WAMC - 1st Time Applicant, Trans-friendly schools?

[Tooru1578]

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Hi everyone, I am a first-time applicant that graduated undergrad in May 2024. I switched from pre-med to pre-vet during my 3rd semester of college and took a gap year to gain more veterinary experience. I am interested in public health/food safety & lab animal med but am also open to exotics considering the current administrations policies affecting those fields. I am Asian American, 2nd gen, and non-binary so I am wondering if the schools I chose are diverse/accepting or if I need to be careful considering the rise of anti-trans sentiment. I tried to choose schools based on affordability & ability to transfer degree out-of-country. Any advice would be much appreciated!

My list of schools:

• Ohio State
• Purdue
• Royal Vet
• UC Dublin
• Missouri
• Virginia-Maryland (In-State)
• Washington State

Cumulative GPA: 3.83
Science GPA: 3.80
Last 45: 3.93

Degrees Achieved: B.S in Biology
GRE: N/A

Veterinary Experience:

• (1450) Vet Assistant post-grad, worked at 2 small animal practices
• (9) Shadowing State Public Health Vet/Veterinary Epidemiologist for a day at the Virginia Department of Health

Animal Experience:

• (300) Nature Educator for a park (Native & rehabilitated wildlife aka Birds of Prey, snakes, turtles, etc) for a summer in college
• (750) Lab Animal Care (rodents, fish, frogs, & birds) post-grad
• (70) Rare Breeds Barn Volunteer (poultry, livestock, carriage horses) during the school year

Research Experience:

• (70) Undergrad sampling for ecology lab recording salamander populations

Awards/scholarships:

• Dean's List

Extracurriculars:

• (3 Years) Archery Club Treasurer
• (1 Year) Tea Society Secretary
• (2 Summers) Peer Advisor for Incoming Freshmen

Volunteer:

• (200) Remote Area Medical (assisting in providing free medical/dental/vision care to underserved populations)
• (40) Moveable Feast (making medically tailored meals for at-home recovery)
• (30) Chesapeake Bay Foundation (plantings trees, other environmental conservation efforts)

Employment:

• (3 Years) Chemistry Lab TA in college
• (1 Year) College affiliated Tutor in Bio/Chem/Phys in college
• (1 Year) Manager/Game Master at a Room Escape during gap year

LOR's

• Small Animal Vet
• Biology Research Professor
• Boss/Owner of Room Escape

Essay:
My essay will be focusing on my interest in One Health & how my religion (Buddhism) shaped my views on the worth of animal/human life.

Concerns:
Lack of diversity in veterinary experience. I am hoping to explain to admissions ppl that I lacked a mode of transport until post-grad and have been paying my own bills since then so I've had to focus on veterinary experiences that paid me.

 

[JaynaAli]

I think you’ve got good chances.

I personally don’t think you need to bother writing an explanation statement about a lack of transportation or needing paid positions; you have decent hours, so I don’t think you need any explanation. Sure, more diversity would be nice and that’s probably the only area I’d really suggest trying to improve, but 1400 hours at two places is great. These are not uncommon challenges, and I don’t think this explanation necessarily helps your app. I mean it probably doesn’t hurt either and others may not share my opinion, but I don’t think it’s necessary.

 

[pp9]

Yeah, I think you have good chances with your academics and hours. I also would not draw attention to the lack of diversity in your hours/why you feel that you don't have diverse hours. I think your academics will keep you in the ring for most of the process. If you don't get in this round, I would definitely try to expand your experiences though.

As for your concerns here

I am wondering if the schools I chose are diverse/accepting or if I need to be careful considering the rise of anti-trans sentiment.

In general, large universities/surrounding towns are liberal despite the states themselves being conservative (Indiana and Ohio, for example). The school itself is highly unlikely to be a problem, but you cannot choose your classmates. If a clinician were to cause an issue, that would be reportable to the university. If you have a crappy classmate, they're going to tell you to work it out unless that hypothetical classmate is actually harassing/threatening/etc.

We do have a lot of diversity here on the SDN boards and those willing to chime in might have better, more specific input. I am not familiar enough with foreign schools to comment.

 

[battie]

I tried to choose schools based on affordability & ability to transfer degree out-of-country.

