Going to college is a big change for any recent high school grad, including Jazz Jennings,
the star of the TLC show I Am Jazz.
But while we can't predict the future, we do have a pretty good picture of what Jennings'
life at Harvard might be like.
Here's what we know!
Getting accepted to Harvard is a dream that many aspire toward, but few attain.
"There is seriously, no amount of preparation can make you think that you would ever have
a chance to get into Harvard."
A whopping 43,330 students applied to be a part of the class of 2023, and just 1,950
were accepted.
At a 4.5 percent acceptance rate, it's a record low.
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, William R. Fitzsimmons, said in a press release,
"The Class of 2023 is remarkably accomplished and promising by any standard.
Reading their applications and getting to know these individuals through their unique
experiences and talents inspires great confidence for the future of Harvard College and our
society."
This makes Jennings' acceptance even more impressive.
She told People in early 2019 when she was still waiting to hear back on her applications,
"I'm hoping that they will accept me because it's definitely one of my top choices."
Jennings was also accepted to Princeton and Pomona.
Moving 1,300 miles away for college is going to be quite a change for this undergrad.
And the South Florida teen is probably going to need an entirely new wardrobe to get through
those Massachusetts winters.
Moving from a notoriously warm and sunny state to the Boston metropolitan area, which is
famous for its winter snowstorms, might just take some getting used to.
The weather might not be ideal, but the Harvard campus sure has its perks.
Aside from its reputation for excellence, first year life seems pretty idyllic.
Freshmen live in or adjacent to Harvard Yard where the dormitories are lined with trees.
Jennings will share a suite with other freshmen and eat in the first year dining hall where
she can get to know her peers.
Harvard is also home to the largest university library system in the world, perfect for a
bookworm like Jennings, who is already a published author.
"Alright lemme see if I can read this."
Like many incoming students, Jennings will be entering her freshman year without a major,
or, as they say at Harvard, a concentration.
According to Central College, 75 percent of American students either start off their collegiate
careers without a major, or change their major at least once, so Jennings is in good company.
By not pigeonholing herself right away, she'll be able to adjust to her new environment,
focus on her gen ed requirements, and thoughtfully choose the field of study she's most interested
in.
But there are some core courses at Harvard that all students have to complete.
Jennings will enroll in Expository Writing 20, and the school also recommends that all
freshmen sign up for a freshman seminar.
Seminars are offered in a variety of subjects from the humanities to the sciences and have
fewer than 15 students per class.
She will also need to demonstrate proficiency in a second language by the end of her second
year.
While she hasn't yet declared a major, Jennings does have some ideas.
She told People magazine,
"I'm thinking about gender studies.
Philosophy, maybe even Religion.
Communications, Journalism, Writing.
All those things."
It sounds like she has some narrowing down to do before finally settling on a concentration,
but Jennings' wide array of interests reflects what she wants to do after graduation: change
the status quo.
"I just wanted to be a girl, and live my life authentically, and be myself."
She told the outlet,
"What I want to do is really combat a lot of the social systems that have dictated our
societies for so long.
There's so many things that people don't even realize they are allowing to rule their lives.
I'm hoping I can just do what I can to help this world move forward to a more loving and
accepting place where we don't judge each other as much."
"I have had a lot of people come up to me saying that they are grateful that my family
has shared our story."
Those who identify as transgender can often become the easy target for harassment.
Trans adolescents in particular exhibit high rates of attempts on their own lives.
"On social media I see a lot of these comments that are just so negative, so cruel, and are
really hurtful.
I try not to look at them."
The fact that Jennings has openly documented her experiences and become a public spokesperson
for trans rights is proof of how deeply she believes in her truth.
She told Dazed,
"I think that a lot of people don't understand how much discrimination transgender people
actually face.
They think that we're just kind of saying it to put it out there and get sympathy, but
that's not true at all.
I wasn't allowed to use the girls' restroom.
I wasn't allowed to play on the girls' soccer team."
"If someone asked me why I used to be a boy and now I'm a girl, I would say that I have
a girl brain and a boy body."
In spite of the impact Jennings has already made in the world, there are still some who
are quick to criticize her and minimize her accomplishments, saying she was only accepted
to Harvard because of her celebrity status, according to the IBTimes.
There might be haters out there who don't think that Jennings will succeed at Harvard,
but this teen already graduated at the top of her class.
She posted her academic record on her Instagram story, proving she graduated number 1 out
of 113 and with a weighted cumulative GPA of over 5.4.
Jennings wrote,
"Try to tell me I didn't get in out of academic merit.
Yes, my advocacy and the show helped significantly, but my balance of that combined with my academic
achievements is what ultimately got me admitted.
I worked hard and I know that.
I have the right to be proud of myself."
Harvard is in a league of its own, but that reputation comes with an expensive price tag.
And it looks like Jennings' family will be paying for at least most of that, out of pocket.
While TLC doesn't disclose how much they pay their reality stars, The Squander estimates
that the Jennings family makes around $10,000 per episode.
