I committed to Mount Holyoke a few weeks ago and then realized that I wanted to go to Wake, which I also got into with the Presidental Scholarship in debate (I know, stupid of me to be so wishy-washy, etc, etc). anyways, I’ve been trying to decide between going to Wake and Holyoke for the past few days and am at somewhat of an impasse, so any advice would be appreciated. I’ve talked to the debate coach and managed to hold onto my scholarship at Wake and place in the class.
The only thing I’m worried about is Wake’s political climate. I’m very liberal, and while I’d love to have interesting discussions I’d also love to be involved in liberal/democratic activism. Is that an option? I’m also part of the LGBT community, and I’m worried that Wake will either be unsupportive or outright hostile. Is that right?
Thanks so much for any help you can give!!
Please go to Wake’s website. They have a LGBT club. Wake also is one of the must inclusive schools around. Wake also came out strongly against the NC HB 2. Good luck with your decision.
I was on the debate team and left because it was too liberal. Now I’m transferring because I want to go to a school where I can do parliamentary debate instead of policy. It’s very common for Wake debaters to run gender and race kritiks at tournaments and to do so aggressively. I recall there being multiple transgender people on the team. If you are extremely liberal, you will be at home, but personally I thought it was a disgusting organization.
Wow. Well that “disgusting organization” must be doing something right because Wake just won the ACC Debate Championship for a second year in a row. (Go Deacs!!!)
@pnwfilm You will right at home with many of the Wake students. I’d specifically seek out the other Presidentials (not just in Debate, but in Art, Music, Theater etc). I think you’ll find that they are your people.
@pnwfilm you will find folks who will disagree with you, I think you will also find people who are borderline/outright disrespectful about things. That said, I think you will find ltos of folks who are supportive and similarly-minded. Substantially more than when I was a student starting 10 years ago. I’m guessing @cbrand is right about her/his inclination, but I’d say that you find allies in your thinking and thoughtful critics in many more circles than simply presidentials and other scholarship kids. I was surprised (in a good and healthy way for my maturation) that some of the most interesting and thoughtful allies/critics I had as a liberal on campus were people from the smallest towns and most conservative areas. Served me right for assuming things about people whom I really didn’t know. I hope you choose WFU. I’m guessing you will live again in the NE and be around majority of people like you politically for most of your career. WFU made me a richer person, a more tolerant person (funny how left-wing is ironically quite judgemental/close-minded to certain people!), and more confident that some of my beliefs were things I believed in because I was forced to struggle with the “why”. Good luck @pnwfilm and #GoDeacs!
@cbrand yes they did. I personally know the two guys who won it (Adam and Jack). They are not the type of people you would want to spend time with unless you’re extremely liberal, i.e., liberal to the point where anyone outside of a college campus is likely to find you intolerable.