<p>mom2collegekids, at schools in the south a large majority of the students join a religious organization such as FCA or Campus Crusade for Christ, sometimes the large amount of students who join these groups can make the group feel as dominant as greek life to people who are not involved in these religious groups. Believe me, it’s not a matter of feeling “left out”, it’s a matter of feeling like everyone is a part of it but you don’t want to do it because that’s not what you believe.</p>
<p>Also, some schools (including public schools) do have all-faiths chapels.</p>
<p>Also, some schools (including public schools) do have all-faiths chapels.
<<<<<<<</p>
<p>Campus Crusade is not big at UA. I just went to the Alabama Campus Crusade Facebook page and it only has about 160 members - that wouldn’t even intimidate at a small school, much less a large school. I also doubt my son has even heard of CC at UA, much less ever been “preached to.”</p>
<p>Alabama is not “religious” feeling school at all. Again, since many Bama kids have roots from everywhere, their beliefs are too wide for one group to intimidate the others. Of course there are kids who have beliefs and go to their varous worship places on weekends, but what campus doesn’t have that?</p>
<p>Alabama does not have a “campus all-faith chapel”. </p>
<p>This is DS1’s 3rd year at UA. He has 2 or 3 agnostic/atheist friends. None of them have complained about being harassed or anything. No one says anything about the issue to them. </p>
<p>Alabama is not some bible-thumping school. However, when I was at UCI, there were bible-thumpers on campus screaming out all kinds of nutty things…so I guess it would be safe to say that the UC schools are suspect (jk)</p>
<p>BTW…Pierre…Maybe at SOME schools in the south a majority join CC or similarly strident groups…but not all of them…(I doubt CC is that popular at UAHuntsville or UABirmingham, either.)</p>
<p><<I never thought that the OOS numbers are sooooo looooow
for Cal and Texas.</p>
<p>I wonder if Hawkette’s OOS numbers include the internationals as well. >></p>
<p>The OOS numbers in TX (can’t speak for CA) are primarily because of the top 10% rule. The will be modified to some degree (top 8%) starting with the class of 2011, but it still won’t make a huge change. According to the 2008 student profile at UT Austin - about 4% were OOS, 3% were international, leaving 93% in-state students. Again, that just means that 93% of the kids graduated from TX high schools.</p>
<p><<…at schools in the south a large majority of the students join a religious organization such as FCA or Campus Crusade for Christ…>></p>
<p>Yes - you are probably more likely to see it in the SE/Bible Belt area. It’s definitely something to consider if you are going to feel left out or offended or bothered by such groups. And that is why campus visits are critical. But for someone who is comfortable with their beliefs/non-beliefs, I don’t see it being a problem. Same “concern” goes for conservative/southern/non-religious kids (that would be my 2 sons) going to schools in very liberal areas. Bottom line - you have to be confident in your beliefs (or lack thereof) and knowledgebale about what you’re getting into. </p>
<p>Also - this is EXACTLY why understanding what the in-state/OOS % really means at a school is important. The major public schools in states like AL or TX are likely to have a much more diverse group because AL and TX have large industries (oil, technology, aerospace) that bring in people from all over the US and the world. That just isn’t the case in other states. </p>
<p>Exactly, when I was growing up in Orange County, CA, there weren’t a lot of California native parents amongst my peers. Most had parents who came to Cali from all over the US seeking the jobs in the aerospace industries that dominated there in the 60’s. The same has been happening in states like Alabama and Texas for the last 2 decades.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, I’m definitely not speaking for all schools but I’m just talking from my own personal experience. At Clemson, FCA is just as dominating as greek life and everyone joins it. I know Auburn has the largest Campus Crusade for Christ chapter in the country.</p>
<p>As I said, I know nothing about Bama’s specific religious climate; but I do agree with pierre’s generalization about religious atmospheres at some southern public universities. (And, from my friends living in the South, at some public high schools as well.) And public schools do run surveys of students’ religious self-identifications.</p>
<p>In general, “bible-thumpers” do not correlate at all with a school’s religious leanings. The most insidious religious atmosphere for a non-believer is where almost everyone is an extremely nice, hospitable, lifelong Christian who asks you by way of introduction what church you attend.</p>
<p>And of course, some atheists/agnostics will be perfectly happy at Bama. But it is something to think about if you plan to go South.</p>