If you mean transferable while you're in school, your biggest hurdle would actually be if there is anywhere to transfer to. If you mean following graduation, then where you go in the US, then where you go to doesn't matter. US degrees will be universally acknowledged as long as you pass boards since they are all accredited by the same accreditation body.

 

[indysadventures]

Hi friend - NB/Queer person here!

I think I actually ranted about this a few weeks ago on the rant page - the worry about choosing schools as a trans/NB person.

I applied this past cycle and definitely felt like my hand was forced a bit due to state policies. I'm also an historian by education and just get really jumpy in times like these, so I'm sure I probably fall on the "overreact" portion of the scale on this, but, here goes.... IMO, you have to choose what you feel comfortable with, especially as a targeted community. Ultimately, you will have to live with the day-by-day of your new home, and mental health in vet school is very important. But, it's also all relative - I would have been moving from a big metro area (Philly) and I think I would've found some places a hard adjustment. On the flip side, someone coming from a very rural place will probably find just about any college town to be welcoming and inviting. So, read everything below from the lens of - this is MY opinion and I'm sharing to hopefully help you, but I'm not saying that you're unsafe going to any of the schools mentioned.

I think that trans/NB folks have to be a lot more careful when it comes to "blue bubbles" in red states because we can't blend as well (or would need to alter our own outward appearance/identity in order to blend well). And that can be really traumatizing. I was really concerned with this - but I am risk-adverse, everyone's different - that I did not choose some schools for this reason or rescinded apps before decision (had to apply before the election, womp womp). I think that unlike many other people, those who have active negative legislation (e.g., trans/NB/immigrant/POC/disabled/etc,etc) affecting their lives should - if able - take such things into account. Blue bubbles don't have the restraining effect that they used to; it's not fear-mongering to say that.

I ultimately chose UMN for many reasons, including their support of DEI, as well as how clear it was that they were not only trans-friendly, but trans-inclusive. I've also been really impressed with the Twin Cities, I've never felt more welcomed as an NB than I have here, and I hail from Philadelphia/NJ (so, still a pretty "liberal" area). I really love it here.

So far, UMN made it really easy to make my preferred name and pronouns all that anyone sees, and it goes on every record - some schools I was at would have my name in different spots so I'd never know if I'd get called by my name or my dead name. UMN has also been the nicest school I've ever come across RE: my disabilities. Obviously nobody's perfect and I'm sure I'll have complaints over my time here, but all-in-all, I don't regret choosing - at least partially - based on where I'd feel safe.

Another school I can think of is Oregon State - I'm not sure about their treatment of enrolled students, but they had one of the most trans/NB-friendly application processes through their use of a portal - I actually got an acceptance from them with my real name on it! I also thought Tufts was pretty trans-friendly but they are so, so expensive at this point that I can't recommend with the "BBB" changes going into effect.

FWIW, I do think that you'd be competitive at UMN, but they're stupid expensive for OOS. If you are in a position where that doesn't matter as much, or if you apply and are accepted and given a scholarship, this could be a great school for you to consider. BUT, I know cost is really important - even more so now with all the horrible loan changes. So, applying to schools that will be more affordable should be top priority, as long as they feel safe for you.

Hope this is helpful!

TLDR: This will ultimately be a very personal decision for you, as it was for me. I think it doesn't hurt to apply wider and make decisions based on how the application cycle goes and what you learn about each school. YOU have to decide what you feel comfortable with. Wishing you nothing but safety and happiness!

 

[_rae_]

Not trans, but have a non-binary spouse. I ultimately chose UMN and feel they are very trans friendly, however they are expensive out of state.

Like indy said, it's ultimately a personal choice. And like pp9 said, MOST schools are going to be in liberal pockets. Having said that, I personally did not apply to Ohio. While I was not worried about the school itself, it is subject to state laws and regulations, which do not look good in Ohio right now. Their current state budget includes changing the definition of legal sex to biological sex.

I would personally feel similarly about Missouri. One of the doctors I worked with teaches there now and said she has no trouble as a gay woman, but again, you are beholden to the state; the school can only do so much.

I used the anti trans bill maps from the ACLU, HRC, and trans legislation to help me make a decision. These maps look VERY different, even from two years ago. Minnesota was light purple and is now the deepest darkest purple possible on the ACLU map.

