions, the reverse of that dynamic opens up a broader conversation surrounding the process of college acceptance. For many PV students, the question is no longer just which schools align with their values, but also if their opinions could influence how schools evaluate them moving forward.
