<p>I have heard from numerous sources that the student body at Bucknell is conservative. I would like to know how such an assessment is made and also if it is true. I mean, I just have a difficult time believing that a few thousand kids at one excellent college have conservative views. Any insight into this subject would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Being conservative and being educated are not mutually exclusive. Way to stereotype.</p>
<p>collegemom, do you really feel that your response to the above question is appropriate? i dont think loop ever implied, let alone stated, that it was impossible to be both educated and conservative. as such, he or she certainly didnt stereotype conservatives. way to not only attack someone on a message board but stereotype someone who is simply trying to gather information to make an informed college decision. </p>
<p>anyway...</p>
<p>loop, the only stereotype i see is the one youre trying to resolve, namely that bucknell is conservative. well... its not. sure, youll see lists on collegeconfidential that place bucknell among a group of 'conservative' liberal arts colleges. but what does that actually mean? simple: bucknell, as a whole, is more conservative than bard and vassar and wesleyan. in other words, bucknell is only 'conservative' in a VERY relative sense.</p>
<p>some examples: though certainly not statistically reliable, among bucknell students who list their political preferences on facebook, only 22% consider themselves conservative or very conservative. 41% consider themselves liberal or very liberal. further, a look at campaignmoney.com (which allows you to search political donations), shows that exactly ONE person who included 'bucknell' in his employer description donated to george bushs re-election campaign in 2004. in contrast, dozens contributed to various democratic candidates, the dnc and liberal pacs.</p>
<p>so what does this mean?</p>
<p>well, there ARE conservatives as bucknell. and yes, collegemom, theyre intelligent. youll see an occasional poster for a republican candidate in a dorm window and youll hear a lot from the rather vocal conservatives club. your professors, just like the faculty at most every major university in the country, will be, on average, decidedly liberal.</p>
<p>other than that, i guess you could say that the student body generally dresses somewhat conservatively.</p>
<p>edit: for some context re: the 41/22 facebook split at bucknell, bard comes in at 63/2.</p>
<p>To the OP: Notre Dame, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Pepperdine, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt (although slowly changing due to aggressive recruitment of URMs), most southern universities, all service academies, Furman Univ., & many more colleges & universities have large groups of conservative students. Bucknell attracts a lot of children of businessowners and these families tend to lean to the right politically, socially & economically. It is incorrect to generalize, but these are typicalizations.</p>
<p>In defense of collegemom, the statement in looparound's post --- "I mean, I just have a difficult time believing that a few thousand kids at one excellent college have conservative views." also gave me the impression that he/she believes an excellent school is not a place for students with conservative views. It is reassuring to know that there are excellent schools, like Bucknell and many others, where conservative students are not viewed with disdain.</p>
<p>The statement in looparound's post --- "I mean, I just have a difficult time believing that a few thousand kids at one excellent college have conservative views" gave me the impression that s/he believes an excellent school would have a mix of liberal and conservative views.</p>
<p>re-reading the post, i do now see how most of you reached the interpretive conclusion you did. my apologies, collegemom!</p>
<p>Yes, i am sorry, as i can see how many of you would interpret what i said as such. My wording was misleading and again I apologize, I was in now way stereotyping, AND in no way was i inferring that an excellent school is not a place for conservatives, yet truly trying to get a feeling of what the gifted and talented students at Bucknell were like ( in this case, their political views).<br>
As Dntw8up said, I believe diversity, in all its forms, contributes to the excellent reputation of schools like Bucknell.</p>
<p>looparound ... don't be cowed about this. I trust, if you are a bright and serious student considering a place like Bucknell, you said what you meant, and meant what you said. Yes? And that your initial inquiry, which clearly has a apparent slant to it, seems pretty clear about your position ...</p>
<p>
[quote]
I just have a difficult time believing that a few thousand kids at one excellent college have conservative views.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Why might you find that so difficult? </p>
