<p>I'm assuming it's liberal leaning but I am considering going to PSU for Political Science and I am certainly a conservative. How will I be treated? Will my grades suffer? </p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>Most schools are liberal learning anymore - however I think there’s a lot of conservatives on campus.</p>
<p>Actually it is probably the opposite at Penn State. </p>
<p>A lot of students come from the upper-class areas of the I-95 corridor. Usually people of upper class origins tend to gravitate to the right.</p>
<p>However, these are just predictions. If anyone does not apply to my assumptions, please don’t get offended.</p>
<p>Penn state UP lies in a pretty conservative county, but has been gravitating to the left in the past 10 years.</p>
<p>2000: Bush 52%, Gore 43%
2008: Obama 55%, McCain 44%
2012: Obama 49%, Romney 49%. Actually, incredibly close in this county. 20 votes separate the two (Romney win) with 67000 votes tallied in Centre County. </p>
<p>I believe that the university itself is pretty liberal, but the immediate surrounding areas are pretty conservative.</p>
<p>Ya well Rick Santorum basically trashed the school for saying he had to fight professors tooth and nail when he attended the school which has put a little bit of fear into me in going there. I can hold my own but when the cards are stacked the cards are stacked.</p>
<p>When our son was starting PSU in '09 we actually talked with him about this–told him he’d likely have a lot of liberal professors. Well, we were wrong–most of his have been more conservative. Go figure! (One of his minors is in political science)</p>
<p>^ Hmm wow well that’s good to know. I guess it varies. At least it sounds like its only slightly left leaning and not ultra leftist to the point where I’d be ridiculed and deducted points on papers.</p>
<p>Don’t worry, I doubt there will be any black bloc protests in the middle of Happy Valley. Penn State seems like a fairly moderate, mellow place. </p>
<p>Visit Swarthmore sometime. Any place else will seem like a conservative haven in comparison.</p>
<p>AJF2AJF2 - Penn State is hardly a liberal bastion. I knew students who were very conservative and I never heard a complaint about not fitting in, mistreatment by professors, etc. It is a large state school that draws from a wide range of socioeconomic levels. You will find what you are looking for.</p>
<p>Pennsylvania is a little unusual with two big (blue) cities and a whole lot of rural (red) in between. The borough of State College is a small blue dot in the middle of all the red but even the surrounding townships have right leanings. The students come from all areas and seem to be a pretty fair mix.</p>
<p>I think (though someone may correct me) that beyond the very highest economic levels education is a better predictor of political beliefs than income, with higher levels of education leaning left. This would also apply to the “I-95 students”. It would also explain why the area adjacent to PSU would lean left as there is a very high percentage of faculty living there.</p>
<p>Just did a quick google and came up with this from the Chronicle of Higher Ed
[Education</a> Level Linked to Party Affiliation, Poll Suggests - Leadership & Governance - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“Education Level Linked to Party Affiliation, Poll Suggests”>Education Level Linked to Party Affiliation, Poll Suggests)</p>
<p><< education is a better predictor of political beliefs than income, with higher levels of education leaning left.>></p>
<p>LOL!!! DH would have a strong difference of opinion!!! :)</p>
<p>More seriously - yes, I think real academic types (professors, researchers) DO tend to lean left in general, but I think when you consider everyone with high levels of education - it’s probably split.</p>
<p>Among our friends - all of whom have BS degrees, most have Masters degrees, and several have PhDs - it’s definitely skewed toward the conservative side. BUT - these are folks working in major industries, not universities or research centers. </p>
<p>In general - I think Penn State is a good place for students of any political leaning. There are enough conservatives and liberals to make anyone comfortable!</p>
<p>My D says it seems like there are more liberal students than conservative. She is going by the signs around the HUB during voting, though. None of her professors stated any certain position, but they all were big on getting the kids to vote. She says nobody has been pushy with their political opinions.</p>
<p>I think PSU reflects the state it’s in. Students from Phila and Pittsburgh tend to be more liberal, students from rural areas more conservative. As James Carville described PA, “Philadelphia on one side, Pittsburgh on the other, and Alabama inbetween.” ;)</p>
<p>And I wouldn’t take anything Santorum has to say as reliable. I’m not getting into his politics at all, but rather his attitude. He has always seemed very much to have a “they’re all out to get me” martyr attitude.</p>
<p>SansSerif -but you have a lot of folks in between Pittsburgh and Philly who grew up working with unions in the coal and steel industries. </p>
<p>DH’s family is from a town not too far away from State College - and while they are rather conservative with respect to social issues -they ALWAYS vote Democrat. It’s just the way they were raised.</p>
<p>Note: we love them no matter how they vote! :)</p>
<p>Check the election returns - Pa always has a big area of blue around Phila, a smaller one around Pittsburgh, and even smaller ones near Scranton and Erie. The rest is red. Of course there are liberals in the rural areas, just as there are conservatives near Phila - they just are way outnumbered. I went to PSU a long time ago, and I know things may be very different, but there always seemed to be a good mix of all kinds of perspectives. I’m liberal. My first roommate (and eventual matron of honor) was conservative. I’d guess my good friends were probably a 60/40 liberal/conservative mix. I don’t remember politics coming up with professors at all.</p>
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<p>PSU is very conservative compared to most universities. One thing you’ll notice right away when visiting is the ROTC center right next to the visitor’s center. Also, the sports arenas are super-sized. Expect a very conservative culture on campus.</p>
<p>Super-sized sports arenas = very conservative culture? Well, at least you’re an interesting ■■■■■.</p>
<p><<well, at="" least="" you’re="" an="" interesting="" ■■■■■.="">></well,></p>
<p>Predictable, yes. Interesting - not really.</p>
<p><<super-sized sports="" arenas="">></super-sized></p>
<p>Like the uber conservative culture in Ann Arbor.</p>
<p>There seems to be a pretty even split here, coming from a freshman. I met and have both liberal and conservative friends, but the school itself leans slightly liberal with the surrounding areas being conservative.</p>