<p>I really don't wanna go to a liberal school. I got accepted at Madison and Minnesota and denied both of them because I don't want to live in a liberal hotpocket for four years. Please don't give me the cliche response, 'just about any public university is going to be left leaning'. That's not true. Clemson, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Purdue, Iowa -- all relatively conservative universities. </p>
<p>I noticed MSU offers a 'transgender housing' unit and that was a huge turnoff for me. </p>
<p>MSU actually has a pretty good balance. It’s liberal, like almost all universities, but especially places like JMC have very conservative cliques. </p>
<p>With that said, if the university offering a housing option that has no effect on you whatsoever is a “huge turnoff” then MSU is probably not the place for you. Liberal or conservative, it’s a largely tolerant and politically abivalent university. </p>
<p>Almost all universities are not liberal. Almost all east coast, west coast and upper midwest universities are liberal. Many southern, midwest, and almost any christian university is conservative. Leave the bubble sometime. Furthermore, just about University has conservative outlets like you said. Fraternities are known for being way more conservative than the norm.</p>
<p>As for tolerance, there’s a difference between being ‘tolerant’ and praising and encouraging transgender individuals. It’s not normal, natural, and nobody is born into the wrong skin. </p>
<p>Please just go to Liberty, Bob Jones or Oral Roberts and leave the rest of us alone…</p>
<p>@CollegeInformed I find it ironic that I say I want a conservative school, asking for a fair response, and you respond by saying I’m not wanted. Liberal minded individuals should encourage people like me attend their universities, because that encourages constructive debate. </p>
<p>I guess it depends on what you mean by liberal. Have you looked at Hillsdale or do you want to go to a large university?</p>
<p>Overall, MSU is one of the more conservative schools in the Big 10. Compared to Wisconsin and especially to Michigan, it is much more conservative. Still, most large public universities tend toward the liberal side, at least the professors. My oldest son is heading to Texas A&M this fall, one of the more conservative of the big universities. My second son is very interested in MSU. We visited Cal Berkeley, now that is liberal. But even there, the largest student organization is the Young Republicans.</p>
<p>My advice to you is the same that I gave to liberals worried about Texas A&M. Don’t worry too much about the overall trend. You can find like-minded students on any campus, and you will be challenged by students and professors wherever you go, unless you want to go to a small school with people just like yourself like Bob Jones for conservatives or Bennington for hippies.</p>
<p>While I’m not conservative myself, I completely understand the concern of going to a school where you feel you’re going to be the “odd-man-out” politically (my mom wanted me to apply to Texas A&M but I didn’t want to be the only democrat on campus). I was in James Madison my freshman year, and I honestly think it was a pretty even balance, if not maybe a tad more right wing. I have my friends who are very liberal, but then I have those who are conservative, and even libertarian. MSU is very supportive of all political beliefs and I have no doubt you could find plenty of people who think similarly to you (the College Republican club is very active). With any school you go to, you’re going to meet people who do and don’t think like you, but keep an eye out for clubs to find your niche. </p>
<p>As for MSU and the transgender housing, you’re going to see that with any university (especially a public one) it’s goal is to make the campus and school a safe place for all students, and they will often do this by offering resources for LGBT students. This shouldn’t be the mark of a school being especially liberal or not, they just want the best for their students. If you’re not transgender, which I’m assuming you’re not, I’m almost positive this will not affect you. If you do by any chance get assigned to a transgender roommate I know of students who have been placed into different rooms. Just talk to your R.A. Hope this offers some insight.</p>
<p>Also, since it makes you uncomfortable, this resource might be helpful for you if you’re trying to steer clear of LGBT tolerant universities.
<a href=“http://www.campusprideindex.org”>www.campusprideindex.org</a></p>