<p>Many schools that seem neat don't make the list once investigated and we found out they are Catholic (and for others, insert other religion name here). I am sure some places are that way because of the founders way back when and now might not have much to do with forcing other religions on students. I wonder how much role religion plays at some of these places and how much it deters others away. Can a student go to these sorts of places and not feel like they are left out of the campus vibe when they practice a different religion?</p>
<p>You really need to vist the campus. Try to chat with students or the student guide away from the script. Act like you are interested in the school BECAUSE of the religion, and the student will give you a religious sales job IF that's an important part of the school. </p>
<p>Most private schools have some religious affiliation (because religious denominations were the ones establishing colleges way back when.) Some schools are still very strongly religious; you'd never guess that others have a religious affiliation. The chapel on campus could be used only for weddings (Universty of Tulsa - Presbyterian) or for mandatory daily chapel (Abilene Chrisitian - Church of Christ.)</p>
<p>I went to a Methodist school as an ungrad and taught for 6 years at a Disciples of Christ affiliated college. When I arrived as a freshman ( at one of the Wesleyans), they had just abolished mandatory chapel. The only things religious I noticed in 4 years were a larger than average selection of religion/philosophy courses, invocations at official ceremonies and more religion majors that at a similiarly sized non-denominational college. At the school I taught it, it was the same. And there was a baccaluareate service before graduation. Maybe there was at my alma mater, too, but I never went. </p>
<p>However, there was also a pentecostal college nearby where prayer was seen as the response to everything (from preventing failure on a test to solving personnel disputes) and demerits were given for curfew violations and inappropriate contact (like hand holding and hugging).</p>
<p>You really have to look at the campus and the student body. Some religiously affiliated institutions welcome open discourse on any topic while others only allow the dogma.</p>
<p>Some schools require the students to sign a contract saying they will never be in a room alone with a member of the opposite sex. When you're on your visits, ask about curfews and drinking; that should be revealing. If the pro-life club is the biggest club on campus, that would be revealing. If they require a certain number of religion classes (not like "World Religions" but like "Acts" and "Revelations"), that would be revealing.</p>
<p>S2 has applied this fall to 5 small LACs, all with a different religious affiliation. S2 is not the least bit religious, so I wondered if this would be a problem. After digging deeper into each schools website and subsequent visits, it was obvious that all were founded by a religious organization many, many years ago, but the only real religious aspect is a chapel on campus and the mandatory religion/philosophy classes in the core curriculum. Those classes won't hurt anyone, even S2, but it did take some digging to determine that none of the schools he applied were really "religious campuses" like Wheaton (IL).</p>
<p>Basically you have to do your homework first, then decide if the school is "too religious" for your child. The info is out there, you just have to delve a bit deeper into the websites, IMO.</p>
<p>Be aware that some colleges have mandatory chapel requirements. One that I know of takes attendance and a P/NP grade is given. </p>
<p>Agree with others...you have to dig deep into their websites.</p>
<p>There is CATHOLIC like Ave Maria and Southern Catholic and there is Catholic. Huge differences. Websites and visits will easily show the differences.</p>
<p>D wanted religious diversity, so in that respect religion was an important consideration for her.</p>
<p>Being Jewish, it was a big consideration for our children that there be a critical mass of Jewish students on campus. It's a cultural, rather than religious thing for our kids (ie. they weren't interested in Hillel but wanted to make sure there were others around who would join them for some deli!) </p>
<p>Two of the kids ended up at schools that had a (weak) religious affiliation (non-Jewish) but had a decent number of Jewish students (somewhere in the 10% range for one, higher at the other).</p>
<p>Our family is nominally Muslim and my D ended up loving Fordham, a Jesuit school. Go figure.</p>
<p>I think for her it is more important that the wider environment be diverse and tolerant.</p>
<p>OP,
Thanks for asking this question, as it has been bothering me for quite some time.</p>
<p>My Ds considered both Georgetown and BC, and while I acknowledge that they are outstanding schools, for the life of me I cannot imagine myself writing a check to them for $50K per year, knowing that some portion of it will go to support the church. Honestly, I don't mean to offend anyone here (I have learned from experience that religious discussions are somewhat of a "no-no" here on CC), but I have very strong feelings about divorce, contraception, choice, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, women-in-clergy, and ritualistic behavior in general (not to mention pedophelia) that are so contrary to those of the Catholic church, that I told my Ds I would have to write the check to them, and they would need to write it to those colleges themselves, if they ever did, indeed matriculate there. So far, (and no doubt due to my opinions), one did not choose a Catholic college, and the other is moving away from the idea.</p>
<p>But in answer to your question, based just on our family's experience, "yes," religious affiliation does deter some applicants.</p>
<p>It depends on which Catholic schools you're looking at. Jesuit schools tend to be more diverse than other orders.</p>
<p>Georgetown and BC are both Jesuit. Notre Dame is not.</p>
<p>There was a controversy last year at Georgetown about a student group. Perhaps someone reading this recalls the details.</p>
<p>Bay - do you really think your tuition is going to support the Catholic Church?<br>
I bet it costs Georgetown and BC a lot more than $50,000 to educate a student. I can't believe they make a "profit" to send back.</p>
<p>My daughter went to a Catholic college - the Catholicism was there if you wanted it but other than taking two religion courses, junior year it didn't affect students lives too much. The dorms were coed, by floor. Mass was not required and they didn't pray before class. It was quite the party school by all accounts.
