Hi,
My daughter is interested in SAS but concerned that she won’t fit in because she has conservative views. She has read that students who aren’t liberal are made to feel stupid. Can anyone speak to this?
They should respect her. Period.
This shouldn’t be a concern.
If she’s admitted, perhaps she can attend revisit days, engage students and faculty, and see how they treat her when she expresses her views?
In my daughter’s time at SAS, there were plenty of conservative-leaning students. That said, IMO the overall school ethos is more progressive in general. Definitely something to consider.
I’d be shocked if she felt comfortable there.
I’d be shocked if they didn’t move mountains to make everyone feel comfortable there. After all, that’s their job and if they can’t deliver basic common decency, courtesy and respect in and out of the classroom for everyone … they’re simply not worth it. That goes for every BS. Good luck, @BeachVA !
I agree with PhotographerMom’s post #5. I am not implying that SAS doesn’t foster the common decency we expect of all schools/people.
That said, if you are a Rush Limbaugh-listening sort of teen, I don’t think it’s going out on a limb to say that you would be in the minority at SAS. It’s up to the student to determine how comfortable they are/are not with that.
Which brings up the issue of “is it better to surround yourself with like-minded people or to have a diverse range of viewpoints?”
@SevenDad - Rush was sooo 20+ years ago. Kids today seem to like Andrew Wilkow ( sp?) ( who is more libertarian- I think ) and Ben Shapiro. K2 and many of his friends LOVE Andrew Wilkow on SXM Patriot. I’m told that Ben Shapiro actually has a HUGE college- age following, too… although you wouldn’t know it by watching or reading the news.
That’s a great question. My kids ( and all my nieces and nephews for that matter ) definitely surround themselves with people who are open to a wide range of opinions and can always tolerate different points of view without getting offended . That’s almost a requirement for the college kids- young adults in my family plus you have to be calm and have a sense of humor. That’s mandatory- the darker the better. To me- they’re smart, informed and engaged . When they’re together and I hear them debate an issue, it’s always respectful even when it gets heated… no one gets childish except for maybe K2…
K2 doesn’t have a filter… but that’s part of his charm- or so his friends tell me… even his far left progressive friends. He likes to get it going. He’ll pick an argument and choose a side he doesn’t believe in just for fun- or shock value. And, yes- I do worry sometimes… but frankly, I think it’s very calculated and how he chooses his friends … to see if they can handle it.
Another question while we’re at it is: If a school leans too far in one direction … what future financial repercussions are there- if any ? I know many big ( and small ) donors who are starting to pull back or out at a number of schools- BSs included . How does a highly charged political environment or shutting down fellow classmates or invited speakers ( who apparently "freakout " some people ) impact the bottom line, or a school’s reputation ? I know, for example, in my large-extended family that we’ve withdrawn support ( with strongly worded letters- which my husband lives to write ) at a number of schools and we’re not conservative.
We’re firmly in the grow up and WTH ( H is not the letter I had in mind ) Camp.
Our neighbors are really big donors at UConn ( as another example ) and the husband ( recently ) was completely outraged and embarrassed at how poorly the university treated Ben Shapiro. He told my husband that he plans to withdraw all his short term and longterm support … ( ouch ). Full disclosure- there were other things that ticked him off along the way, too but this turned out to be the final straw, I guess …
… and my husband probably offered to write the letter. 
Why do you say this? Personal experience?
I agree - we would not put her in an environment that is inclusive and accepting of ALL views.
@BeachVA: If your question in post #8 is directed to me, my comments are based on being the parent of an SAS grad, Class of 2015.
When we heard the headmaster speak at a local event, he emphasized the importance of educating young people so they can have respectful dialogue with people whose politics differ from theirs and collaborate with them to find joint solutions (or something to that effect). So that would bode well for you…
However, I’m assuming that by “Conservative” you mean a Republican who advocates for balanced budgets.
It might be trickier for a Conservative who doesn’t believe gays should have the right to marry or that women shouldn’t have careers…
Ben Shapiro has a huge young age audience. I watch him from time to time, he can be very intelligent at times.
I’m only 17 and a lot of my friends watch him too.
SevenDad, I meant my questions to go to SatchelSF who said my daughter would not fit in. We live in a more conservative environment (military). She is open-minded, inclusive and respectful of ALL people. She just doesn’t want to feel like an outsider or shamed for her views in a more liberal environment.
