<p>I'm an incoming senior in HS, and my strong interest in UVA has led me to believe that I'll apply ED in the fall. However, I'm quite unsure about the overarching political sentiments of the student body and faculty. From what I've read and seen (I visited for two days this past Spring), it seems as though the populace leans more towards conservatism. As an avid leftist, I'm worried that such an immense Republican presence will be overwhelming and perhaps even discouraging. So, I'm basically interested to know if the notion that UVA is bursting with right-wing conservatives is accurate, if it's a mere generalization, or if it falls somewhere in between. Thanks!</p>
<p>more liberals than conservatives.</p>
<p>more members in UDem than URep.</p>
<p>it's like 60% liberal, 40 conservative.</p>
<p>more conservatives than schools of the same caliber.</p>
<p>You'd have to be an idiot to say that the University of Virginia is "bursting with right-wing conservatives". It's a top tier school - it definitely leans left. There are plenty of libs in the student body, the faculty and in the campus media. UVA is conservative in that it is less liberal than many other top schools, but it certainly is not a place that I would describe as "conservative". As someone who is such an avowed "leftist", you should also be aware that "conservative" and "republican" are not interchangeable terms. Honestly, if you find a school like UVA to be too conservative to stand, I think you should reevaluate your priorities in life. Not everything in life revolves around politics and people shouldn't be judged solely on their political beliefs. I have no clue how the environment at UVA could be discouraging to a liberal, and I'm sure that you'd find it rather accomodating. But at the same time, I'd hope that you'd find other things more appealing, like chemistry, beer, football, parties, late night conversations about Family Guy, and all those other great things that people experience in college.</p>
<p>Don't listen to them, UVA is a VERY conservative school, almost as much as T A&M. Don't apply here if you're even remotely liberal.</p>
<p>lololol. Yea, you'd probably be better off applying to a college in Sweden or the Netherlands. Most UVA students don't even support polyamourous marriages! What gives?!?!</p>
<p>Thank you, Cavalier. I appreciate your response, although you came off as quite combative. As a High School student, I don't believe that I'm expected to know the political interworkings of each school that I happen to have an interest in, which is obviously why I proposed my question in the first place. As for my "obsession" with politics, I'm highly considering majoring in Political Science, in which case an interest in the subject is completely fitting, if not absolutely required.<br>
Thank you nonetheless, though, for your ardent commentary.</p>
<p>I'm serious, Cav is just BSing you. I'd say it's about 60% Conservative, 30% "Moderate", and 10% "Liberal"</p>
<p>RachelDickens, I think it would be more appropriate for you to drop popular politics at the door if you want to be a political science major. There's a whole world of understanding that you can gain about the political process and the workings of the government if you study them from a purely academic point of view. </p>
<p>BTW, sv3a is BSing you.</p>
<p>My other top-choice schools are Northwestern, Emory, Vassar, Pomona, UCLA, and UCB, which perhaps all harbor more liberal climates than UVA. However, my father went to Virginia for both his Undergraduate and Graduate education, and I absolutely adore the school, I just don't want to feel estranged from my fellow students.</p>
<p>Au contraire, Cavalier. I believe that my intrinsic political sensibility and perceptions of "popular politics" will only encourage me to foster a greater understanding of the field of study overall.</p>
<p>Hmm. Vassar and Pomona are likely fairly liberal, with Vassar having a strong edge, and while Berkeley has a well-known liberal contingent, it supposedly has a good number of conservatives (from what I hear). This might have something to do with the fact that it's increasingly becoming more competitive and less white (under 50% I believe), so the old school hippie slackers are being forced out. Emory, UCLA and Northwestern are probably fairly similar to UVA - somewhere left of center without being in bizarrely liberal.</p>
<p>Yeah, I think that Berkeley is able to uphold its "liberal" reputation because of the area in which its located. UCLA is socially progressive from what I've gathered, but the faculty tends to lean towards the fiscally conservative end of the spectrum. I'm somewhat torn right now between large universities, such as UVA, and small, liberal arts schools. I'll just have to do a bit more research and visiting.</p>
