<p>If you are looking for LACs in the West with a conservative/moderate bent, then Claremont-McKenna comes to mind. But not Pomona..</p>
<p>W&M is quite liberal. </p>
<p>I agree that you can open up your list to the schools that tolerate conservatives - no use punishing yourself by going to a place where people equate "conservative" with "stupid." </p>
<p><a href="http://encarta.msn.com/college_article_ConservativeColleges/Top_10_Politically_Conservative_Colleges.html%5B/url%5D">http://encarta.msn.com/college_article_ConservativeColleges/Top_10_Politically_Conservative_Colleges.html</a>
is a good place to start. As mentioned, a lot of the Academies are there. Some of the "conservative" schools are more about religion than politics - yes, folks, there are some non-religious conservatives in the world - avoid those, because you don't sound like you are looking for that.</p>
<p>Apolitical schools might work well for you, too. As always, there's nothing like a campus visit to find out what you want in a school. :)</p>
<p>While my political views tend toward the other end of the spectrum, I found ISI's guide to be a good read and thought provoking. Libraries seem to have copies?</p>
<p>Here's more information:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.isi.org/college_guide/index.aspx%5B/url%5D">http://www.isi.org/college_guide/index.aspx</a></p>
<p>I would second newmassdad's post. The ISI guide to choosing the right college is quite good. There is some editorializing but if you read it with a critical eye it is an excellent source of information on the political atmosphere on campus.</p>
<p>Claremont-McKenna could only be politically conservative if Pol Pot represented the middle of the road.</p>
<p>Wake and UVa though both a tad on the preppy side have good sports and aren't particularly liberal. Tulane is another school you ought to look at.</p>
<p>Of course your "maybe" list should include JHU (the Johns Hopkins University). The political atmosphere is generally low key--the leftish groups are the most visible, of course, and the campus is very PC. BUT, and this is important, the administration does defend free exchange of ideas. Last fall saw several conservatives (including David Horowitz) on campus at one lecture series, and there was no wailing and gnashing of teeth like you would see on some campuses.</p>
<p>JHU pre-med is, of course, second to none. Most people don't know that the basic science courses that are required for first year med students (like organic chem) are taught on the Homewood Campus, not at the med school, by the same faculty that teach ug & grad science.</p>
<p>Sports are Div III, except for TA-DA!!! Lacrosse.</p>
<p>I think your best bet is probably Davidson. It would seem to me that your essential concern is not so much to find confirmation of your views but a school where you can discuss them without immediately being relegated to the outer circle of hell. Davidson is a fine school, probably in the league of Williams and Amherst.</p>
<p>paleozoic- Thank you- you put my goal into better words than I can.
JHU is going back on the list. I researched there swim team, and I think I might be good enough to join if I have a good senior year. Swimming in college has always been a goal of mine. I originally took JHU off my list because of rumors that premed is unusually cutthroat. Am I off base?
I've definitely added Davidson. I can't believe I overlooked it. It sounds awesome, and my parents are very excited about the idea. My only concern is that it may be too small.</p>
<p>as I said in my first post-when I read what you wanted, what you described was Davidson. "small" is a state of mind, I have spent 2 years there already, and have never felt suffocated. But you owe it to yourself to check it out, as it meets your criteria, and your stats are very competitive, and with your athletic prowess, you are right up their alley. Also, I truly believe that Davidson gets a far higher percentage of their premeds eventually into medical aschool then JHU. Good luck.</p>
<p>I'd like to echo momof1's suggestion to investigate the military academies. Academics are outstanding, swimming is a D1 sport, the environment is mixed politically (but leans conservative) and you can't beat the tuition. To have both your BS and med-school covered at 100% and receive a stipend is an opportunity that may need a look.</p>
<p>Give a look at "Hope College" in Holland, Michigan. Fairly good science department, mid-western nice and not often mentioned here at CC.</p>
<p>While on your way to visit stellar Davidson,make sure you visit Hampden-Sydney in southern Virginia.Try to stay in each campus's guest house-Hampton House at HSC and Carnegie House at Davidson.Good luck!</p>
<p>I actually thought of Hope and its slightly larger twin,Calvin College,as alternatives to Davidson. Although academically excellent, I don't think they attract the uniformly high calibre of students that Davidson does. In tone, I would compare them St. Olaf's, also a fantastic school almost never mentioned here. If I were emswim I would consider all of these matches rather than safeties. </p>
<p>As for small, this pertains to the size of the town not too the size of the school. In terms of roominess of mind, honourableness, and sense of what it means to be American in a good sense i.e., what America stood for when it was a beacon of hope for the world, Davidson would come close to the top of my list.</p>
<p>Duke and Notre Dame are great schools that match your criteria. Might want to look at Holy Cross-smaller version of ND with better location 1 hour from Boston . Duke, ND, and HC all have very high alumni giving rates. Davidson is a great school but heavy emphasis on Southern preps.
,</p>
<p>There's a whole thread about this in the "student life" section (although it has turned into a "Bob Jones Univ. is loony" thread..but there's good info there too.</p>
<p>Lots of the schools in the midwest and south would suit you. Furman, Swanee, Washington and Lee, and Hillsdale come to mind.</p>
<p>Hampden-Sydney is all-boys. Is "Em" a girl?</p>
<p>Yes, I'm a girl. I thought that was an all-boys school? Oh well. Some guys reading this might be interested.</p>
<p>Rice is a great choice - with very supportive atmosphere and great med school placement... I've read some people's opinions saying that it is one of the more conservative top-level schools, but it's actually very moderate. There is a sizable republican / conservative population, also democratic /liberal population. I believe that the Grad school of public policy has some fairly conservative scholars. You would certainly have much support for your points of views there, as well as plenty of people to debate the opposite! DD attends and loves it.</p>
<p>I don't know why JHU has that reputation of being "cutthroat" for premeds. I don't hear that on campus, just from outside (like here). I wonder if it isn't a perception that there would be a boost to get into JHUMed, but I'm not sure that is true. I suspect that (just like other fields) they encourage students to go elsewhere for grad/med school, with a few exceptions.</p>
<p>With respect to med school admissions rates, I'm absolutely certain that Davidson's is higher than JHU. When I visited Davidson w/S last spring they emphasized that very strongly--they have special counselors just for pre-med, who do a lot of contact work with med schools. They have pre-med gatherings/seminars on how to apply, etc. They monitor their pre-meds very closely to ensure they have the right resume. They know these stats help with undergrad admissions, so they make sure their pre-meds are well presented and prepared as applicants. Which is a good thing, of course, but it doesn't mean that their grads are better prepared for med school.</p>
<p>You won't get that kind of advising and grooming at JHU unless you seek it out. No question about it. All the faculty at JHU do high-powered research; this is not a hold-your-hand kind of place. But if you're the kind of person who can make a plan and take charge of your college program without any "nannying," there are definitely more opportunities for you than at Davidson or similar LAC. (Not "better," just more)</p>
<p>Trinity is considered to be a moderate college. It's a New England LAC, but it has one of the best economics departments in the country and therefore balances out nicely. It leans more apathetic than liberal, if that's what you'd like.</p>