<p>I have friends who applied and got admitted to Davidson College in North Carolina. I heard it is a really good liberal arts institution. However, as my family is very left-leaning in politics and cultural views, I am afraid that Davidson, which is located in a very Southern conservative state, would be too conservative for us. So I would like to ask here if Davidson is really a "conservative" school, like in the sense of rules and regulations (sex, alcohol, drugs, etc.) and general political atmosphere. Is Davidson a Pepperdine-esque or Bob Jones-esque school?</p>
<p>Also another question, are most top Southern schools (Duke, Emory, Vanderbilt) generally leaning conservative in terms of rules comparing to mainstream Northeast schools?</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Davidson and considers himself a liberal in his views.
He has met others who share his views and those who are more conservative. He is extremely comfortable in his situation and couldn't be happier. There are extremely bright and well spoken students from all states, not just the southern ones. Many of the students he met are from Washington, D.C. and north. I think Davidson has a great balance of students from everywhere. I don't get the impression that the rules and regulations are conservative also. The main emphasis is on student safety.</p>
<p>If your bent is liberal, you would be very comfortable at Duke, Emory or Vanderbilt--if you are smart and hard working enough to get in, of course!</p>
<p>I have a couple friends who are Davidson alums, and they're pretty liberal. It's definitely not like Bob Jones...Davidson even has co-ed dorms (by room) now!</p>
<p>Davidson has ZERO commonalities with BJU. Trust me. Went to Furman in Greenville, and was on the BJU campus a couple of times, and there is NO overlap.
Davidson may attract a core of Protestant students but it is ecumenical with a faculty with diverse leanings. I would say it is a school that focuses on the well-considered life as a goal.
Davidson attract serious students with serious work ethics and plans for graduate school. If I was to label Davidson students, I would say it attracts students who tend towards being disciplined and more highly principled than the mean...and to come from families that are often contributing a lot to their own communities. Davidson students tend to be highly prepared for grad school. It is also a remarkably sporty school for its size and the weather is great. Obviously intimacy with teachers is a key part of a Davidson education.</p>
<p>Outside of schools closely tied to religious denominations, you will find most colleges are more "liberal" than the communities that surround them.</p>
<p>A bit of personal advice: don't pick your college destination by looking for compatible politics. Being surrounded by like-minded people sounds comfortable but one of the things you should learn in college is "nobody has a monopoly on the truth". Other people may be wrong about things, in your view, but it is important to understand why they feel the way they do -- it's not always because they are evil or selfish or stupid -- and a campus that is diverse in politics as well as social background is a godsend, not a problem!</p>
<p>
[quote]
a campus that is diverse in politics as well as social background is a godsend, not a problem!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well said. Good post. </p>
<p>As to the OP's concerns. There will be plenty of liberals at Duke, Vandy, Davidson, and certainly Emory. </p>
<p>Heck, my D's preppy but incredibly service oriented Memphis LAC (Rhodes) is split - if not down the middle - at least 40/60 among those who would self identify as liberal/conservative.</p>
<p>Texashoosier is right. My D goes to Furman and she's as liberal as they come. There's plenty of diversity at FU and she loves it. Unless you're considering a "theme based school" such as Bob Jones or Liberty you'll be fine.</p>
<p>Not OP, but looking at Davidson. Can people compare Davidson to the rest of my list - Williams, Middlebury, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Haverford, Rice, Vanderbilt, Northwestern (also a couple cheaper, safer schools in there too).</p>
<p>I'm looking to study some sort of social science(I like pretty much all of them). And I want to end up in business(no idea about what area - management? consulting? PE?; maybe it is just a cop out at this point), preferably tech heavy.</p>
<p>Does it compare well with my other schools? What positives and negatives does it have?</p>
<p>DSC, you should look at the course catalogs for the schools you like. Check out course offerings & see which schools offer classes you that interest you. Make sure to check out the prerequisites for the classes, too. You will want to be able to fit classes in ... too many prereq's might equal too few classes you can fit in. That might help narrow your focus. I am not too sure you will be interested in a few of those schools once you check out the courses ... if you want business & tech, it might be hard to put a program together at some of the schools. It's worth looking into.</p>
