I'm a high school senior, and will be entering college in fall of 2015. I  haven't started testosterone yet, but I believe I have found a center (Planned Parenthood) which offers informed consent allowing me to start T straight away. I plan on going on my birthday, which gives me around 2-4 months before college starts. Although I would be enrolling with my birth name and sex at birth, since I have to start applying for colleges now, I would like to attend classes incognito (if my instructors don't end up exposing me). Hopefully hormones will make decent progress by then, and I'll have my name changed (do I just e-mail school of the change, and will they change it?). Anyways, I believe I have to be on hormones for at least 3 months before my prescribing physician/endocrinologist will write me a letter saying I had irreversible sex change treatment to get my gender markers changed. Or would it be easier if I delay enrolling in college to get my legal documents fixed rather than changing it while enrolled? Like, while enrolled and I get all my documents in check, do I just e-mail my school of the changes and would they compliantly have my school records/documents changed?

I plan on getting my documents changed in this order, or would it be more beneficial and easier, after getting my name changed, to request a gender marker change for SS?

-Getting a name change through court order
-Getting name change on drivers license
-Getting gender marker changed on drivers license
-Getting gender marker + name changed on social security
-Getting birth certificate fixed

Also, during the court order when requesting a name change. Do I have to say it's because I'm transgender and plan on transitioning? Or could I just say I want a name change...just because? Since court orders are made public, I would prefer not disclosing the information for the public to see.

QuoteI plan on getting my documents changed in this order, or would it be more beneficial and easier, after getting my name changed, to request a gender marker change for SS?

-Getting a name change through court order
-Getting name change on drivers license
-Getting gender marker changed on drivers license
-Getting gender marker + name changed on social security
-Getting birth certificate fixed

Also, during the court order when requesting a name change. Do I have to say it's because I'm transgender and plan on transitioning? Or could I just say I want a name change...just because? Since court orders are made public, I would prefer not disclosing the information for the public to see.

The court order for name change is required for your college or any other place to change your name on documents. You may talk to the school and request to be called by a 'prefered' name. They may or may not honor it.

Requesting a gender change for SS is easier than when I did it but it will take a letter. You can easily change the name and the gender doesn't show on the card so few will even be able to use it to find out.

The rules for birth certs vary by state so I can't help with that one  without knowing what state you are in. Same for your DL except that the court order will work for changing your name on your DL.

When it comes to why you want to change your name, you can simply say common use or because you like it or common use or whatever. The public record part doesn't normally include why you changed it.