ACLU - tracking active bills
HRC - tracking bills that actually passed
Trans Legislation - tracking everything

Hugs. Good luck. Nowhere right now is perfect, and only you know what you can handle for four years. It's normal and understandable to feel stuck and like you don't have the options your peers do. Happy to answer any questions about my decision making process.

 

[indysadventures]

Not trans, but have a non-binary spouse. I ultimately chose UMN and feel they are very trans friendly, however they are expensive out of state.

Like indy said, it's ultimately a personal choice. And like pp9 said, MOST schools are going to be in liberal pockets. Having said that, I personally did not apply to Ohio. While I was not worried about the school itself, it is subject to state laws and regulations, which do not look good in Ohio right now. Their current state budget includes changing the definition of legal sex to biological sex.

I would personally feel similarly about Missouri. One of the doctors I worked with teaches there now and said she has no trouble as a gay woman, but again, you are beholden to the state; the school can only do so much.

I used the anti trans bill maps from the ACLU, HRC, and trans legislation to help me make a decision. These maps look VERY different, even from two years ago. Minnesota was light purple and is now the deepest darkest purple possible on the ACLU map.

ACLU - tracking active bills
HRC - tracking bills that actually passed
Trans Legislation - tracking everything

Hugs. Good luck. Nowhere right now is perfect, and only you know what you can handle for four years. It's normal and understandable to feel stuck and like you don't have the options your peers do. Happy to answer any questions about my decision making process.

Better answer than me, Rae, I realized I waffled a lot. I struggle because I don’t want to dissuade people, but yeah, I ultimately didn’t choose Ohio State and withdrew from consideration from UGA because I knew I wouldn’t feel safe.

OP, as Rae said, no where is perfect, but the safest bets for Trans/NB will be states that have strong democratic leadership, or at least enough division to keep conservatives from taking the whole government. But in places where that happens, it’s not selfish to do what’s right for you, and it’s also very valid to be pissed AF about the state of the world that you have to worry about this at all.

From a trans/NB lens, I absolutely agree with Rae’s opinions about Ohio State and Missouri, and I should’ve given you a stronger answer in my first response. You have to ask yourself if you think you’ll succeed in states where your rights are literally up for debate. For me, that answer was no.

 

[CeeGee14]

I'll chime in about Ohio State. I can't speak about the vet school, but I went to undergrad here. OSU caved pretty quickly to the new ban on DEI; like pretty much the next week they had dissolved the Office of Diversity and Inclusion(ODI) and the Center of Belonging and Social Change(CBSC). They've also been getting rid of gender-neutral bathrooms.

Senate Bill 1 was also passed and that makes it so college professors can't lecture about anything that could be deemed, "controversial." So there goes all those classes on climate change and anything else political. Oh, and this bill bans faculty strikes.

I hate to rag on my alma mater, but they have really rubbed me the wrong way during my senior year. Maybe the vet school will be different, but I have a feeling they will have to comply with whatever bs the university orders them to do.

I will note there is a decent Asian population at OSU. I've personally never had to deal with racist remarks on campus.

 

[indysadventures]

I'll chime in about Ohio State. I can't speak about the vet school, but I went to undergrad here. OSU caved pretty quickly to the new ban on DEI; like pretty much the next week they had dissolved the Office of Diversity and Inclusion(ODI) and the Center of Belonging and Social Change(CBSC). They've also been getting rid of gender-neutral bathrooms.

Senate Bill 1 was also passed and that makes it so college professors can't lecture about anything that could be deemed, "controversial." So there goes all those classes on climate change and anything else political. Oh, and this bill bans faculty strikes.

I hate to rag on my alma mater, but they have really rubbed me the wrong way during my senior year. Maybe the vet school will be different, but I have a feeling they will have to comply with whatever bs the university orders them to do.

I will note there is a decent Asian population at OSU. I've personally never had to deal with racist remarks on campus.

Thank you for sharing this opinion, and I feel at least more vindicated in my choice to not attend tOSU (I was very partial to the vet school itself until the election and events of Jan 2025 onward). At least at the vet school, I had several people with personal experience tell me that tOSU was one of the most queer-friendly vet schools. But, I think that's been shattered.

