<p>Just wondering about the political climate. I'm hoping it's fairly balanced, but I have no idea. Anyone?</p>
<p>From what I've gathered, Rice is pretty liberal.</p>
<p>pretty liberal compared to texas, pretty conservative compared to most college campuses.</p>
<p>It's fairly balanced, and there are student groups supporting all sides.</p>
<p>One of my friends attended a summer school high school class there and was told that it was more conservative than most college campuses.</p>
<p>interesting</p>
<p>well, im fairly liberal
i wonder how i will feel at rice</p>
<p>I'm fairly liberal too! So are loads of people at Rice. The thing is, most college campuses are completely completely liberal dominated. So IN COMPARISON, Rice with its balanced student body is considered conservative. However, there are plenty of liberals! If you want to hang out with them a lot, you can consider joining young dems, rice for choice, or rice for peace among others.</p>
<p>What Jenskate said matches my experience. Rice is not a conservative campus, however compared to the major left-bent of other schools of its caliber, it is more conservative.</p>
<p>It's just that it's in conservative Texas... most comprable schools are in California or New England... just naturally more liberal there.</p>
<p>Funny thing is my friend is really conservative... and decided not to go to A&M even though her parents wanted her there... and that campus is very conservative.</p>
<p>According to my next door neighbor Rice, a Rice professor, it is getting more liberal as they get more kids from beyond Texas. However, as a liberal political activist in Houston I can tell you that Rice has always been very conspicuous by its notable lack of involvement in anything liberal in the Houston area. They have always had some liberal professors, though.</p>
<p>It is very conservative for a top 25 school. Maybe some of you can make a difference.</p>
<p>IMHO the college system leads to great pressure to be like everyone else, mainly conservative or those who'll think that it is cool to be apathetic. This of course could change rapidly if they start drafting Rice type kids.</p>
<p>I'm very liberal myself, and frankly don't want to go to a school where I'm surrounded by people who agree with me. Dissention is one of the best ways to form better opinions.</p>
<p>I'm very liberal myself, and frankly don't want to go to a school where I'm surrounded by people who agree with me. Dissention is one of the best ways to form better opinions.</p>
<p>Oh, by the way, just because a school's in Texas doesn't make it more conservative- UT is rabidly liberal (but so is Austin).</p>
<p>liberal.. conservative?... can ya'll explain.. a little confused of the meaning used in this text...</p>
<p>Politically liberal or conservative. Republicans being more conservative and Democrats more liberal.</p>
<p>Houston is a very politically and culturally balanced city, although the Republicans are more visible because they tend to have more money. As for the culture, we have the biggest church in the US, along with one of the largest glbt communities. This is also a very international city, lots of immigrants from all over.</p>
<p>Rice is extremely liberal in my opinion. I know the faculty is 99% liberal for sure. Every single professor in my department is a Democrat and they openly denounce Republicans. Students are probably half/half, though the Republican ones are very quiet from what I've seen. Of course I was coming from Vanderbilt undergrad, which I think is a better balance and the faculty is alot more supportive and accessible, and not so intellectually arrogant. My sister is a high school senior this year, and if she ends up having to decide between Rice and Vanderbilt, I will recommend her to go to Vanderbilt for sure.</p>
<p>"Every single professor in my department is a Democrat and they openly denounce Republicans."</p>
<p>Oh, joy. I would expect better from an excellent school like Rice.</p>
<p>
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Oh, joy. I would expect better from an excellent school like Rice.
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<p>In my opinion, the rejection of religion/conservatism is even more pronounced at higher-ranked universities. One need only read Alvin Platinga's autobiography to understand the vehement rejection of religion in Harvard's philosophy department. In an environment where the dominating principles of reasoning are predicated on Occam's razor, you can expect those who endorse it to revert to liberal/agonist/atheistic tendencies.</p>
<p>ElectronicError-yup, it's very annoying. In fact I think I only know of one professor at Rice that is brave enough to admit he is Republican. Students who lean on the conservative side shy away from pronouncing their political views.</p>
<p>"Revert to liberal/agonist/atheistic tendencies?" </p>
<p>What's next? I'm going to start acting like a caveman?</p>
<p>Sorry, I did not mean that offensively; I am personally agnostic. My claim is just predicated on a general reflection of ideological tendencies at top tier schools. I could be wrong, of course, but this is just my opinion.</p>