<p>How are, for example, Catholic colleges different from secular colleges? Basically, I'm a Muslim who wears a headscarf. Will there be a problem?</p>
<p>I think you have to look at each school individually. Its best to visit a college and be sure you are comfortable. My S is at a Jesuit college in NYC and I think you would be perfectly fine. He has friends with many different religions at college. But other schools may not be as open.</p>
<p>OK, thanks! :)</p>
<p>anyone else?</p>
<p>Before going to the expense of a visit, you may want to check each school’s web site to see if the religious affiliation is “heavy” enough that it would make the school unsuitable for you. For example, if devotional religion courses (as opposed to religious studies courses that do not require devotion) are required, religious devotion is an integral part of not-specifically-religion courses, there are student conduct rules based on religious rules that you would not follow as a non-member of the religion (e.g. mandatory religious service attendance), or other aspects that might not be suitable for a non-member of the religion (e.g. a social environment that mostly revolves around a religion other than yours – or even yours if the it seems “over the top” to you).</p>
<p>It really depends – Jesuit catholic colleges are generally pretty liberal (check out St. Louis University for one I liked – had a temple and mosque on campus), whereas at some colleges religion is pretty much mandatory.</p>
<p>OP, go to the Christian Colleges forum. Most of the schools that get talked about there are evangelical Christian colleges, where it is expected that students are active in their Christian faith. Jewish colleges are going to be very focused on Jewish students; same for BYU and Mormon students.</p>
<p>For any college, you can go to its website and look for clues. If you find any of the following, you’re going to be an uncomfortable Muslim there:</p>
<p>*Mission statement that mentions anything religious
*Statement of faith
*Bible quotations anywhere on the site
*Office of Missions or Outreach
*Requirement that students attend Chapel or Devotions</p>
<p>But there are other church-affiliated colleges which welcome students of all faiths. These schools were generally established by a religious order, and maintain some relationship with it. There are explicit opportunities for students to practice their faith, but there’s no pressure to do so. Students of other faiths are not looked down on, or viewed as second-class citizens. These colleges consider themselves to be academic institutions, not religious ones.</p>
<p>Maybe the most famous of these schools is Notre Dame. Then there are the 28 Jesuit colleges, some of them very good indeed [Member</a> Institutions](<a href=“http://www.ajcunet.edu/Member-Institutions]Member”>http://www.ajcunet.edu/Member-Institutions). The Quaker colleges are known for embracing diversity [Quaker-originated</a> Colleges and Universities](<a href=“http://www.quaker.org/colleges.html]Quaker-originated”>Quaker-originated Colleges and Universities). Macalaster College, a well-respected LAC, is affiliated with the Presbyterian church.</p>
<p>Most Catholic univs will not care what religion you are and they won’t care (and the students won’t care) that you wear a headscarf. </p>
<p>Only a few Catholic univs are “very Catholic”…like Franciscan in Steubenville, Thomas Aquinas in Santa, Paula, Calif, Christendom in VA, etc.</p>