And I meant to say in#9 I agree - we would not put her in an environment that ISN’T inclusive and accepting of ALL views.
Thanks for clarifying that, @BeachVA. I decided to sit on my hands re: #9 hoping that wasn’t what you meant. 
I’ll add that our son went from a wildly liberal household to the military and had the opposite worry which turned out to be unfounded. I think your daughter will be able to find her peeps and her comfort level.
I don’t know why satchel would make that assertion in post 4, not knowing your kid or (apparently) SAS. I think that’s an inexcusable leap to an assumption without facts…
There are plenty of republican families who send their kids to SAS. And since you bring up the military, a good number of these kids go off to military academies, there is plenty of respect for service… scores of alumni war vets are honored in a special hall in main building.
In presidential years, the student body holds a mock election , and historically they were pretty good at predicting the outcome of elections. I.e., plenty of kids backed republican candidates. (but no, they did not pick the current ‘republican’).
I would say that a thoughtful, kind, respectful kid coming in with any set of beliefs will meet other kind, thoughtful, respectful kids who may not hold the same beliefs, and there may be some challenging conversations… But the spirit of respect for diverse views is probably greater there than at any of the top 50 colleges in this country.
That said, certain core values are pretty universally held. These kids value diversity, so a “conservative” with alt-right white supremacist views will not be comfortable there. They value logic, reason and science, so a flat-earther, climate-change denier is going to have those values challenged pretty thoroughly. And, yes. They are loving and welcoming of LGBTQ people… If your kid is a raving homophobe, that will not be well received. But the challenge to any ideals will be respectful and kind, and good preparation for ANY decent college where those ideas will be challenged (much less kindly).
CaliMex has the right idea… visit. You’ll see it is an amazing, vibrant, challenging, and loving place. I think it’s the best school in the country (well, i’ll concede to unsurpassed, it might have some equals). Doesn’t hurt to check it out. And if your kid is lucky enough to be admitted, absolutely do visit-back, and get a very in depth chance to see how well your kid fits in.
Feel free to PM me for in depth responses to any questions (including anyone reading this at any time in the future). [I’m a parent of class of '16 & '18, who has spent a ton of time on campus]
I need someone to teach me how to virtue signal and unfairly pigeonhole people like that… that was epic. Good for you!
@PhotographerMom now K2 sounds like my husband- who does whatever it takes to get a rise out of someone for pure sport. Is he like Photographerdad much?!?! Uncanny!
@buuzn03 - K2 is a lot like his dad ( and your husband )- and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll eventually pursue a law degree. Our family has been saturated with lawyers for generations… and he’s definitely wired for it.
For clarity because I think this is so important :
Here is OP’s post ( #13 ) in order to put post #16 ( from an SAS parent ) into proper context :
OP : "…, I meant my questions to go to SatchelSF who said my daughter would not fit in. We live in a more conservative environment (military). She is open-minded, inclusive and respectful of ALL people. She just doesn’t want to feel like an outsider or shamed for her views in a more liberal environment. "
That’s a very real, reasonable and valid concern. Here’s the leap and it wasn’t from SatchelSF:
"That said, certain core values are pretty universally held. These kids value diversity, so a “conservative” with alt-right white supremacist views will not be comfortable there. They value logic, reason and science, so a flat-earther, climate-change denier is going to have those values challenged pretty thoroughly. And, yes. They are loving and welcoming of LGBTQ people… If your kid is a raving homophobe, that will not be well received. But the challenge to any ideals will be respectful and kind, and good preparation for ANY decent college where those ideas will be challenged (much less kindly). "
Yeah… whatever you say.
I know many kids who have had their college experience wrecked simply for being a Republican and NONE of them ( much like OP’s daughter- read post #13 again, if it helps ) remotely resembles the type of person described above. They’re good kids who are being openly harassed, hurt, shamed ( see post #16 : "Challenged much less kindly " -perhaps? ) based on unfair labels and cruel assumptions due to party affiliation … how vapid. So, thanks for being a rational adult. I wouldn’t have assumed that the OP’s daughter was a card carrying anything based on the "conservative " description in the post , or the need to go there, but obviously a parent at SAS did . Way to go.
Seriously- and people should think about this ( kids, too ) : At what point do you become what you claim to hate?
Imagine if this was YOUR kid and you had a genuine concern and some parent gave you this unwarranted condescending pile of pap response.
Raise the bleeping bar.