<p>I can only compare it to a few other schools on your list that I have first-hand knowledge of either as a former parent or a visitor, but overall I think
Davidson is a wonderful school and can hold its own on your list very nicely. Keep in mind that LACs in general have less name recognition than universities, and Davidson is perhaps even less recognized because it is in the South rather than the Northeast. It is easier a little easier to get into than most of the other LACs on your list except probably Claremont McKenna, but that does not mean very much--partly a function of location and name recognition. </p>
<p>Davidson feels somewhat like Williams in terms of smart students wearing their intelligence and academic skills relatively lightly--that is, not pompous, but very bright. Work hard play hard is a trite term, but not inappropriate. Grading is tough at both schools. Davidson is smaller and less well endowed than Williams and has somewhat more limited course offerings. (Williams has been ranked number one among LACs for several years; strength breeds strength. If you get in and like the relatively isolated setting, Williams is a clear choice over just about any other place on or off your list.) </p>
<p>Davidson feels/looks cozier than Middlebury but Middlebury has a larger town around it and a more spectacular setting because of the hilltop and the view of Lake Champlain from the Centennial Building. Academically I don't know that there is much qualititative academic difference but each has different strengths. I prefer Davidson overall for its setting and overall feel but am probably in a minority.</p>
<p>Except for their honor codes, I don't think Davidson and Haverford are as similar as Davidson and the two previous schools. BUT the honor codes are really key at both schools. Haverford is even smaller than Davidson but because of the relationship with other area schools may not feel as small and as an upperclassman you will probably have more academic choices at Haverford. </p>
<p>Faculty at Davidson is first-rate and extremely approachable. Physical facilties are excellent anfd very well maintained. Politically I think Davidson is more middle of the road than some of its peer institutions but certainly not really conservative. Town of Davidson is not especially conservative even by mid-Atlantic blue-state standards--it is at northern edge of Charlotte metro area and pretty much like any other thriving corporate relocation zone. Wachovia and Bank of America are both based in Charlotte so there is a lot of corporate and banking business activity and people who are not necessarily from the South living in the area. North Carolina is a more diverse state politically/socially/geographically than those of us from the North realize at first. </p>
<p>Basically your choice will come down to where you get in and then what feels right. You have no wrong answers on your list.</p>
<p>The following is from Davidson's web site. You can decide for yourself how liberal this school is compared to the others on your list.</p>
<p>The Christian tradition to which Davidson remains committed recognizes God as the source of all truth, and believes that Jesus Christ is the revelation of that God, a God bound by no church or creed. The loyalty of the college thus extends beyond the Christian community to the whole of humanity and necessarily includes openness to and respect for the world’s various religious traditions. Davidson dedicates itself to the quest for truth and encourages teachers and students to explore the whole of reality, whether physical or spiritual, with unlimited employment of their intellectual powers. At Davidson, faith and reason work together in mutual respect and benefit toward growth in learning, understanding, and wisdom.</p>
<p>As a college that welcomes students, faculty, and staff from a variety of nationalities, ethnic groups, and traditions, Davidson values diversity, recognizing the dignity and worth of every person. Therefore, Davidson provides a range of opportunities for worship, civil debate, and teaching that enrich mind and spirit. Further, Davidson challenges students to engage in service to prepare themselves for lives of growth and giving.</p>
<p>I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of those saying that Davidson is an excellent choice and not a political problem for anyone that isn't obnoxious about their views (liberal or conservative). Despite the stereotypes that we sometimes hear, Southerners are a much more tolerant bunch than they are given credit for. I think that Mattmom made a number of excellent comparisons and I agree with nearly all, but I want to reinforce the location consideration and add some comments about the athletic scene. </p>
<p>Davidson used to be pretty isolated, but Charlotte has grown up and the connections between the big city and the college have expanded and this likely has nudged Davidson further to the left politically than its historical reputation. Davidson is still a small town like Williams and Middlebury and this is one of the major ways that it differs with suburban/close to Philadelphia Haverford. Also, you may want to consider the weather. If you like winter sports, head north as Davidson has a comparatively mild winter (Avg February Hi/Low for Davidson is 56-34, for Haverford is 43-25, for Williams is 32-10) and a nice early spring (usually by March 1). </p>
