When it comes to how students feel their schools treat all people equally — regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression — one Georgia university is worth recognizing: Decatur's Agnes Scott College.
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The private liberal arts women's school ranked among America's 10 most LGBTQ-friendly universities for the second year in a row, according to The Princeton Review's annual report.
The 2019 "Best 384 Colleges" book, which features survey data from 138,000 students at 384 schools, contains 62 different rankings, including best quality of life, most beautiful campus, top party schools and most LGBTQ-friendly.
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Both the LGBTQ-friendly and most LGBTQ-unfriendly rankings are based on how strongly students agree or disagree with the statement: “Students treat all persons equally, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”
Of the 20 schools on this year’s LGBTQ-friendly list, Emerson College in Boston earned top honors, followed by Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island’s Brown University.
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Agnes Scott College came in at No. 4, a jump from its laudable 2018 spot at No. 7.
According to the Princeton Review, the Decatur college offers annual Safe Zone training for faculty and staff to encourage an emotionally and physically safe atmosphere for LGBTQIA students and administrators.
The university believes that “through education, community resources, and ally training, we will promote understanding and support to students, faculty, and staff.”
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“Many words come to mind when I think about my peers, but the one that best embodies everyone is warmth,” one student said about her experience. “Whenever I need help, my peers are continuously there for me, to answer questions and support the decisions I make. I never feel alone.”
In addition to the diversity within trans and non-binary individuals, students at the college are known to represent “many different nationalities, religions, political opinions, and backgrounds.”
Here are some other rankings where Agnes Scott scored high marks, according to the Princeton Review’s 2019 “Best 384” collection:
- Great town-grown relations: No. 8
- Best alumni network: No. 12
- Stone-cold sober: No. 15
- Most active student government: No. 16
- Best classroom experience: No. 18
The 10 schools considered among America’s most LGBTQ-friendly:
- Emerson College (Boston)
- Bryn Mawr College (Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania)
- Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island)
- Agnes Scott College (Decatur)
- Mount Holyoke College (South Hadley, Massachusetts)
- Warren Wilson College (Asheville, North Carolina)
- Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, New York)
- College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, Maine)
- Sarah Lawrence College (Bronxville, New York)
- Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (Needham, Massachusetts)
And the 10 most LGBTQ-unfriendly:
- College of the Ozarks (Point Lookout, Missouri)
- Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah)
- University of Tennessee-Knoxville (Knoxville, Tennessee)
- Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama)
- Grove City College (Grove City, Pennsylvania)
- Baylor University (Waco, Texas)
- Gordon College (Wenham, Massachusetts)
- Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois)
- Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa)
- Providence College (Providence, Rhode Island)
Explore more from the “Best 384” list at princetonreview.com.
