<p>I have just begun to consider Bard, but I am a very conservative Republican. I was wondering if I would be completely isolated by the overly liberal student body. </p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>What is it about Bard that appeals to you? If you can clarify that for yourself you may have a better sense of how important it will be to you if you are in the minority politically.</p>
<p>Isolated? No, but to be honest, I don’t think there’d be too many of you there. Consider it a challenge. It may strengthen your beliefs to have to defend them, or you may become more open minded by considering other people’s point of view. And vice versa.</p>
<p>I’ve been told that almost all colleges and universities are going to be rather liberal. Statistically speaking, it just so happens that people with more education are more liberal. I wouldn’t rule out Bard, just because you think you wouldn’t fit in. I mean, I suppose it depends on how personally you take politics, but hey, you might just change your mind. If you’re looking for a place where everyone is exactly the same, and they’re all exactly like you, I can’t say I’d recommend Bard. From what I gather, diversity is part of the appeal.</p>
<p>Putting myself in your shoes, in the reverse, I would be very unhappy going to a school where students were as conservative as they are liberal at Bard (or many other NE schools). I would look elsewhere first, if politics are important. (and overly liberal is relative)</p>
<p>Bard is very liberal. But there are conservative people (and I believe a Republican club, but don’t quote me on that), some of whom are my friends, who are happy with Bard. I would say the problem comes from the extremist/anarchic liberals and from some of the professors with whom you might have to “fudge” your opinion if you want to get a good grade (if grades are important), but that also happens when it’s not about politics too. Bard embraces differences, and Bard students are inquisitive. You will probably not be verbally “attacked” about your opinions, but rather asked WHY you hold your political beliefs.</p>
<p>That said, if you happen to have a problem with LGBTQA culture, I would look elsewhere.</p>
<p>@Spirit: I am a prospective Anthropology major. And to the above poster, I have absolutely no problem at all with the LGBTQA culture. I just don’t want to be somewhere where I am getting the idea that “Obama is the greatest president our country has every had” shoved down my throat. </p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your input!!</p>
<p>Well, you definitely won’t be hearing that Obama is the greatest president at Bard, so don’t worry about that one. Haha. Students there are very skeptical of him.</p>
<p>^Which is amusing, since during the campaign, Bard was all about Obama.</p>
<p>Hatshepsut, there is a book you should look at called “Choosing the RIGHT College.” My very liberal ex-husband picked it up by mistake, not noticing the emphasis on the word “right.” It evaluates hundreds of colleges based on the culture for conservatives, and gives a red, yellow or green light to schools based on the presence of conservative organizations, traditional curricula in core areas, and other factors. Unfortunately the book is also disparaging of LGBTQA culture, women’s studies programs, and the like, and leans toward Christian and Catholic colleges in many cases.</p>
<p>As an aside, I find it really interesting that you feel victimized by liberals who have “shoved down your throat” the idea that Obama is the greatest president ever. Remember that there are a lot of us who survived eight years of George Bush even though he wasn’t our choice. After you have to suffer through four more years of Obama we can call it even. :)</p>