Parents and "That school is too liberal"

College Search & Selection
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<p>So as it's becoming time for me to find "the right college" my entire family is very engaged and involved in the process... everybody likes to know what I'm thinking, where I want to go, etc. But the thing is they keep warning me about liberal (liberal as in politics) schools. My family is extremely conservative and I share most of those conservative views, but I don't mind what the political atmosphere will be like wherever I go. I figure I'm mature enough to stick to what I feel is right and stay founded in my own principles. I actually think it'll be healthy to be exposed to some opposing viewpoints because in the real world, I won't be able to shelter myself by working in an exclusively conservative environment, so why hide in college?</p>

<p>For example, I visited Georgetown last week. It was the first college I visited and except for my dad, some family members subtly but almost effectively tried to turn me away from it because of its apparently-high level of liberalism. If it weren't for the fact that it's 50% Catholic (I'm a raised Catholic), I'm pretty sure my grandparents would be jumping on the no-Georgetown-for-you boat as well.</p>

<p>I'm not sure what to make of this. Most schools and professors, if anything, have a liberal atmosphere... even the most prestigious schools. To me, it's something that can't really be avoided anyways, but even if it could be, it shouldn't be a big factor in where I go to school. Or should it?</p>

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<p>Look to the south…Furman, Sewanee, Birminghham Southern, Samford, Rollins. You might also try evangelical schools like Wheaton College.</p>

<p>If you go to a liberal school and convert to the left, so what? I could care less if my S becomes conservative, liberal, atheist, agnostic, whatever while in college. It is his life.</p>

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<p>So you think I should limit my options because of the political aura at a school?</p>

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<p>In what context do you mean “liberal” or “conservative”? Do you mean more in terms of personal lifestyle habits, or in terms of how political leanings can affect study of academic subjects like history, political science, etc.?</p>

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<p>I mean in the political views of the professors and how they apparently can sometimes forcefully try to push their views down your throat and spend class time rambling about their liberal political ideals. This comes from family members who are currently in college and who have recently been back to college to further their education.</p>

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<p>Yes and no. I could never go to a right wing conservative Christian school nor would I want my S to attend. But I would fully support him going to a conservative toned school such as Furman or Rollins.</p>

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<p>Notre Dame or USC.</p>

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<p>As a once liberal turned conservative parent, I can say I’ve limited my boy’s college selections somewhat and I don’t have any regrets about doing so. I simply don’t want a huge amount (or any amount) of money going to support certain things I disagree with when there are other options.</p>

<p>That said, one “guide” I gave them is, “Choosing the Right College.” We have an online subscription ($25), but the book is also available in some libraries and at many bookstores. You used to be able to go to their site and get 3 free reports by using the code 3FREE at checkout, but I don’t know if they still do that. It could be worth it to see if the guide works for you.</p>

<p>I absolutely won’t pay for any of my boys to attend a red light school. Period. If they were to want to go to one they’d have to fund it themselves. Most green light schools are fair game (except I also have academic minimums). Yellow light schools we investigate ourselves. Some have been kept on our short list.</p>

<p>We do still look at some colleges that aren’t evaluated and use our own judgment, but I prefer those with an evaluation overall.</p>

<p>FWIW, Georgetown gets a yellow light and would be on my ok list pending a visit and our own thoughts.</p>

<p>Perhaps reading a copy of their report would be something you could discuss with your folks (pros, cons, etc). Maybe when they see it’s not a “red light” school they’ll soften up - especially if it can favorably compare to schools your relatives have experience with?</p>

<p>It’s just a thought.</p>

<p>There are plenty of “happy medium” schools out there without having to go to Bob Jones (also not on my list of schools I’d pay for).</p>

<p>Furman also gets a yellow light. Rollins isn’t on the list.</p>

<p>Some examples of green are UVA, University of Rochester, Wash U in St. Louis, Princeton, etc.</p>

<p>BIG NOTE: These aren’t necessarily “conservative” schools, but rather are schools where conservative students are widely accepted for who they are. You will get liberal profs at pretty much any school (except, perhaps, Bob Jones), and you’re right at not wanting to avoid them as liberals are a part of our world. :)</p>

<p>I want my kids to see a mix, but still to feel comfortable with who they are and only changing that if THEY want to - not to keep up with everyone else or to be “shamed” into it.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the info. I just checked out the College Guide website and the 3FREE code DOES work. Thanks! :cool:</p>