<p>It’s something to think about no matter where you’re from or where you’re thinking of going.</p>
<p>If an agnostic/atheist is going to be uncomfortable on a campus where there are a lot of religious students - then stay away. If not, not big deal.</p>
<p>Similarly, if you’re conservative (religious or not) you might want to think hard before going to one of the very liberal-type campuses.</p>
<p>This is where “fit” - not just whether you have the grades/scores to get in - comes into play in the college search process.</p>
<p>Yes, but there’s diversity and then there’s diversity. State lines don’t necessarily tell the tale. I wonder how many of UDel’s OOS students come from within a 60-mile radius, which would take in nearby Philadelphia and its Pennsylvania and southern NJ suburbs, as well as Baltimore and its suburbs? How diverse is that? Essentially these groups would all share a Mid-Atlantic urban/suburban background, i.e., possibly embrace less diversity than you’d find within a single large, geographically and demographically diverse state.</p>
<p>Similarly, around half of Wisconsin’s OOS students come from neighboring Minnesota, because Minnesotans are automatically entitled to in-state tuition rates under the two states’ reciprocity agreement. Demographically the two states are quite similar. Traditionally the cultural divide among Wisconsin students is between the “Coasters” (people from Coastal states) and the " 'Sconnies" (Wisconsinites), but the ubiquitous Minnesotans are lumped in with the 'Sconnies because they’re so similar. Given all that, Wisconsin’s OOS figure might misleadingly imply a higher level of geographic and demographic diversity than actually exists.</p>
<p>While I’m not suggesting that there is any discrimination and I have no doubt that the Hillel building is a nice facility, many Jewish students will want a school with a slightly higher percentage of Jewish undergraduates.</p>
<p>This is also true of the schools in states surrounding TX - lots go to Okla State, OU, LSU, etc. That’s where it’s useful when schools have maps that give an idea the % of students coming from different regions.</p>
<p>While I’m not suggesting that there is any discrimination and I have no doubt that the Hillel building is a nice facility, many Jewish students will want a school with a slightly higher percentage of Jewish undergraduates.
<<<</p>
<p>That’s all good and fine for any ethnic group of students to seek where they feel the most comfortable. However, many Jewish kids are quite used to going to schools where the Jewish population somewhat mirrors the Jewish population in the US…which is about 2.2%. My Jewish niece swears that she’s the only Jewish girl at her California campus (altho I doubt that…LOL)</p>
<p>And, of course, if any kid wants to go where the Jewish population is much greater, that’s his/her right. :)</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Auburn in regards to its Campus Crusade numbers. However, if it does have the largest group (as you say), then it sure has a lousy website.</p>
<p>Okay - so how does this impact your day to day life at Clemson? </p>
<p>If you’re not a member, are you annoyed/bothered by the members of the organization? Does it limit you from doing things or going places? Are you able to avoid/ignore meetings or gatherings of the members?</p>
<p>well being a Christian I am a member of FCA. But if I were not a member, I might be slightly annoyed and I have heard people complain about its huge presence on campus. First of, in the admissions booklet that you receive with your accepance letter, a whole bunch of key terms/traditions are addressed in the booklet and one of the groups highlighted is FCA (the only other student organizations that are highlighted are Habitat for Humanity which won chapter of the year last year and Central Spirit/IPTAY, the athletics organizations). Also, being an athletics-based christian organization and with Clemson being a huge athletics events, FCA sponsors a lot of athletic events.</p>
<p>I don’t think you are limited to doing things and going places by the huge presence of FCA but it just may be annoying to those who are not of a christian background since Clemson is a public school.</p>
<p>At our last overseas location, my sons found that joining the local youth group (associated with a non-denominational church) was a great way to get to know other kids. They went to weekly meetings, parties, field trips, etc.</p>
<p>We are not a very religious family, but my sons were not offended or put-off by anything. My older son stayed for about 4 months, and my younger son stopped after the first year. But many of the kids from that group remain close friends of theirs even today - over 4 years later.</p>
However, many Jewish kids are quite used to going to schools where the Jewish population somewhat mirrors the Jewish population in the US…which is about 2.2%. My Jewish niece swears that she’s the only Jewish girl at her California campus (altho I doubt that…LOL)</p>