They estimate Jennings' personal net worth at $200,000, and the family's net worth at
$5 to $10 million.
This total also includes the estimated $300,000 per year Jennings' dad makes as an attorney.
"In the course of the past decade, we've expanded the financial aid program in a way that has
been really revolutionary."
As of mid 2019, the cost of attending Harvard is just under $75,000 per year.
The school offers generous financial aid packages with roughly 70 percent of Harvard students
receiving some sort of assistance.
However, the school's net cost calculator estimates that, based on the Jennings' family
income, Jazz won't be eligible for aid through the school.
This doesn't mean, though, that the Jennings family is necessarily footing the bill for
her entire education.
Given her impressive academic record, it's quite possible that she's earned scholarships
that haven't been disclosed to the public.
One thing many undergrads look forward to in college is Greek life.
But Jennings won't be able to join a sorority.
While it's not unheard of for sororities to ban trans women from participating in their
organizations, the reason Jennings won't become a sorority sister is because sororities no
longer exist at Harvard.
Beginning with the class of 2021, members of single-gender organizations are banned
from leadership positions in Harvard student groups and ineligible for endorsement for
fellowships and scholarships.
School President, Drew G. Faust wrote in an email,
"Although the fraternities, sororities, and final clubs are not formally recognized by
the college, they play an unmistakable and growing role in student life, in many cases
enacting forms of privilege and exclusion at odds with our deepest values.
The college cannot ignore these organizations if it is to advance our shared commitment
to…making Harvard a campus for all of its students."
In 2018 the school's last sorority re-formed as a co-ed group.
Harvard is known for attracting people from all walks of life, including celebrities and
their kids.
The Ivy League school boasts one of the strongest alumni networks in the country, and Jennings
won't be the only famous face on campus when she starts school.
She'll join current Harvard student Malia Obama, as well as Grown-ish actress Yara Shahidi,
on campus.
Jennings will also have at least one famous person joining her in the class of 2023.
Fashion designer Kimora Lee Simmons announced in March 2019 that her daughter, Aoki Lee
Simmons, will be attending Harvard as well.
Simmons posted on Instagram,
"She's on her way to Harvard!!
We are sooo super proud of YOU!!
Such hard work and only 16.
You did it!
It took years of super dedication and lots of tears!
But HERE YOU ARE!!!
GO GIRL!!!
Enjoy the journey!
We are excited to see the great things you will do!"
"I live a very stressful life for a teenager, and food is just something that I just find
comforting."
College can be an incredibly stressful time for anyone.
And Harvard offers its mental health services to its students, at no cost.
"My eating habits are beyond my control."
Jennings has opened up about her binge eating disorder in the past, revealing in a 2018
YouTube video,
"You know, the past few months have been very difficult for me.
Ever since I got my license, I've had more freedom to go to restaurants."
Considering that Jennings blamed easy access to food for her weight gain, having mental
health resources on campus may help her pass on that infamous "freshman 15."
Considering that her family is Jewish, Jennings previously attended a Jewish day school.
Unfortunately, she was subjected to discrimination on campus.
Her parents had to convince the school to allow her to attend while presenting as a
female, although it would be years before the administration let her use the girls'
bathroom.
"I had to use the nurse's restroom, it was just disgusting, kids were vomiting, everything."
At Harvard, Jennings will not only be able to connect with the LGBTQ community but she
will also be able to get in touch with her Jewish roots.
The campus provides many resources for Jewish students, including several organizations.
Jennings will be able to celebrate Jewish holidays with Harvard Hillel and join one
of the prayer communities on campus; each one catering to a different branch of Judaism.
Jennings might also join the Jewish Women's Group or BAGELS, a group for students who
identify as Jewish and gay, lesbian, bi, or trans.
As fans probably know, the name Jennings is not the family's legal name.
They adopted the moniker to protect their true identity.
Jennings' mom Jeanette told the Miami Herald,
"Jennings is our pseudonym, to sort of make life easier.
We try to hide our real last name as much as possible.
Our last name is a very Jewish, long last name.
We found it easier at this point."
Harvard requires students to enroll under their legal names, although faculty and staff
call students by their preferred names.
Jennings' school ID will show some variation of her legal name, such as her initials, because
Harvard verifies a student's legal identity against government records.
One of the lesser known facts about Jennings is that she is an amazing singer.
She hasn't shared much of her impressive talent, but a YouTube video of her singing the opening
lines of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" prove that she has some serious pipes, even
though she does make light of her skills.
The reality star has talked about her love of singing before, telling Us Weekly,
"I sing constantly, and my song choices often reflect my current mood.
When I'm not singing, my family knows something's up."
"I sing around the house so much, and I annoy these people in my house, my brothers and
whoever's home."
While music isn't currently one of the areas of study Jennings is considering, she'll still
be able to make use of her talents.
Harvard is home to plenty of a cappella groups, and it's possible that we might see Jennings
join one of them.
While these groups are student run, there are also a number of choruses led by faculty
members that Jennings can participate in for college credit.
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