Hey all! I’m a rising senior and looking into colleges. I really love William and Mary but want to have a few more colleges on my list in case that doesn’t work out. Im looking for a college 2500-10000 students) that is in a small unique town and is pretty conservative. I also like the rigor of William and Mary, though am looking for something a bit easier to get into. The idea of study abroad is also appealing to me and I’m looking for a good business school. (I also want something in Virginia or the surrounding states, no further) Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!
A little bigger than you like but Miami of Ohio has a lot of similarities and an easier admit. It hits all your boxes except a tad far. This is the best shot. It’s not that far.
Maybe Elon but there’s not much a town. UNC Asheville. But small.
Marshall in WV.
CNU though less charming town. In VA
For Maryland Salisbury.
But really Miami….
Good luck.
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I’m originally from Ohio so that works great lol.
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And they have great merit aid.
Mine is deciding now between WM and Elon. We loved them both. Elon would be an easier admission.
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Looking at the most conservative colleges on Niche, these are some schools you might want to consider:
- Cedarville (OH…if you’re open to Miami…) has about 3500 undergrads.
- High Point (NC) has about 4900 undergrads. It does not have the academic reputation of William & Mary, but there is a conservative thread through the university and its families seem very happy with the results they get.
- Campbell (NC): has about 3100 undergrads and I’ve heard that it has a good reputation in North Carolina (conservative but solid academically).
- U. of Scranton (PA ): has about 3800 undergrads, and though Jesuit institutions tend to be more progressive, this one is ranked #67 of 1607 among the most conservative universities.
ETA:
Two other schools you might want to consider are:
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Anderson (SC): has about 3200 undergrads and isn’t far from North Carolina (i.e. desire to be neighboring Virginia)
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Franciscan U. of Steubenville (OH): has about 2600 undergrads
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One state over, but the honors college at CoC is similar rigor (based on family friend who attended both recently) and Charleston has a similar historic feel on and around campus. Easier admit and merit could get close to instate VA costs.
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I would consider William and Mary to be pretty liberal.
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I’m a W&M alumna with two daughters who are students there. The students tend to be genuinely nice people, academically very strong, intellectually curious, and engaged in all kinds of clubs, intermurals, community service, etc.
Drinking does not dominate the social scene, and it’s considered cool to have more interesting things to do on the weekends besides party. There are many students from religious backgrounds, who tend to be open, accepting, and non-judgemental of those from other traditions, and those without faith.
In our experience, the community is not conservative, if by conservative, you mean politically aligned with former president Trump, or activist for socially conservative views. For some data, on how comfortable students outside the mainstream feel, I included info from FIRE below.
W&M is 12th out of 203 in FIRE’s free speech ranking of colleges.
- 35% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is never acceptable.
- 40% of students say they have rarely or never self-censored on campus.
- 29% of students say they are not worried about damaging their reputation because someone misunderstands something they have said or done.
- For every one conservative student, there are roughly 5.6 liberal students.
If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask!
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University of Richmond, SMU, Washington & Lee?
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Thanks for the suggestions. SMU looks great! University of Richmond is on my list but I always assumed it was harder to get into than W & M. Is this not the case?
Furman?
I’d think Richmond and W&L were at least as hard, if not harder admits than William & Mary, especially if the OP is in Virginia.
If SMU is a possibility, I’d suggest TCU. Fort Worth is a fun town and TCU has 10,000 students and a really good business school.
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William & Mary does not have a reputation as conservative at all. If that’s what you are going there for you are barking up the wrong tree.
UNC-Asheville is likewise a terrible suggestion. It’s super liberal in a super liberal city.
Campbell University in NC is super conservative and Baptist, but not a Liberty U situation. Might be worth a look. Mostly NC kids.
Elon is pretty moderate.
Furman, Washington & Lee, Wofford, University of Richmond are all solid suggestions.
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I know W & M is pretty liberal, but I’m willing to overlook that for the other awesome things they have to offer.
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Sorry - I suggested UNCA - yes, Asheville is super liberal - because OP said W&M - and well - it’s more aligned.
I only went to border states - so didn’t go to Texas or others. Are we open to that OP?
I did put in Miami of Ohio because when we visited both - Miami of Ohio was W&M - but larger and much easier to get into. And the Farmer B School is highly rated.
But that was the only non-border state school mentioned.
If we are opening it up, there will be more.
We can open it up to anywhere other than our west lol.
OK - have to think - but I could see Brandeis (not quite as open a campus), from what I hear SUNY Geneseo for easier, Mary Washington and CNU in state.
You might look at Marshall in WV - another easy admit that’s closer. UT Chatanooga - it’s south I suppose but bigger city and right there - then W&M - and you want a conservative environment.
Well Geneseo and Brandeis won’t give you that but - fit the W&M bill.
I think you have some to research…
I can see W&L but smaller and harder to get into although my daughter got in and got WL at W&M…so maybe not.
Richmond - I don’t personally see similar to W&M.
Best of luck
Thanks!
If you’re looking at Ohio then you could also look at Denison, its another easier admit with an aesthetic like W&M but smaller than Miami Ohio, I think its moderate to leaning conservative??
Also I’d have a look at Davidson in NC, I wouldn’t call it conservative but I think an easier admit to W&M but if UoR is on your list than you would probably like Davidson too.