<p>Your "intrinsic political sensibility" will be pwnd in PLAP101 either by your classmates or by the prof (Sabato or Caesar). Don't worry. </p>
<p>Having opinions is great, but you should be led to your opinions by legitimate academic study. Your OP leads to question the clarity of your outlook coming into college.</p>
<p>
[quote]
UCLA is socially progressive from what I've gathered, but the faculty tends to lean towards the fiscally conservative end of the spectrum.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What you need to realize is that professors at all top schools are generally very left leaning. At the schools you mentioned, the professors will almost all be coming from the top PhD programs in their field, nearly all of which are at liberal-leaning schools. Furthermore, many areas in academia are inherently liberal - sociology, women's studies, etc, etc, etc. Some departments - economics, for example - may have a few more free-thinking libertarians, but in general your proferssors will be liberal. Whether or not it really matters is another issue. In most classes, even in something like political science, the subject matter can be adequately taught without being tainted by the professor's underlying biases. In other areas, such as math, such things are blissfully left out of the equation (no pun intended, lol).</p>
<p>Uh, I don't know what cav is talking about. He's just trying to cover for UVA's nefarious conservatism. </p>
<p>By the way, personal feelings may make you more keen to a topic, but it's one thing to be interested in something and another to let sensibility cloud your judgement.</p>
<p>I think Cav's done a pretty good job so far.</p>
<p>In general, colleges and universities are liberal places. The obvious exceptions are schools with very conservative origins like BYU, Pepperdine and Bob Jones. I would never put UVA in the same category as those institutions.
[QUOTE]
From what I've read and seen (I visited for two days this past Spring), it seems as though the populace leans more towards conservatism.
[/QUOTE]
This comment begs an explanation. What have you read that has troubled you? What did you see during your visit that prompted this question?</p>
<p>Honestly guys, the fact is this.</p>
<p>UVa is apathetic to the nth degree. I've gone there for 2 years, my sister was there 4 years before me - so i can say that i've been at this school a fair amount. There really just isn't that big of a political scene. UDems and UReps get little to no newspaper press. The cav daily's main articles revolve around sports, whats going on with tuition and the charter initiative, some "inside charlottesville" section, and then some other people or sex or whatever column. The "US and World News" section (or whatever its called) is 1 page in the back of the A section of the newspaper - which is usually glossed over in favor of the sudoku and the crossword puzzle. Student protests get very little involvement - and usually go unheard of (mostly of the "whats that variety?).</p>
<p>in short - dont come here if ur looking for a vibrant liberal, or conservative scene.</p>
<p>That's a good way of putting it, jags. Blissful apathy...</p>
<p>There really are better things in life to worry about than politics, and UVA is rich in those areas: academics, sports, girls, beer, etc.</p>
<p>apathetic........mmm, well put.</p>
<p>college is one huge bubble. ;) :(</p>
<p>I don't have as much familiarity with the campus as the other posters on this board but the students I've met have been moderate---->liberal and the professors have been more on the liberal side. The professor I just took last month described herself as a "devout leftist." My experiences have matched up with my previous impressions as well as what I've heard of its reputation. Overall, I don't believe the campus is particularly political. When certain hot button issues crop up in current events (on campus, in C-ville or elsewhere) it seems the students do rise together, and in support of more socially liberal causes. There does not seem to be a political feel in general.</p>
<p>I also do not think you should allow your biases to influence your quality of education. Just because you describe yourself as "liberal" does not mean you can't get an excellent education thanks to conservative professors. You should not feel "estranged" from your peers just because they hold different beliefs than you. Do you feel "estranged" from people with different religious views?</p>
<p>Your statement about "intrinsic political sensibility" made me lol. Thanks for the laugh.</p>