<p>If I were to go to a conservative college such as Hillsdale or somewhere notoriously conservative and Christian like Catholic University, would I be looked upon unfavorably by employers, especially since I want to go into journalism, editing, or writing (a field that is very liberal). I know someone in publishing who said it would not be in my best interest to attend Catholic or the like because of this. What do you guys think? I really like both CUA and hillsdale, but am afraid they could hurt me in the lond run.</p>
<p>You will have to go through life with the school name attached to you, so if in doubt, choose a school with a more neutral image. However, it is important to be true to yourself. Your future image will have a lot more to it than an undergraduate school name, so it won't be that important after your first round of job hunting.</p>
<p>In general, you are better off going to a school that is perceived as academic in nature. Academics and conservatism don't go well together. That does not mean you cannot attend a middle of the road school (like Duke or UVa), or even a Catholic university (like BC, CUA, GT or ND). It just means that you want to avoid schools that are considered right. I would qualify Hillsdale as one such university.</p>
<p>I doubt many employers would put much emphasis in the general political orientation of where you attended college over your specific personal traits. But if so, isn't there a bigger question at work here -- why would you want to work in an environment that was not accepting of or even riduiculed your preference in colleges? If Hillsdale is too conservative for the employer, but that's the place you like, what does that say about your fit at the employer?</p>
<p>I lived in the Washington DC area for 30 years. In DC, Catholic University, other than the abortion thing, is not regarded as a conservative school. It is regarded as a very reputable institution although several steps behind Georgetown on the academic scale. Most of the big name Catholic colleges are, unlike Hillsdale, Wheaton, and Grove City, places where people of diverse political philosophies can thrive. If you want a doctrinaire conservative place head for the Protestant Christian schools although I'm sure there are some smaller Catholic colleges that are fairly rigid in their conservative philosophies.</p>
<p>As one who interviews folks for jobs on occasion, I admit that I form certain preconceived notions about a person when I see an undergrad like Liberty University...it's not especially harmful, but it does make me think that I know certain things about them that may or may not be accurate.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies! I probably should stay away from Hillsdale, Grove City, and other similar colleges that are notoriously conservative. Any other suggestions?</p>
<p>Check out schools like BC, CUA, Fordham, Georgetown, ND and Pepperdine.</p>
<p>I don't see the problem. Grove City is very well regarded among employers. There are some colleges like Bob Jones, Oral Roberts, etc that may raise some eyebrows, but that can often be a great conversation piece too. More importantly, how would you feel going to school in such places?</p>
<p>I would guess that if a school like Liberty or Hillsdale or Grove City really speaks to you and you feel it's a fit, you wouldn't much care that some people (including me, actually) have a less-than-stellar preconceived notion about it. Wouldn't my stereotyping you as a know-nothing Christian fundamentalist be the least of your worries?</p>
<p>If you feel these colleges are right for you, then I'm sure you will be fully able to correct people's misconceptions (such as they are) when you're done with school. Would you be happy at these schools? Do their degree programs fit your career goals? Then go for it. If not, then not.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Academics and conservatism don't go well together.
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</p>
<p>Rubbish!!!</p>
<p>You wont be hurt per se by going to a "conservative " college. But you probably wont have a top flight peer group and you wont be challenged with new ideas. Most faculty and students who are liberal become that way based on knowledge and information. Most who are conservative ardently go out of their way to ignore facts that dont conform to their preconceived world view.</p>
<p>Remember, what is radical today will be mainstream in 25 yrs. It takes that long to overcome the status quo.</p>
<p>This thread includes some of the most unselfconsciously ignorant, biased, bigoted, and/or prejudiced comments about conservatives, Catholics, and Christians I have ever read. What a perfect example of projection to say that "Most who are conservative ardently go out of their way to ignore facts that dont conform to their preconceived world view."</p>
<p>Two well-known liberals, Terry McAuliffe and Susan Sarandon, are both graduates of Catholic University.</p>
<p>ADave-</p>
<p>Are you going to disprove my statement or just namecall? I believe radicals wrote the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Dec of Independence. They were the leading abolitionists, womens right to vote, right of workers, farmers, children, Civil Rights advocates, won WWI & II, integration, ended the Depression, put a man on the moon, started our cold war strategy of containing the Soviets, rebuilt Europe, GI Bill, ended Vietnam, erased the National debt, and was right about Iraq. </p>
<p>In fact, pls tell me which monuments on Mt Rushmore or in DC are dedicated to conservatives?</p>
<p>swish..just because i person in a conservative today does not mean that would have been a conservative back then..i know I wouldn't have...</p>
<p>I'm not saying I'm a conservative or a liberal, or commenting on the merits of either political position. I'm just saying that the comments on the thread are ignorant, biased, bigoted, and prejudiced toward conservatives. The comments assume conservatives are not academic, that you can't have a top-flight peer group at a conservative school, that you won't be challenged with new ideas. You want to compare radical ideas from different eras. I find no value in that comparison. What I'm saying is that today's liberals don't have radical ideas, they are the ones who ardently go out of their way to ignore facts that don't conform to their preconceived world view. Today's liberalism does not welcome open debate.</p>
<p>Austindave, that's sort of the point....the names of certain schools trigger certain preconceived notions that may be inaccurate or even ignorant...but if we on the CC have them, others are sure to have them as well. When you initially send in a resume, the prospective employer only knows about you what is reflected on the resume...having Liberty or Bob Jones on your resume may get you an interview with one person and cause another person to put your resume aside....same with lots of different schools for myriad different reasons.</p>
<p>Everyone keeps bringing up Bob Jones or Liberty, but I'm not interested in THAT kind of school...but what about Baylor, Hillsdale, Grove City, Wheaton, or Pepperdine?</p>
<p>I think we agree. I mainly was pointing out the unselfconsciousness of this thread in revealing that these preconcieved notions exist. Yes, they exist. I call them ignorant because I think they are inaccurate in today's world.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be comfortable defending Bob Jones or Liberty when it comes to accepting open debate, but I believe many of the other schools mentioned are more welcoming to diverse opinions than some mainstream liberal campuses where conservative speakers are shouted down. </p>
<p>Getting back to the OPs question, I wouldn't worry that a prospective employer would think poorly of Baylor, Hillsdale, Grove City, Wheaton, or Pepperdine. Few would. What's more important is how comfortable you would be at the school.</p>