<p>The athletic scene at Davidson has a lot of similarities with nearly 50% of the students at each involved in some type of varsity sport. While Williams is exclusively Division III (where they compete very successfully), Davidson competes in the Division I arena and has fielded nationally competitive teams there, eg, men's basketball. I would say that Middlebury is more like Williams with Haverford a distant fourth in terms of the athletic life.</p>
<p>Re the other colleges mentioned by DSC, I think everyone would agree that these are all terrific colleges that offer a wonderful undergraduate education. The biggest differences are in their sizes, the athletic scenes and the social scenes. At Northwestern and Vanderbilt and Rice, the student quality is similar, but everything else is just bigger vis-</p>
<p>I have visited Williams, Midd, Northwestern, Pomona, CMC, and my in-states.</p>
<p>I am from Michigan, so the weather isn't scaring me in the Northeast, but the warmer schools do have a draw. I am somewhat worried about the September/May weather though, as really hot and humid = not so much fun IMO.</p>
<p>I applied to Williams ED and was deferred.</p>
<p>And I absolutely love sports, but the battle between playing them(DIII schools) and watching them + intramurals(DI schools) hasn't resolved itself in my mind.</p>
<p>Ideally, I would like Texas' sports at a school with Pomona's focus on small classes, Northwestern's programs, Northwestern's campus beauty, Williams or Midd's setting(rural, seeing the stars, etc. = +'s), Williams' study abroad(10% to Oxford every year = drool), the Claremont Consortium's size, access to a city like Northwestern, an Honor Code like Haverford and so on. So I have a complicated set of demands that has resulted in my list.</p>
<p>But watching the ESPN bottom line I came across Davidson, and it clicked that it was a small liberal arts school, and then add in that it is in the 'tech triangle' and I need to know more.</p>
<p>Once again, thanks for the imput, and any more would also be appreciated.</p>
<p>A small point about Williams: I don't think 10 percent go to Oxford every year--it is a small program, wonderful but hard to get into. Many more Williams students apply than are admitted, and some end up studying elsewhere abroad--many Williams students do.</p>
<p>Like many other LACs, Davidson does have a high (about 60 percent) percentage of students who study abroad at some point in their Davidson eyars--the Dean Rusk program is instrumental in that. Look at the Web site to get more of a sense of what it offers in both this realm and others. </p>
<p>Incidentally, the basketball team is fun to follow, but there is a lot more to Davidson than that--though one of the appealing things about Davidson is the fact that its DI athletes are held to real academic standards and take tests like everyone esle, long trips to away games notwithstanding.</p>
<p>Approximately 40-50 students go to Oxford every year, and it is only available to Juniors. Considering there are about 500 juniors at Williams, almost 10%. They actually have Williams dorms there. I heard the whole schpiel(sp?). I've done my due diligence at most of these schools, I just never really thought through Davidson for some reason. And it seems to fit a lot of my criteria.</p>
<p>We are also from Michigan, and my daughter got used to the southern heat of SC quickly (she is in her freshman year at Furman). In fact, she is home for Christmas & has found that she adjusted so quickly that our MI winter is a bit much for her already!! </p>
<p>She also worried a bit about the whole southern thing, but she has found it's just fine. People tend to dress up more, but she fits in fine even when she chooses not to wear sweats to class. They are more polite & friendly, which she likes. Religion is a bigger deal in the south than it is up north (most people at her school go to church & to some type of weekly church group --- but not everyone). She is less than thrilled with the way people drive --- but they probably don't like the way SHE drives (we Michiganders are an impatient bunch in our cars!). And she says she got used to the humidity pretty quickly (the air conditioning is always up too high, so you'll cool off immediately --- and probably need a sweater inside!).</p>
<p>For what it's worth, I think Davidson is a wonderful school. I like Northwestern, as well, but the student body is very different than most of the other schools you listed (which is why visits are a good idea). Vandy is a terrific school in so many ways, and Nashville is wonderful. Claremonts are in California --- not appealing to me, so I can't really comment --- can't see beyond the location. Williams & Middlebury are eastern LAC's --- quite different than the southern schools or the midwestern schools. Visit at least one of them in order to determine if you are comfortable. They are beautiful, but my daughter much preferred the feel of southern schools. When you have such good choices, you get to be picky! It's your reward for hard work.</p>