▁largely ▁absent ▁from ▁her ▁ad oles c ence . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁age ▁ 1 2 , ▁she ▁began ▁thinking ▁of ▁converting ▁from ▁Ang lic an ism ▁to ▁Catholic ism . ▁For te y ▁wrote ▁to ▁Fr . ▁John ▁Henry ▁New man ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 6 , ▁asking ▁for ▁insight ▁into ▁whether ▁she ▁should ▁convert ▁to ▁Catholic ism ▁ ▁New man ▁respond ed , ▁advis ing ▁her ▁to ▁seek ▁direction ▁from ▁a ▁priest ▁nearby . ▁Though ▁he ▁initially ▁strongly ▁object ed ▁to ▁his ▁daughter ' s ▁conversion , ▁Henry ▁For te y ▁cons ented ▁to ▁allowing ▁her ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁Church ▁after ▁a ▁two - year ▁waiting ▁period . ▁After ▁her ▁conversion , ▁she ▁remained ▁in ▁correspond ence ▁with ▁Fr . ▁New man ▁and ▁met ▁him ▁in ▁person ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁ ▁Education ▁▁ ▁For te y ▁attended ▁Cl if ton ▁High ▁School , ▁before ▁studying ▁University ▁College ▁Br istol ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁Three ▁years ▁later , ▁she ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁chemical ▁scholar ship ▁and ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁London ▁B . Sc . ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁ear ning ▁hon ors ▁in ▁experimental ▁physics ▁and ▁chem istry . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 6 ▁after ▁ear ning ▁her ▁degree , ▁she ▁was ▁granted ▁an ▁Associ ates hip ▁of ▁University ▁College , ▁Br istol ▁and ▁Ex hib ition ▁Science ▁Research ▁Sch olar ship , ▁en abling ▁her ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁research er . ▁