<p>The one example the OP gave was so extreme that most of us can feel comfortable reassuring her that it is way, way down the list of plausible scenarios. The OP could be more specific about her comfort level regarding colleges where students are exhorted to be active in campus decision-making. They include Pitzer, New College of Florida, and others. Students expect to take the reins in formulating policies, and so there will be regular discussions about endowment portfolio divestments, boycotts, banning disposable plastic water bottle sales, sustainable environmental practices, etc. These ongoing discussions are considered an inextricable element in the students’ intellectual development. Some of these colleges have outstanding records for graduate school placement, national awards (e.g. Rhodes and Fulbright scholarships), etc., but students and parents who believe that student initiatives are frivolous should probably avoid those colleges. For the right students, they are ideal laboratories for studying “The Power of One.” The two colleges I mentioned do not seem to be militant places - possibly because the students do feel that they are respected and heeded. I previously mentioned Bucknell and Lehigh - both have active Greek-dominated party scenes, but some of the straightest people I know have attended, or currently attend, those two schools (and joined Greek-letter organizations, in some cases). They are not necessarily political or religious conservatives, but they are just straitlaced and conventional in their outlooks.</p>
<p>Well, the single standard of belief is religion not politics, though. There are political differences among Christians, too. And, varying levels of engagement. Not all Christians are running around to anti-abortion rally’s, either. Students that choose these schools are generally already Christians so if you want to consider them brainwashed that happened before they arrived on campus.</p>
<p>Well said, moogsmama.</p>
<p>I’ll probably get flamed for this, but noticed that the OP was concerned about a friend of his/her daughter who was getting potentially “taken advantage of” by exploring Full Sail U. </p>
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<p>For the right students, this can be a great opportunity. It i reportedly has excellent recording studios, and few studying that field would likely turn their noses up at the opportunity, for example, to participate in the recording of Beyonce’s recent album (I think she rented the studios in the middle of the night).</p>
<p>Whether the concern is exposure to being taken advantage of by political activists or a non traditional, music/film focused school, the suspicion seems unnecessary. I have a relative (not a cousin, but close) who would not have made it in a traditional college environment but succeeded at Full Sail, as it was the best environment for him. And he is employed in the video industry. So , IMO, no need to sneer at these schools, which may not be the right fit for some, but may be for others. </p>
<p>Flossy, I would argue that is the case of <em>some</em> of those schools, there is no distinction between religion and politics, . Obviously, that varies. But I don’t want to get off on an irrelevant discussion.</p>
<p>Coincidentally, a pair of missionary ladies appeared at my door a few minutes ago wanting to talk to me about the bible. :)</p>
<p>Uh-oh. Activism. 
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<p>Thinking back to my freshman year I had classes at the same time which were taught by charismatic prima donnas of very different stripe . . . Todd Gitlin (Mr. SDS) and Vincent Sarich (Mr. racial speciation). There are professors like this at many institutions who champion many academic perspectives. I was trying to think what the link is because, while this was at a fabled “liberal” institution they were not both “liberal” thinkers. I decided that the common thread between them and other professors who one could even imagine sweeping a student up in their orbit is actually having enough academic gravitational pull to HAVE an orbit. These are people who are leaders in their fields, who are “celebrity” academics of sorts. They are most commonly found at “celebrity” institutions. Certainly they are not all leftists and SDS holdovers. There are charismatic economics and English lit professors, chemistry professors who crow about how this and that was discovered “right here in our department”, and you name it.</p>
<p>Maybe the best bet would be to find an institution where they are teaching the canon rather than shaping it.</p>
<p>OK, so what are the chances that scholarme’s kid and NYMomof2’s kid end up at the same apolitical, nonpartying school?</p>
<p>And I had to laugh at this: </p>
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<p>Friend’s son went to Bucknell. Entered as a liberal, graduated as a conservative. Think Alex Keaton. His father is distraught.</p>
<p>To follow up my previous post . . . interestingly, it was the spring of the South Africa divestiture movement on campus and neither of them brought it up in class to my recollection. </p>
<p>I’d like to suggest an overseas school for the OP’s kid. If I understand correctly, a STEM major at a British University does not have any Gen Ed requirements to fulfill and therefore would not be at risk of being brainwashed in a humanities or social science class. </p>
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<p>FYI, British universities, especially the elite ones can not only be quite political, the political spectrum in Britain and many Western European countries is such that what would be considered liberal democrat here in the US would be on the conservative end of their political spectrum. </p>
<p>A commenter earlier mentioned her D having a similar experience when she found her views which would be considered liberal here in the US was considered quite conservative politically at her Canadian university. </p>
<p>Today at 11:28 am
QUOTE: OK, so what are the chances that scholarme’s kid and NYMomof2’s kid end up at the same apolitical, nonpartying school?</p>
<p>And I had to laugh at this:
Bucknell has always seemed pretty apolitical to me</p>
<p>Friend’s son went to Bucknell. Entered as a liberal, graduated as a conservative. Think Alex Keaton. His father is distraught.</p>
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<p>I have a lot of experience with Bucknell and its liberal arts professors and environment are definitely liberal - just not radically so. If anyone changes from liberal to conservative, it is because their thinking developed in that direction despite persuasion in the other direction from many professors. If the father is so distraught about his son thinking for himself, it would definitely appear that at least part of the son’s change is due to his father being an idiot.</p>
