Colleges Assure Prospective Students That Protesting for Gun Control Will Not Affect Their Admission
Colleges nationwide are standing by their future students, as teenagers across the country demand stricter gun control laws in the wake of a deadly school shooting in Parkland, Fla., earlier this month.
The movement has been led and inspired by survivors of the shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who have in the following days and weeks organized rallies, protests and marches; met with President Donald Trump; and gone toe-to-toe with lawmakers including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. They have been joined in protest by young people across the country, prompting praise from former President Barack Obama.
As the ripple effect spreads across the country, colleges and universities from Boston to Seattle have assured prospective and admitted students that peaceful protesting will not affect their admission status.
Applicants to Brown: Expect a socially conscious, intellectually independent campus where freedom of expression is fundamentally important. You can be assured that peaceful, responsible protests against gun violence will not negatively impact decisions on admission to Brown.
— Brown Admission (@BrownUAdmission) February 23, 2018
Suffolk University supports civic engagement and thoughtful freedom of expression that brings light to important issues.
Engaging in peaceful protest, such as #MarchForOurLives or #NationalSchoolWalkout, will not negatively affect a student’s candidacy for admission.— Suffolk University (@Suffolk_U) February 23, 2018
Admission to BU will not be jeopardized should your school levy a penalty for participating in peaceful protests, such as the National School Walkout Day. See Dean of Admissions Kelly A. Walter's full statement here: https://t.co/Xikz3HkClJ @BU_Tweets #StudentsStandUp
— BU Admissions (@ApplyToBU) February 23, 2018
If you’ve applied or been admitted to Bucknell University and receive disciplinary action due to participation in peaceful protests, please be assured that it will not impact our admission decision. Questions? Contact us at admissions@bucknell.edu.
— Bucknell University (@BucknellU) February 24, 2018
High school students planning to walk out for gun control on April 20: We’ve got your back. Participation in the nationwide protest or other peaceful actions will not affect admission decisions. Full statement: pic.twitter.com/oFLjlZHb7u
— Univ. of Puget Sound (@univpugetsound) February 24, 2018
We want to reassure students who have applied or have been admitted to Northeastern University that disciplinary actions associated with participation in peaceful protests will not jeopardize your admission.
— Northeastern U. (@Northeastern) February 23, 2018
To the SU Class of 2022 & all future Redhawks: if you’re worried about a disciplinary action as a result of a peaceful protest, know that your admission to Seattle U won’t be impacted if you report it to us. #MarchForOurLives #SeattleU2022
— Seattle U Admissions (@SeattleUAdm) February 22, 2018
American University stands by prospective students engaged in peaceful and lawful protest. No student who is admitted or has a pending application will be affected by disciplinary actions arising from their right to protest.
— AmericanU Admissions (@AUAdmission) February 24, 2018
Three of Florida’s top universities — the University of Florida, the University of Miami and Florida State University — had up to Saturday remained largely silent on the issue. But in a statement provided to TIME, University of Florida spokesman Steve Orlando said peaceful protesting would likely not have an impact on admissions.
“Simply participating in a protest is not something UF would consider as a negative in the admissions process,” Orlando said. “Student conduct that leads to in-school discipline or is found to have violated the law are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
TIME could not immediately reach the other two schools for comment.