Catholic colleges, aren't for everyone, but if a student is interested they should go with an open mind.
There are a number of Christian colleges that I would never suggest to my own kid - so I get that some are turned off by Catholic colleges.</p>
<p>As cbmmom mentioned - a few Catholic colleges have very strict rules - Ave Maria, Christendom and Steubenville come to mind. I think they are pretty set on what they teach and how they teach it. The majority of Catholic Colleges, however, don't shove doctrine down your throat.</p>
<p>JAM - Yes, I absolutely do think that tuition paid to Catholic colleges supports the Catholic Church, in the sense that their missions include promoting the teachings and ideology of the church. If you can read this and conclude that it does not, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts: Georgetown</a> University</p>
<p>I am a not catholic who attended a Jesuit school. I take serious issue with a lot of Church teachings, however I think if you remember that universities tend to be where religious reform gets its roots, you have a pretty strong case about attending a religiously affiliated institution. the 95 theses and liberation theology are both university products. </p>
<p>also, i believe that an education with a spiritual component gives a sense of purpose</p>
<p>
[quote]
their missions include promoting the teachings and ideology of the church
[/quote]
Okay - of course they do, that's what makes it a Catholic college.
There are many kids who are not Catholic who go to Catholic colleges - some are non-religious, some protestant, some Jewish.<br>
You take the bare minimum of required courses or pursue an indepth study of Religion and Catholicism - your choice.
You also will get a very good education.
If you have objections to that - and you do- then this is not the school for you.</p>
<p>I dunno though - I let my kids pick their own schools. If one really wanted to go to OJ Roberts or Liberty or BYU I would raise my eyebrows but probably ultimately not prevent it. It, admittedly would make me uncomfortable, so I see your point.</p>
<p>When we toured LMU we were told that students had to take two religion classes to graduate. Our tour guide was taking Buddhism as one of the required classes. Seemed a pretty liberal way to go to me.</p>
<p>Agree that not all Catholic schools are equally "Catholic-y." DePaul Univeristy in Chicago is Catholic (the largest Catholic school in the nation) but apparently very liberal (as in they offer a Gay Studies minor....) There is a requirement that undergrads must take one religion class to graduate, but the ecourse offerings are very broad.</p>
<p>DePaul is Vincentian while Loyola of Chicago is Jesuit.</p>
<p>I attend LMU (Catholic) and my D attends Pepperdine(Church of Christ). Both have religion requirement, but neither seem to be trying to convert. Pepperdine has a chapel requirement, D is Catholic and it hasn't felt pressured in any way. The chapel requirement can be met by attending discussions about relationships. The speakers at the main chapel are quite diverse. D took a class on Catholicism at Pepperdine (hahah easy A for a girl who attended Catholic schools K - 12th)The largest denomination at Pepperine is Catholic. LMU does not have a chapel requirement, but opportunities to pray or discuss religion is available.
Bottom line, religious based school have an incredible track record of top rate education, the Jesuit schools especially. At the college level, my experience, no one is trying to convert anyone. There is a definite philisophy that leans toward social justice.</p>