<p>Would you suggest that he play up his conservative side in the admissions process via app or essays? I feel this may add to some diversity on some of the campuses but also don't want it used against him. Is there a general feeling about this? Thx</p>
<p>WhaT do you mean by conservative? And why is that relevant? does he conserve? To me conservative can mean a whole lotta things, and liberal school? What do you mean by that?</p>
<p>Do you mean politically conservative or socially conservative? (If politically, why is he applying to the opposite end of the spectrum when there are plenty of schools that are balanced in this regard?). I guess either way, I wouldn’t write something so procovative that it irritates the admissions counselor in whose pile his application ends up.</p>
<p>This is dependent on circumstances. There is no general rule.</p>
<p>I disagree. He should be who he is and if this is important to him, he should include it - no matter what flavor of conservative he is - social, economic, political, etc… Most schools value political diversity. They know it enriches classroom and dorm discussions so I think it helps to differentiate him and shows how he can add value. If the school doesn’t value it, then he probably wouldn’t be happy there anyway.</p>
<p>The bigger question for your S is whether he wants to attend a school where he will frequently have to articulate and defend his views. He also risks being stereotyped. On the other hand, if he enjoys the challenge, there is no reason for him not to apply where ever he wants to go.</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn’t. Do you <em>really</em> think that’s the kind of diversity the school is looking for? And I’d say the same thing if the question were different, a liberal student applying to a conservative school. There’s nothing wrong with it, but there is such divisiveness in the country right now, particularly with the election coming up (if your student is considering ED/EA).</p>
<p>What makes you think a liberal (or conservative) school wants political diversity? They’re not as open minded as you may think.</p>
<p>I don’t know that there’d be any advantage to playing up the politically opposite viewpoint and there could be a real disadvantage since the individual app readers (let’s not forget it ends up coming down to an individual or just a small number of individuals) might well let their own biases get in the way and work to your S’s disadvantage.</p>
<p>Rather than trying to leverage this I think he’d be better off avoiding a politically charged essay altogether or if this is fundamental to what he wants to write in his essay (ex: maybe he spent a lot of time volunteering for some political causes) just use the same essay regardless of the leanings of the institution rather than playing to diversity.</p>
<p>Yes, a working definition of conservative in the OP’s kid’s case will definitely help. </p>
<p>To radical political/social right-wingers, many or even most mainstream universities may be “too liberal” for their tastes. </p>
<p>Likewise, radical political/social left-wingers may regard the same universities as being “too conservative” for their tastes. </p>
<p>Saw countless examples of this IRL from various acquaintances/friends.</p>
<p>Some schools do want political diversity. Others want it as long as it’s consistent with overarching college values. For example, I definitely would not tell Vassar or Oberlin that you oppose gay civil rights. But I can come up with lots of scenarios where this might be a good strategy. An essay for Yale or Brown about being an economically conservative feminist man? That might be a very interesting angle.</p>
<p>I think it can work in your favor, though you have to be skillful how you go about it. Few people like “in your face” politics, regardless of the ilk.</p>
<p>Some liberal colleges embrace diversity on campus, as long as you can justify your position.
College isn’t about staying inside the bubble 100% of the time.</p>
<p>It depends on what you are conservative about. Conservative to the libertarian/ conspiracy theorist side may be a little risky.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t write the essay based on what he thinks might get him in. Write it based on what’s really important to him. </p>
<p>Of course I don’t know, but I’d bet that colleges take whatever a 17-year old says with a grain of salt. I think they focus less on the message than on the quality of the thinking behind the message.</p>
<p>This is no longer the 60’s. Even that bastion of radical leftist LAC-dom, Oberlin, has a Ronald Reagan lecture series and has hosted the likes of alumna Michele Malkin ('92) and Karl Rove. Berkeley’s Sproul plaza is probably 60% tables touting Conservative Christian fellowship groups. It is not that uncommon these days for kids to be politically or socially conservative, Given the thousands of applications all schools are now getting, I wouldn’t assume a right leaning essay would be particularly unusual.</p>
<p>Ditto on writing about what is important to him. Never try to “game” the system. Likewise the terms conservative and liberal are very relative. There will always be a minority opinion at any school. It would be great for him to go to a school where he has to truly think about his views. Some great learning goes on after hours when discussing with friends/aquaintances.</p>
<p>Am I liberal or conservative? Hmm… I want to preserve the rights et al the so called conservatives want to take away… Everything conservative was once considered liberal…</p>
<p>Actually, unless things have changed, applying as a conservative may actually benefit an applicant to Oberlin back in the mid-late '90s. On the other hand, I’d be wondering if he/she’d be willing to go through 4 years of being surrounded by a student culture where anyone who’s Green or further to the right is considered “too conservative” and where openly in-your-face argumentative debating style is encouraged. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I heard from several more recent alums that Oberlin has really mellowed out since…which has caused many older alums to complain in the alumni mag and in my presence that Oberlin’s becoming “too mainstream” and has “lost its identity” as a safe haven for those whose politics are far to the left end of the US political spectrum. </p>
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<p>A minor quibble here, but all the Oberlin and mass media sources I’ve read said she was class of '90.</p>
<p>Harvard and Yale have always had lively Republic and Libertarian clubs. I suspect most other supposedly “liberal” universities are similar. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to write an essay about being conservative, but there’s certainly no harm (and probably a plus) to have worked for Romney or something similar. These schools really are looking for diversity.</p>
<p>I don’t really think politics need to come in to play in essays. I just think there should be much better ways to define yourself. </p>
<p>I definitely wouldn’t hide it if you’ve interned for a campaign or something like that. And if you’ve done something that is liberal or conservative and it’s something that’s meaningful to you, then absolutely include it. If that volunteering or internship opportunity is essay worthy on its own, then by all means, have at it! But I don’t think that explaining your position on abortion or something in an essay is going to be at all relevant or meaningful to the adcom.</p>
<p>Your essay certainly should not be arguing one side of a political issue. But there are kids out there for whom some aspect of politics is part of who they are. I have seen good essays about being the lone X in a family of Y’s, and that sort of thing.</p>