<p>While I don't align with your inference, I'd encourage you to stand your ground. If you want to know about the political climate, then ask that question. Not trying to brow beat your vacillation . Rather trying to suggest one of two things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Think before you write</p></li>
<li><p>Be prepared when you offer statements such as yours in a public forum. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>I'm confident that this will be minor league discussion to what your professors and fellow students in Lewisburg might offer in response to your written words. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>ericatbucknell ... I believe that collegemom fully grasped both the question and its inference and that her response was appropriate. Hers is fair and reasonable interpretation, don't you think?</p>
<p>
[quote]
ericatbucknell ... I believe that collegemom fully grasped both the question and its inference and that her response was appropriate. Hers is fair and reasonable interpretation, don't you think?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>im not convinced the response was fair, no. the interpretation? yes. that i admitted above.</p>
<p>i wish i could offer precisely how i read the sentence in question when i responded the way i did, but the general gist was that the loop found it difficult to believe that virtually EVERYONE (ie few thousand kids) at bucknell would be conservative. as such, i found (and still find) collegemoms response to be inappropriate.</p>
<p>regardless, i feel i addressed the question adequately. </p>
<p>anyone have any OTHER questions?</p>
<p>Whistle Pig, I already noted that I was misleading with my wording, therefore implying I obviously did not think before I wrote. It is completely unfair of you to imply that because I am "a bright and serious student considering a place like bucknell," that i said what i meant, and meant what i said. I also already said that I could see how what I wrote could be interpreted with a slant, and apologized, so as to why you would assume I meant exactly what I said is beyond me. The person who replied below you completely understands what I was getting at (thank you eric). Again, I am sorry for no fully thinking before i wrote; I was typing fast and clearly not being careful with my wording.</p>
<p>whistlestop: SAY WHAT? There's nothing worse than someone else telling one what one meant, particularly in such an effete way. You clearly style yourself to be much more worldly than the earnest high school student who asked the original question in however awkward a way. That, however, is no excuse for an attitude. "Think before you write" is truly good advice.</p>
<p>thanks for the stats, ericatbucknell!! i applied to bucknell (decision will probably be here on monday!!) and, being pretty liberal in many areas, i was a bit wary of going to a school that wouldn't exactly fit me. While I like a friendly debate now and then, I don't want the whole campus to think of me as the hippie.</p>
<p>Once again, thank for letting me realize I was being wayyyyy too general!</p>
<p>Don't trust the stereotypes. Bucknell, although it seems more "conservative" than some other liberal arts colleges, has a definite leftward-leaning student body.</p>
<p>It seems as though the opinions many make about a school's student body are rash and unjustified. I've heard many describe Trinity College in CT as "very conservative" because of the way students dress or the schools they came from. It's more than a little ridiculous. Donning a polo shirt or coming from Andover (VERY liberal, by the way) doesn't make one a Republican. Not that there's anything wrong with being one in the first place :)</p>
<p>acare617 ... You so rightly noted ...
[quote]
It seems as though the opinions many make about a school's student body are rash and unjustified.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Then immediately preceding that observation, you "rashly and unjustifiably" and in contradictory form assured readers...
[quote]
Bucknell, although it seems more "conservative" than some other liberal arts colleges, has a definite leftward-leaning student body.
.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And then you topped off your heady banana split with ...
[quote]
Don't trust the stereotypes.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You've offered solid evidence that neither sterotypes nor typers are to be trusted.</p>
<p>Lastly, you told us perhaps most profoundly ...
[quote]
It's more than a little ridiculous.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yep! And here's hoping you're neither math nor philosophy major. :confused: Perhaps that depends on your definition of "it's"? :eek: Do you attend BU?</p>
<p>Yawn.</p>
<p>I'm saying many LAC's are said to be more conservative than they are.</p>
<p>Wow, fascinating.</p>
<p>Sorry to bore you. Surely you realize that my posts address the topic of this thread. Yours, on the other hand, are pointless.</p>