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<p>Catholic schools have gotten extremely liberal. I considered attending a Catholic university in Boston, until I realized the professors in the department I wanted to possibly major in was filled with Marxists and Queer Theorists.</p>

<p>Haystack, among the schools I visited, It was the so called “conservative Christian school” (Wheaton) that I felt offered the most balanced classroom environment (center/slightly right of center).</p>

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<p>I lean left, but I honestly didn’t consider political orientation for a second when picking a school. I don’t think it matters as much as academics, course offerings, cost of attendance, financial aid, location, etc.</p>

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<p>^ I’d assume it’s easier to not worry about when you lean left and the majority of schools and professors also lean left. ;)</p>

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<p>^ exactly…at least you didn’t get the “your conservative kid should go to a liberal school to broaden his horizons”…that’s what I got when I first brought up the topic.</p>

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<p>Yes, but the point is, universities are supposed to welcome open debate. You’re not going to get shunned for being a conservative at a liberal school, at least not if its commitment to academic and intellectual inquiry outweighs its commitment to a political agenda–which it should at any self-respecting university.</p>

<p>I know that even my own school, which is generally thought of as an incubator for socialists, radical libertarians and other exotic political fauna, usually has a couple of vocal resident conservatives/religious activists: people who enrich the intellectual life on campus and are cherished as valuable members of the community for that very reason.</p>

<p>As long as you are willing to not only wave your political views as a banner, but examine them critically–something that goes both ways, don’t worry–you should be fine.</p>

<p>I don’t, however, have any advice to give re. your parents. I don’t think you should be limiting your search to deeply conservative schools (and if Georgetown is too liberal for your family, then you *are *looking at deeply conservative schools), but I don’t know how you should approach the issue. In any case, best of luck finding a college you feel comfortable at!</p>

<p>As for parents not wanting to fund political enterprises they don’t agree with, that is of course perfectly fine–but are universities really vehicles for political change? It would seem you would be financing your children’s education, not someone’s objectionable political career.</p>

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<p>This is exactly my goal. ;)</p>

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<p>That doesn’t mean it happens in the real world. Many faculty members only welcome you to repeat back to them what they churn out. :D</p>

<p>But if your parents think Georgetown is too liberal, then I can see your issue. :)</p>

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<p>I can say that it all my years as an undergrad or grad student, I never felt compelled to regurgitate what a faculty member said in a paper or on a test. I can think of several papers where I took a conservative view on a topic in environmental politics and education policy classes.</p>

<p>I live in a college town that is referred to as ‘the Peoples Republic of … City’. We have thousands of new students each year coming from very conservative rural towns, Catholic communities, and conservative suburban areas. Each year they successfully integrate into the campus community on their OWN terms, not on what some faculty member says or on what some dorm member says. They pick and choose to join student organizations that are within their belief structure and find a comfortable place within a fairly liberal campus.</p>

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<p>Any parent who attempts to limit their children’s choices because of a school’s supposed political leaning is insulting their children. Do they honestly think that their children can’t think for themselves? That they’re so impressionable that they can’t make their own decisions?</p>

<p>I don’t care if you’re a liberal forbidding your children to attend conservative schools or vice versa - that’s just plain wrong. Shame on any parent who thinks that their pocketbook justifies such irrationality and close-mindedness.</p>

<p>To the OP, you have a very mature outlook on this. I think you should tell your parents exactly what you posted, and emphasize that you are not so weak-minded as to be persuaded from your own beliefs simply because the environment doesn’t agree with you all the time. I’d also point out that even the most liberal schools typically have strong and vocal conservative elements - at Berkeley, for example, the Republican club is supposedly (or at least was) the largest political organization on campus. Stanford is extremely liberal (in the 2008 elections, professors donated over $350k to Obama and only $8k to McCain, the largest disparity in donations among universities); despite that, it not only has an enormous tower on campus that houses a prominent conservative thinktank, but it also has very vocal conservative newspaper, as well as its own chapter of the Anscombe Society among many other conservative organizations.</p>

<p>I’d also point out, as you have, that the most prestigious universities are quite liberal on the whole. Would they be opposed to your attending Harvard if you got in? Stanford? Yale? Any Ivy? If so, that’s just plain unfortunate (to put it lightly).</p>

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<p>It might be tough as education itself is a liberal ideal.</p>

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<p>Parents who are worried about their carefully politically groomed child’s head being turned by a college must be very worried that their political views will not stand up to critical scrutiny. </p>

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