I will say, I was closely watching all the schools response to the current regime's illegal DEI order, and at least tOSU held on to DEI (at least at the vet school) longer than CSU did. THAT shocked me. I was watching all of this super closely and I'm at least glad it went down before decisions had to be made. SB1 was actually the nail in the coffin for my possibly choosing tOSU.

I am so saddened by Senate Bill 1, and I think that bill was partially aimed to target tOSU so they couldn't fight back by just renaming stuff of subtly altering public-facing verbiage. Not that I think any school should do this, but I understand why schools in heavily red states would need to do so. That being said, SB1 literally destroys tOSU's ability to do ANY identity-based support and yes, interferes with teaching as well as faculty pushback. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see a mass exodus of qualified faculty at all levels at tOSU over the next few years. It's really a shame.

 

[mkg323]

Both Penn and PennVet have active LGBT groups and in a blue city, it’s just 1. Cost and 2. Are you comfortable living in a major city. In terms of blue bubbles in red states, I’d love to hear others opinions on NC State, I think you could role the dice there and it’s more reasonable than the likes of Penn regarding cost. Since its part of the triangle (Raleigh & NC State/Chapel Hill & UNC/Durham & Duke) I’d argue it’s a much much larger blue area than the likes of Ohio state or Purdue, but it is admittedly still in NC.

 

[pp9]

Nowhere right now is perfect, and only you know what you can handle for four years.

In terms of blue bubbles in red states

I feel like this is what it comes down to. Being a cis white female, I don't want to minimize concerns in any way or make it seem like I don't think they are valid - they absolutely are. There are some factors people use as 'dealbreakers' for a school that I think are a little silly but I don't think this is one of them necessarily.

With that said, If I'm counting correctly, there are only 10 blue states with veterinary schools. You would be limited to UC Davis, Oregon, Washington, UofI, Minnesota, Cornell, VMCVM, Long Island, Western, Colorado, and Tufts (let me know if I missed any). A decent list, but only UC Davis and Washington let you establish residency.

OP has great stats, so I don't think they are super limited in their school choices, fwiw. But they've only picked two blue-state schools and two foreign schools. You'd have to decide if you are wanting a specific school regardless of the political sentiment of that state, or if the sentiment will control where you apply. Those without high academic stats might find this list to be really limiting.

Plug for Michigan, which although has been a red state lately (hadn't been red since the 80's iirc), has an amazing governor. Unfortunately her second term is nearing the end though.

 

[battie]

But they've only picked two blue-state schools and two foreign schools.

And going to a foreign school does not guarantee acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons either. There are deeply conservative areas of other western countries that rival our red states. TBF, I'm super versed in the precise locations of those areas. But it brings out the point that even if you leave the country, there's no guarantee of acceptance

 

[JaynaAli]

Another cis straight white woman here who’s opinion on the topic at hand is worth very little, but along the lines of deciding what you’re comfortable with, don’t forget that even in the reddest of red states, there are still LGBTQIA+ communities and people who disagree with the prevailing politics in the state. I have multiple friends who are trans and nonbinary in my red state. I 100% understand why someone trans or NB or even just left leaning wouldn’t want to move here (hard to feel like your vote even counts when the whole state is gonna go red every time), but for those people who DO decide that the risks are worth the reward and are willing to go to whatever vet school takes them for those four short years, you’ll certainly be able to find at least a few likeminded folks who are accepting and supportive. I know my trans and NB friends have worries and fears and I’m not diminishing that at all, but they’re here, successfully living their lives. Definitely do some soul searching, thinking, and research, and go where you’re comfortable, whatever that looks like to you and your situation specifically.

 

[vampyrica]

I feel like this is what it comes down to. Being a cis white female, I don't want to minimize concerns in any way or make it seem like I don't think they are valid - they absolutely are. There are some factors people use as 'dealbreakers' for a school that I think are a little silly but I don't think this is one of them necessarily.

With that said, If I'm counting correctly, there are only 10 blue states with veterinary schools. You would be limited to UC Davis, Oregon, Washington, UofI, Minnesota, Cornell, VMCVM, Long Island, Western, Colorado, and Tufts (let me know if I missed any). A decent list, but only UC Davis and Washington let you establish residency.