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<p>That father isn’t very different from many conservative parents who felt similarly beside themselves when their kids ended up becoming radical progressive lefty activists, neo-hippies, etc. </p>
<p>One college classmate turned down an unsolicited full scholarship to The Citadel and a near-full ride to Davidson back in the '90s because he grew frustrated with the vocal conservatives in his South Carolina hometown and on those campuses during his visits there from older students/admits. </p>
<p>Also, several other college classmates who were fortunate enough to earn full scholarship/FA packages were secretly radicalized long before college because their conservatives/families were so intolerant of LGBTQ, parents ignorant of my LAC’s reputation, and they were in the closet and wanted out. </p>
<p>Once their families found out the classmates’ actual sexual/political orientation and family reactions confirmed my classmates’ worst fears, those classmates cut off all further ties to their parents/family/hometown and moved to more LGBTQ friendly areas after college. </p>
<p>@cobrat, I know that Americans are moderate by the standards of many foreign countries. But the OP’s specific concern is that her daughter will be brainwashed into activism of any kind by a charismatic professor. I think whether it’s a liberal or conservative cause, or neither, really isn’t the main concern of the OP, and has sidetracked this thread. </p>
<p>Sticking strictly to STEM classes seems like a good way to alleviate this concern, no matter how unlikely we feel is is to actually happen. But that goes against the educational philosophy of the large majority of US schools discussed on this site. An all female technical school might be a good choice, but I don’t know of one.</p>
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<p>Actually, to many Western Europeans/Canadians, Americans are viewed as holding political views ranging from conservative to extreme right conservative views one would only find among the marginalized extremist right wing fringe groups there. </p>
<p>None of them would regard the average American political views to be moderate when measured on their political spectrums. </p>
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<p>I don’t know about that. That’s not what I’ve observed at several college campuses and moreso, from engineering/CS colleagues I’ve known from work and computer/tech conventions. They are also hard to lump in because they tend towards the political extremes IME…hardcore libertarian conservatives or radical lefty DFHs. </p>
<p>I can also assure you engineering/CS majors are just as likely to be politically active on campus and in life as other majors. </p>
<p>A good way to glimpse some of this is to go on some computer/techie themed forums/websites like slashdot. </p>
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<p>To be clear, I posted the silly circus comment on July 14 in answer to one of Cobrat’s posts based on imaginary friends or cousins. He posted about immigrant parents, and my reply was based on what my own parents would think and say about the current political activism and the scenes that appeared in Davis. Being students in the sixties, they are most familiar with the events in Europe and Mexico, as well as the end of the Vietnam War in the US. </p>
<p>Immigrants come from many different parts of the world and from very different SES and political systems. In a way, they might remember that this country was built by people who sought freedom from political and religious oppression by the … majority rulers. </p>
<p>Fwiw, as the originator of the silly circus, I do not aspIre for my children to attend a political hotbed school in a few decades. I would, however, neither fear nor try to avoid it. No school is perfect, and the mild annoyances caused by misguided lunatics might be just a small negative among many positives. After all, one can enjoy a WC soccer game while sitting in the middle of the opponent fan base. </p>
<p>@cobrat, I didn’t say the students would not be politically active. But the OP was specifically concerned about the influence of charismatic professors with an activist agenda. A STEM professor isn’t likely to bring activism into the classroom the way a social science or humanities professor might. If you’re teaching calc3, the opportunity to do so just isn’t quite the same as if you’re teaching feminist literature.</p>
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<p>Pretty much zero. NYMomof2’s kid is very interested in political activism issues. He would do great at Oberlin, Mac, Bard, etc. where he will find like-minded students. Can’t see the OP on this thread sending their kid to one of those.</p>
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<p>Cobrat, the problem with gross generalizations, if not outright fabrications, is that they are often false. The definition of conservatives in Europe does NOT align itself very well to a liberal democrat in the US. Actually, our liberal democrats would be called … socialists in Europe. Your case is one of lost in translation. Just as in the US, democrats and conservatives have a wide range of thoughts from politics or fiscal to social matters. </p>
<p>Further, looking at universities, you might see the students heavily engaged on campus during the week but returning home for the weekend to their upper class homes for dinners with their conservative parents. And enjoying all the trappings of the wealth they were attacking on Tuesday! </p>
<p>Think about St Andrews in Scotland! </p>
<p>I am afraid you have a lot fewer cousins and former classmates who talk to you about Europe. Perhaps I should lend a few dozens of mine! </p>
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<p>Not always. </p>
<p>A former supervisor I had who was an engineering major during the mid-late '70s had a long-serving tenured electrical engineering Prof who spent the entire semester talking about his upstate town mayoral campaign/political platform to such an extent students ended up having to teach themselves everything and tried filing several complaints with the dean to no avail. </p>
<p>Knew of several other engineering/CS alums who recounted having Profs making editorial comments about the merits of conservative libertarianism and being dismissive of other views. </p>
<p>Professors having opinions is not the same thing as social activism being a big deal on campus. </p>