Sorry, the title is a little misleading, but bear with me.
I love so many things about Oberlin–the campus (especially the environmental science building), the abundance of music, the involved-ness of most students, the winter term, the experimental college, etc. It seems like my dream school.
However. I live in Texas. I’ve lived my entire life in a tiny, very conservative town. My parents are conservative. All of my friends are conservative. I consider myself politically moderate, probably a little right of center, but I really don’t pay much attention to politics in general. I know that Oberlin is a very, very liberal school. Considering that I’ll already be hundreds of miles away from home, would the transition to that different of an environment be too difficult?
Second thing: I’m a Christian. I know there are Christian groups on campus. Have any of you been involved with those groups? Are they good? Do you feel like the members are growing spiritually? And is Oberlin as a campus very friendly towards religion? I’m okay with my faith being challenged, but I don’t want it to be destroyed.
I know it’s not the best advice, but I really recommend trying to visit. If you can’t, spend a week checking Oberlin’s yik yak. Obviously it’s an anonymous platform so it will differ slightly from what you would hear on campus but it’s a pretty good representation I think.
No one can know if the transition will be too much for you, except you. Saying you are conservative and christian describes most of the country to it is hard to know if you will be comfortable. You have obviously done research on Oberlin and know it’s a very, very liberal school, so I think it’s just up to how you feel about that. Do you want to be surrounded by people more similar to yourself or do you want to maybe be the odd one out? This election is crazy and if you say you’re a Trump supporter on campus you may get shunned, but I don’t think supporting being generally more conservative will lose you any friends.
Most people don’t seem to care about religion from my experience. The most outwardly practiced religion was Judaism, from my limited experience of religion on campus. Many students I’ve met were spirtual on some level, just not involving organized religion.
There is a bit of an Oberlin bubble collective mindset where a few loud minority opinions get assumed to be the default for everyone and, for any number of reasons, no one wants to rock the boat. I’m guessing you will not agree with most of these opinions, and I know I definitely didn’t when I was there, but it’s still a cool experience to be surrounded by tons of opinions you think are crazy but in the end make you a better person.
I would add that you should be in favor of gay and transgender rights, including gay marriage. You will find good Christian people there who believe in this.
@MissMichaela I am going to suggest an alternative based on what you say you love about Oberlin - have you considered St. Olaf in Northfield, MN? (about 45 minutes from the Twin Cities). It has a great music program, a commitment to energy sustainability on campus (doesn’t have the living machine but does have a giant wind turbine), and a structured January term, like Oberlin does. It also has very strong study abroad programs and it’s about the same size as Oberlin (2500-3000 students) It’s adjacent to a pleasant Midwestern town.
St. Olaf is going to be more moderate politically than Oberlin and it will be a welcoming environment for a practicing Christian. There will be non-Christians on campus as well as the campus is inclusive of all faiths (or none at all). I believe that the majority identify as Christian and participate regularly in faith-based activities. The college is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutherans; they are fairly open and tolerant - for example they support ordination of gay clergy and gay marriage.
It is very strong academically and does well placing its graduates in graduate school and medical school.
@MissMichaela, I also encourage you to visit. My son is a conservative Christian (conservative in theology, that is, but moderate in politics) who went to a very tight knit Christian high school. He is a sophomore at Oberlin.
It is a very left-leaning school, and the loudest voices on campus are the left-most, but there are plenty of people who don’t agree with them.
My son joined OCF, the school’s Christian fellowship, and attends a Methodist church in town with several other Obies. He loves the quirky nature of the school, as well as the serious scholarship. It’s sometimes hard to see just how serious it is, when the media reports on the ridiculous stuff like the recent protests about culturally appropriated chicken in the dining hall!
College is designed to change you and challenge your way of thinking. You should expect to be just a bit uncomfortable no matter where you end up, but you should also feel like you can make that place your home for the next four years.
Bravo to Massmomm! Oberlin has an evangelical background, and had a theology school until 1966, when it was spun off to Vanderbilt.I think part of the reason they did that, was to make it more secular, and not favor a particular faith. Oberlin students might certainly challenge your way of thinking, but you also learn by listening to many of the brilliant students and faculty there how to defend your position, and poke holes in the other’s side’s.thinking. You will grow intellectually a great deal by being there.
It is a left leaning school. I joke it put the “liberal” in liberal arts. But that being said, there are all kinds of people there. My D is a southerner and attends church and is happy there. Go visit.
It’s late to change your college decision, but if you decide to go as a conservative christian, you’ll have a very interesting time. I am on a similar boat as you. I’m a current freshman in Oberlin College, but strongly considering transferring, since I can’t voice my opinions. Also, I couldn’t tell you how many times people here judge you based on your beliefs and politics, no matter what your true character is. However, the christian community here is amazing. They are very welcoming and is one of the reason why I am able to keep bit of my sanity here.
I third (fourth? fifth? hehe) St. Olaf. It is more centrist than Oberlin politically and probably a higher percentage of students would describe themselves as Christians.
There are Christians on (no, i haven’t checked, but come on – the US is like 85% Christian…) every campus. You can find them, and organized groups help make that easier. You can obviously find churches in town and worship on Sunday. So you could make Oberlin work. There might be more socialistic dogma there than at any other school in the state of Ohio, and maybe the Midwest, but you can smile and nod through it if you don’t feel like arguing all the time. Just repeat: I support economic liberty over coerced economic equality. hehe
But in terms of being a Christian, it’s not like you’re in Iran or Saudi Arabia – you’ll keep your head.