OP has great stats, so I don't think they are super limited in their school choices, fwiw. But they've only picked two blue-state schools and two foreign schools. You'd have to decide if you are wanting a specific school regardless of the political sentiment of that state, or if the sentiment will control where you apply. Those without high academic stats might find this list to be really limiting.

Plug for Michigan, which although has been a red state lately (hadn't been red since the 80's iirc), has an amazing governor. Unfortunately her second term is nearing the end though.

UPenn is in the heavily blue part of PA. the entire state flips each election, but philadelphia, delco, montco, are generally very blue, accepting counties. the farther out of philly you go, the redder it gets, then you reach penn state and its blue, you leave penn state and its all red until you hit pittsburgh.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Throwing you a list.

PrideSVM - Pride Veterinary Medical Community

PrideVMC's mission is to create a better world for the LGBTQIA+ veterinary community that embraces wellbeing by being their authentic selves.

pridevmc.org

 

[pp9]

UPenn is in the heavily blue part of PA. the entire state flips each election, but philadelphia, delco, montco, are generally very blue, accepting counties. the farther out of philly you go, the redder it gets, then you reach penn state and its blue, you leave penn state and its all red until you hit pittsburgh.

Yeah, that's the blue bubble in a very red state though as you've said. The bubble does not always mean the state is offering legal protections to all groups of people, or not actively trying to repeal protections as we speak (UF is a great example of this, idk what PA is up to). I would encourage people to check who the current state governor is and see what their track record is, too. Again MI is currently a red state but the governor is a badass. Until she is out of office (and assuming a republican takes her place), students won't have to worry.

I do want to throw in the idea that if a school does not have a group/org within the vet school specific to LGBTQIA-identifying students, that doesn't mean they wouldn't support you. It just means someone needs to start the group. Schools don't start these clubs/groups, the students do.

And going to a foreign school does not guarantee acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons either. There are deeply conservative areas of other western countries that rival our red states. TBF, I'm super versed in the precise locations of those areas. But it brings out the point that even if you leave the country, there's no guarantee of acceptance

Totally fair. I'm not well-versed in the least, although my Canadian relatives are very concerned that they are moving toward a deeply conservative government as well (the only example I can speak to). Just speaking that into the void, because so many people want to go to Canada thinking it's a liberal paradise

 

[battie]

Totally fair. I'm not well-versed in the least, although my Canadian relatives are very concerned that they are moving toward a deeply conservative government as well (the only example I can speak to). Just speaking that into the void, because so many people want to go to Canada thinking it's a liberal paradise

My statement meant to say "not well versed" 🤦🏼‍♀️

 

[pp9]

My statement meant to say "not well versed" 🤦🏼‍♀️

But I always defer to you for political stuff! Man I always feel so privileged when I say this but I truly often don't know details of what's going on. You can be sure I'll disagree with anything that's happening right now, but I don't seek the info out. Might be a self-protection mechanism

 

[vampyrica]

Yeah, that's the blue bubble in a very red state though as you've said. The bubble does not always mean the state is offering legal protections to all groups of people, or not actively trying to repeal protections as we speak (UF is a great example of this, idk what PA is up to). I would encourage people to check who the current state governor is and see what their track record is, too. Again MI is currently a red state but the governor is a badass. Until she is out of office (and assuming a republican takes her place), students won't have to worry.

our governor is great! (ofc there’s things i disagree with) but he very much protects LGBTQ+ rights and ensured that abortion and reproductive health practices are legal and written into PA’s laws (i’m not sure what the official term is) PA is more purple than anything, but leaning on the bluer side. gov shapiro has sued the current administration multiple times and won to get promised funding for schools across the state!

 

[_rae_]

Totally fair. I'm not well-versed in the least, although my Canadian relatives are very concerned that they are moving toward a deeply conservative government as well (the only example I can speak to). Just speaking that into the void, because so many people want to go to Canada thinking it's a liberal paradise

Unfortunately Canada and many of the big European powers (UK, France, and Spain to name some heavy hitters) have seen a sharp increase in right wing influence borderline fascist ideology. What’s happening in America is not as isolated as people want to believe.

 

[mkg323]

our governor is great! (ofc there’s things i disagree with) but he very much protects LGBTQ+ rights and ensured that abortion and reproductive health practices are legal and written into PA’s laws (i’m not sure what the official term is) PA is more purple than anything, but leaning on the bluer side. gov shapiro has sued the current administration multiple times and won to get promised funding for schools across the state!

