<p>How liberal is Wisconsin actually? Personally I am a republican and I really like UW-Madison, but I feel as if the liberal environment there is very unappealing to me. Is the environment so liberal that even a not-so-hardcore republican would feel angered and left out?</p>
<p>I’d say its a big enough school where it isn’t really going to make a whole lot of difference. You’re going to find people that share the same views you have and also meet people with opposing views. There are 30,000 undergrads, I’m sure you will be able to find your place there pretty easily especially through clubs. </p>
<p>Check out the campus Young Republican group under student organizations. Room for all kinds of beliefs and political views. Do not forget that part of a good education is being exposed to new ideas and viewpoints. UW is a good place to explore WHY you hold your views- that’s the liberal, thinking part. Wisconsin is a swing state so you will find plenty of people who vote different parties. </p>
<p>Choose the school for its excellence in academics.</p>
<p>Politics does not need to be a factor. You also need to learn not to feel anger when others disagree with you. Learn how to defend your position- just because everyone in your family for x years has been a — is not a reason. Figure out what you want to conserve- and why. All sorts of learning by being exposed to new ideas - in and out of the classroom.</p>
<p>Wisconsin is pretty conservative, most of it. Madison is liberal. Students come from everywhere. I understand there are TWO daily student run papers, one conservative and one liberal. I don’t know that is true but I read it on a post here, and I think that is kind of cool, if so. Actual diversity of thought. </p>
<p>thanks guys</p>
<p>These days the faculty may be more liberal than the students. </p>
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I don’t completely agree. College is a place where you’ll be exposed to different ideas and new things, regardless of where you go. But you also need to find a place where you’ll be able to fit in comfortably and feel at home.</p>
<p>And why is it that no one ever says this on the threads asking about a college being overly conservative?</p>
<p>Those colleges tend to be small Christian colleges that don’t appeal to mainstream students in general and hence are unlikely to be encountered on CC.</p>
<p>Choose UW for its fantastic academics and to learn more about yourself. Choose some other college if you can’t handle any diversity. Those who examine, even question, their beliefs and views but then retain them have a much better basis for them than those who merely follow others without question. Unfortunately today’s college students are more often too concerned with getting a college degree to earn more money instead of to become educated.</p>
<p>All sorts of people fit in comfortably and feel at home at UW. Different people choose different housing- on and off campus, majors and activities. There is no uniformity. Despite those who are gung-ho sports there are plenty who couldn’t care less about them. There are fervent Democrats and Republicans. There are atheists and very religious people (of more than just Christian backgrounds). There are multifaceted students. This is one advantage of a large campus- there is room for significant numbers of very different lifestyles and viewpoints even if they are a small percentage.</p>
<p>Just don’t see it as a big issue at UW. David Hookstead has managed to survive it.</p>
<p>There is no discernible political activism on campus and hasn’t been for several years. The only issue that seemed to grab a few students was related to the exploitation of workers who were making UW logo merchandise. Haven’t heard much about that lately since I believe that university took appropriate steps. </p>
<p>UW is a big school. There are lots of liberals, lots of conservatives and everything in between. It is probably a net 0. </p>
<p>The Madison area in general is fairly liberal (state capitol) but the governor is a republican (again net 0). </p>
<p>Wisconsin is a swing state, meaning it’s “Independent” it can vote either way, so once again, net 0.</p>
<p>Take a look at who is going to be the graduation speaker–<a href=“Jon Huntsman to speak at UW-Madison commencement”>http://www.news.wisc.edu/22663</a></p>
<p>My student has swung to the right after going to UW, influenced by his friends. But we are pretty liberal so there weren’t many options “left” of us for him to take. </p>
<p>With 28000 undergrads, there is room for everyone. Students find their “tribe”, whatever it may be.</p>
<p>Re the article about graduation speaker. Back in the 1970’s they held mass graduations at the Camp Randall stadium. We were lucky it was sunny and we didn’t get our names called (only law/medicine/PhDs did as I recall) so we had to sit through a lot on those bleachers.That’s nothing new but rather old school. I t will be easier on the speakers and officials to only go through it once instead of several times. I preferred sitting in the Kohl center in air conditioning and seeing my son walk the stage- although they botched his name (probably because his micro handwriting made it difficult to decipher his version of a not to hard to sound out name). We saved the video.</p>
<p>I think it’s such a big school and people come from all over, it won’t really make much of a difference. It didn’t seem to liberal when I was there, compared to other schools I visited. I’m going to Madison and I’m not really liberal, but I’m not really worried about running into political issues while I’m there. </p>