<p>How rampant and pervasive is Brown’s student liberalism? My D was accepted to Brown, but she is conservative and not politically active. She wants to study hard, have her friends, and a good time - but she just doesn’t have a political bent, nor cares to be indoctrinated into one. We read articles like the two below, and we are concerned about her fitting in, finding her niche:</p>
<p>I’m sure I’ve responded to at least one of the threads modest quoted, but that’s somewhat like me (moderate leaning conservative, not politically active at all). I’ve managed to make friends and haven’t felt forced into anything. Those who are the loudest are the ones you’ll hear most about, but that doesn’t mean we all care about politics or are either extremely liberal or extremely conservative. She’d find her niche, even if she may have to look a little bit.</p>
<p>Coming from a conservative at Brown, she’ll be fine. There’s a conservative magazine and Republican and libertarian student groups. Brown students may be overwhelmingly liberal, but most of the people I’ve encountered are either apathetically liberal or like to calmly discuss politics with others who have opposing views.</p>
<p>My question would be: how frequent are student demonstrations or protests on campus, as that could potentially make for an uneasy feeling of ‘not fitting in’ I would think (even if one on one people tend to be more tolerant of someone else’s views).</p>
<p>The frequency of protests – unless they actually shut down school functions – are irrelevant for the avg student. I attended a peer Ivy and there were lots of demonstrations re: Apartheid and the college’s policies. 90% of the student body just walked around the protestors. And those protests were much heated than anything today.</p>
<p>Colleges are easy whipping boys for some of the more conservative media. They want to inflame parents into feeling that their innocent kids will become brainwashed into the next Che or Nancy Pelosi. In reality, most kids are focused on their ECs and studies.</p>
<p>Over on the Yale forum, a parent expressed concern about “Sex Week at Yale” where there are various (and often lurid) events and “teach ins”. The reality is most kids just ignored it.</p>
<p>modestmelody-- I (and I’m sure others) am sick of you search function obsession. do you honestly think that no one else knows about it? you are being obnoxious and condescending.</p>
<p>this is a discussion forum… for discussing. either answer the person’s question or don’t reply. your stupid ‘use the search function’ posts are making this place more an archive than a forum.</p>
<p>thatsnotmy - modest is the king here. He has spent innumerable hours of his life answering people’s questions, and has written the definitive posts on many topics. He also is perfectly willing to post original material on a new topic when someone brings one up. He’s been here to see the same topics get discussed a million times. It makes perfect sense to repost those very good discussions, where people have already explored the issues. A lot of people find the reposts helpful and thank modest for them. You should learn not to bite the hand that feeds you.</p>
<p>Also, lots and lots of people don’t use the search function.</p>
<p>Anyway, as for being a conservative at Brown, your D will be just fine. No promises that she’ll come back as conservative as she arrived, but it won’t be because anyone forced liberal ideas down her throat.</p>
<p>Re: protests, there isn’t that much protest on campus.</p>
<p>I never knew it was obnoxious and condescending to answer someone’s question. </p>
<p>There are only a handful of people on this forum who are actual Brown students. Rather than leave a common topic unanswered or worse, answered by people in a definitive tone who have not spent more than an afternoon at Brown, I reposted many threads with the answer to this poster’s question. If I thought the answers had changed or there was a specific new angle to address I gladly would, but I feel I’ve already written quite a bit which remains accurate. More important, I think that others have written plenty which remains accurate beyond what I can say alone so posting those threads provides mine and many other accurate perspectives. </p>
<p>If you don’t like my style, don’t read my posts. I’ll be leaving for good in May anyway.</p>
<p>Me too…after which every high school student will assume Brown is full of lazy potheads who have to take every class pass/fail, the search box will acquire rust and kids will have no idea that 18 bazillion people have asked the same question they just did just last year and the year before (people applied to colleges before I did??), and someone will always no doubt be offended because they have to actually USE the internet to find information and can’t just ask Jeeves over here on CC to write (again) another few paragraphs up at said student’s will before some other HS student replies with some balogne list they found in the back of MAD magazine and point to it as God’s divine revelation.</p>
<p>modestmelody and wolfmanjack, the two of you can’t leave. You will both still have valuable advice even if you aren’t in Providence or at Brown. Plus, I just can’t answer all the questions without you!</p>