Just expanding on this, PA politically is like… a grosser version of a Boston creme doughnut. There’s this nice thick doughy perimeter of blue around the whole state where the major cities and towns are, and then when you go in the middle, it has red filling (this area is also referred to as pennsyltucky). You need to go far out of Philly to get any red. Kennett Square, where New Bolton is, is also very blue. So even if a student doesn’t want to live in Philly, the surrounding region in PA, even DE and NJ is also very blue, and plenty of students, myself included, commuted into Philly at some point in their education. Idk how things will look if the Delaware SEPTA regional rail line gets shut down, but Delaware is a very blue state especially the northern part. Our gov has quite strong protection and anti-discrimination laws for the LGBTQ community and heck, our representative is the first trans member of congress.

 

[vampyrica]

Just expanding on this, PA politically is like… a grosser version of a Boston creme doughnut. There’s this nice thick doughy perimeter of blue around the whole state where the major cities and towns are, and then when you go in the middle, it has red filling (this area is also referred to as pennsyltucky). You need to go far out of Philly to get any red. Kennett Square, where New Bolton is, is also very blue. So even if a student doesn’t want to live in Philly, the surrounding region in PA, even DE and NJ is also very blue, and plenty of students, myself included, commuted into Philly at some point in their education. Idk how things will look if the Delaware SEPTA regional rail line gets shut down, but Delaware is a very blue state especially the northern part. Our gov has quite strong protection and anti-discrimination laws for the LGBTQ community and heck, our representative is the first trans member of congress.

oh the septa buses 🥺

 

[indysadventures]

RE: Penn….. Philly is a great city and I love it very much. I will always be a Philadelphian at heart. PA has so much good, and Philly’s a huge part of that. Plus, PA is so heterogeneous that it’s unlikely to (easily) turn full red, but it does have concerning politics and policies and its politics have swung pretty far right since my childhood. (I mean where hasn’t but whatever.) I just wanted to share a bit of my thoughts regarding Pennsylvania as an NB queer person and because I’ve lived in four vastly different geographical areas within the state.

I grew up in rural central Pennsylvania and it’s honestly a pretty scary place for someone like me…….while growing up and even more so now. I think Penn is perfectly safe but I disagree a bit on how quickly that safety falls off (I think PA gets red pretty fast) and many cities like Harrisburg aren’t going to be as safe because of how deeply crimson the surrounding towns are. Having grown up in towns directly around it, I wouldn’t really call Harrisburg a blue bubble. Same applies to many of those mid-sized cities in PA.

PA has some deeply fissured politics and it’s a powder keg. While some protections exist, there are other critical legislative stop gaps that aren’t in place and thus many protections rely on a democrat staying in power as the governor.

I also am disgusted that UPenn destroyed their trans athletes records, including those of Lia Thomas, at the behest of the Trump admin. They wiped her from the division records and removed her accomplishments, even issuing an “apology” to those that lost because of Lia. I know some think that’s not a big deal but I think it very much is, and I wanted to make sure OP was aware of this. This may not be the vet school but if we complain about Ohio State and CSU getting rid of DEI, then in the interest of being fair, Penn deserves to be absolutely dragged for this. NPR article

Penn is also super expensive so unless OP is independently wealthy or gets a scholarship it could be tough to fund.

PA is a swing state yes but it has some huge problems in its rural counties and so, come the next gubernatorial election I really hope another democrat wins because I am genuinely worried for my home state otherwise. My stories of bigotry witnessed from K-12 in rural PA have often aligned with what friends and colleagues have reported in the Deep South. We call it “Pennsyltucky” for a reason.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

But I always defer to you for political stuff! Man I always feel so privileged when I say this but I truly often don't know details of what's going on. You can be sure I'll disagree with anything that's happening right now, but I don't seek the info out. Might be a self-protection mechanism

Just a minor pitch, with HPSA's blessing, I have built the Becoming a Student Doctor resource to give contemporary insight into the issues that will seem to define the future of US healthcare. It does include perspectives from the vet med community and is intentionally interdisciplinary though still focused on human medicine. We are releasing a new version and will publicize it soon.