For 13-year-old Alena, receiving acceptance to the University of Alabama (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine through an early assurance program was a dream come true. Alena, whose passion “is to create a space for girls of color in STEM” and some might call a prodigy, is already dual-enrolled in bachelor’s programs (and on full scholarships) at Oakwood University in Alabama and Arizona State University. UAB is on her list of top medical schools.
It might be too bad for UAB. “Right now, if the leaked decision stands, I would not consider going to school in a state where abortion is against the law,” Alena, tells Teen Vogue. “This matters to me.” (Alena, a minor, preferred to only use her legal first name).
She’s not alone. The Supreme Court’s intention to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion legislation that has been law for almost 50 years, will transform so many aspects of daily life in the United States. One will likely be college enrollments. Young people who can get pregnant may reconsider going to school in places where abortion is banned or severely restricted. The choice will likely be particularly agonizing for low-income students, who are less able to afford to travel to seek care in states that still provide the procedure.
