Yeah I’d definitely check out USC, too. While I think it leans liberal(?), there is a strong presence of conservative/libertarian students.
I have no advice, just want to give you some support. I’m a Jewish conservative who has only lived on the coasts, so I know about feeling marginalized because even my friends don’t allow me to speak my mind.
My college bound son is sort of political without taking a stance. He sees points in both conservative and liberal positions. He is on the autism spectrum so I worry about him not understanding any attack he might find if he espouses any left of Bernie Sanders’ positions. He has picked mostly coastal schools and the University of Chicago, where the president has previously spoken up for free speech. And my sophomore daughter is allergic to politics, but I think is more susceptible to the indoctrination.
@MYOS1634 I would be leery of Mizzou. A professor there tried to shut down a student journalist.
^ that professor was fired. Mizzou was mismanagement at all levels and on all sides.
Also some of the scary ‘information’ which people at Mizzou kept saying wasn’t true, turns out had been planted by trollers to test our gullibility and their power of disruption: it wasn’t real.
So, I don’t think Mizzou is to be avoided.
presbucky, agree with most on your list but definitely not Middlebury, which is wildly leftist.
Really? I thought Midd had balance (for a LAC anyway).
I’m a little surprised by seeing Trinity College listed here… I knew a couple political science professors there who were very far to the left of middle-of-the-road. The students at Trinity may be preppy, rich kids, but I don’t believe the schools poli sci department can be described as conservative, or even leaning conservative.
And you are right, katliamom, that in terms of faculty it goes department to department. You can have a leftist department within a moderate or conservative university (the few that there are), or – occasionally – the converse. Prezbucky, Google “middlebury college attack on professor” and both read and watch the videos of what went on there for an idea of what Middlebury is like.
^ it was determined that the attackers weren’t students but an outside group. That outside group HAD been contacted by students but apparently the students ranged from feeling hoodwinked to overwhelmed to used when the group took over and did things the students didn’t support. The students were punished although not strongly enough in my opinion - then again, when you see what little penalty has befallen students responsible for Timothy Piazza’s death, it seems college students aren’t treated like non college students overall.
Several years ago when my S was looking, I thought Furman and Wofford in South Carolina seemed to have a good mix of conservative & liberal students. Especially Furman.
I would agree with looking a Furman. Rigorous academics and the Poli Sci department has a good mix of views and no one is shouted down, regardless of POV.
I agree that Furman is a great choice for a more moderate or even slightly conservative atmosphere. Not an option for my kid however, as we’re Jewish, and there is essentially no Jewish life on campus.
MYOS1634, according to Niche.com, 92% of Middlebury students identify themselves as “liberal” or “very liberal,” 5% as moderate, 3% unsure and 0% as conservative or very conservative. Yes, it’s a small sample size (37 students) but that fits in what I’ve heard from others – conservatives aren’t welcome at Middlebury.
There’s a difference between identifying as “liberal or very liberal” and advocating violence, which is what I was referring to.
Yes most students at Middlebury are liberal, although the numbers on that website are skewed (they wouldn’t place so well on Wall Street otherwise 
).
I also wouldn’t assume conservatives are not welcome, at least the “establishment” conservatives, Libertarian conservatives, " IR hawks", etc. Evangelical Christians (to a certain extent) and Tea Party/Movement conservatives (to a larger extent) may feel isolated though. On the other hand, Evangelicals and Movement conservatives don’t find much appeal in Middlebury.
I guess the members of the Middlebury Republicans club and the student branch of the American Enterprise Institute are closet Democrats.
I was a poly sci/foreign affairs major as an undergrad, and specifically looked for a more neutral/right leaning poli sci department for grad school to balance my very liberal undergrad education. University of Virginia was that for me 25 years ago. Don’t know if they’re still that way now but might be worth looking into.
UVA has shifted dramatically left. UNC is drifting leftward too.
Basically, look for universities that preprofessional with strong placement on Wall Street and influential fraternities, plus universities that eschew government involvement and rely on conservative private donors, such as Grove City or Hillsdale.
Texas A&M