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<p>Dartmouth on the whole is pretty liberal. It isn’t much more conservative than any other Ivy League school. What Dartmouth has been known for is having a very small but very loud and energetic conservative political group on campus.</p>
<p>Wake Forest.</p>
<p>^^^^</p>
<p>Wake Forest would be totally awesome if they did allow Business majors to transfer over…</p>
<p>Wake is not socially dry…its a very “wet” campus. And they are working on cleaning up the party scene. But its debaucherous like all the rest. If you are a holy roller and not a party person on any level, its not for you, particularly if you dont live in NC where you could escape to your home environment. </p>
<p>If you are not Mormon, BYU will look at that. Less than 1 percent of non mormons go there and most of those are athletes. They will try and convert you 24/7 because that is the Mormon ethos…they think they are saving you from hell. </p>
<p>I know mormons. good people, just religious zealots that never give up.</p>
<p>BYU is a good school. But think hard about going there before you commit. </p>
<p>Most dry campus schools are religiously bound. Presbyterian College in South Carolina is a lovely school, gorgeous campus and not a heavy party scene…though it is there. Its a very conservative school with Division 1A athletics. Respected academics. Wofford is another choice, or Furman University. Furman is technically a dry campus, so they go off campus to officially party. Its VERY strong academically.</p>
<p>Thank you ghostbuster, for that insight on Wake. I did not know that about them.</p>
<p>Furman is already on my list, one of my top choices, I will take a look at Wofford.</p>
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Conservative compared to Bennington or Marlboro, perhaps. 75% are in favor of abortion, 80% are in favor of legal marijuana, and 80% are in favor of gay marriage, so it’s not exactly a bastion of conservatism – though as a moderate school, conservatives would not feel out of place.</p>
<p>Samford would be worth a look, and perhaps Birmingham-Southern as well. As a safety, Berry in Georgia.</p>
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<p>OP, do you understand what you’re asking? “I want to go to a college where I can learn, but I want to cut the scope of what I might learn in half.” It’s kind of like asking “I want a med school where I can study medicine, but only from the belly button up.” Are you afraid to be exposed to a range of thought that’s different from what you already know? If so, why? If what you’re exposed to doesn’t resonate with your sense of reason, then don’t embrace it. If it makes you re-evaluate what you already know, then great - that’s what’s called a higher education. But don’t run away from half the world for fear of things that are different.</p>
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<p>And I will ask again, do you give the same advice to those asking for liberal schools? Do you highly suggest to them that they seek out schools that lean more conservatively so they can broaden their experience by either not embracing it or switching views? Or is your advice merely one sided by continually giving this advice to those seeking conservative schools and being noticeably absent whenever one asks for a liberal school?</p>
<p>You pretend only the side that agrees with you is “higher education.” Many of us in the business world would highly disagree with you and do not care to support such “higher” education with our $$. Give me reasonably neutral or leaning conservative. I consider liberal leaning schools to be rather “lower education.” I was raised liberal - by education employed (white collar) parents. What I find in my business world is incredibly different than what I was exposed to and told growing up. My political leanings changed considerably - and we’re supposed to send our kids to liberal schools? Why? To set them back by only letting them hear a liberal bias? Or maybe there is a token conservative? What a waste of money!</p>
<p>OP, do you understand what you’re asking?</p>
<p>Yes, my reasons for going to such schools are nothing like what you are saying…</p>
<p>College of the Holy Cross?</p>
<p>Gadad, you are like me – effectively a ■■■■■, without the intent (necessarily).</p>
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<p>A narrow definition of learning that is useless for some students.</p>
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<p>Nowhere in this thread or most others is this ever a reason given or in any way implied.</p>
<p>Stop being unproductive and inhibiting learning.</p>
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<p>Absolutely! I’m an alumnus of one of the schools cited on this thread as a conservative option. I’m also a former Vice President of an evangelical Christian university.</p>
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<p>Unbelievable. Really unbelievable. Which of these sounds like the more logical approach: “Decide what you believe and then set out to learn” or “Set out to learn and then decide what you believe”?</p>
<p>Gadad…</p>
<p>I don’t think the student wants to avoid any liberals or liberal thoughts. He probably just wants a campus where conservatives aren’t rare or put-down for their opinions…</p>
<p>BTW…why don’t people respond similarly to the hundreds of kids who post they they want a liberal leaning school? Frankly, a LOT more kids express that desire, and they don’t get the criticism that the few kids that want a more moderate/conservative leaning school.</p>
<p>The fact is that most so-called conservative schools are NOT conservative. They are moderate to slightly right-leaning - which ACTUALLY better represents the real world. The real world is NOT represented at may very left leaning universities.</p>
<p>I can empathize with the OP and his/her wishes. After all, with more than 2,000 respected colleges in the US we do have choice, thank goodness and its not a caste system (unless the ACT/SAT tests are such). That being said, I dont put down anyone’s version of “reality” or what they seek in higher education. The point is to help people find the right fit for THEM. </p>
<p>Even Bob Jones serves its constituents well, even if you don’t like them. </p>
<p>To some conservative means a demeanor…not a political belief. In the business world, we cannot speak our minds…or you may lose your job. So people are very careful and “conservative” with their opinions…not saying much at all.</p>
<p>In college, some schools are animal house and some are bastions of eggheads and nerds. In between we have all sorts of choices. Find the one that best fits your personality, interests and lifestyle. No right or wrong answers here, just what fits best.</p>
<p>Grove City College is very conservative and highly respected. Its also religious.</p>
<p>For me (and my kids) they want a middle ground politically, socially and economically. A healthy mix where all views are represented and lifestyles tolerated…meaning, no abject discrimination. personal views notwithstanding.</p>
<p>We dont want Party Central, but we don’t want a Seminary either. Mutual respect in all things. And the MOST important quality is that opinions of students are encouraged by professors and no professor has some sick political agenda forced on kids and grades people harshly who don’t agree. Professors like that should be terminated and tossed out on the street. Of ANY particular persuasion. Its okay to say what you believe and express an opinion, but NOT to humiliate, denigrate, downgrade or undermine students who don’t agree. </p>
<p>In now four years counting at D1 undergrad school she has only had ONE professor like that, went to the dean and it was dealt with severely…a triumph of sorts. But she has had many professors who differed on opinions, or differed on interpretations of readings, including Kant…and who praised her willingness to express openly her views (in class and in papers) and said, "I disagree, but its well reasoned and written: A). THAT is the mark of a superior professor. And yes, we are conservatives and the professors were liberals. </p>
<p>I dont want my kids going to a school with a one track mind and one agenda. But if you do…fine, go right ahead and good luck to you in all endeavors. that goes for the far left as well as the far right.</p>
<p>JMHO.</p>
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<p>That is my point totally. I lurk on many of these threads as I’m learning about schools to mention to my middle son (if there remain any that haven’t sent him information!). I have yet to see ANY thread where Gadad suggested a liberal attend a conservative school to further their learning. Maybe I missed some, but I doubt it.</p>
<p>To each their own, and may everyone be respected for their “fit.”</p>
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<p>They are inseparable in the narrow context of learning you are describing. Even having beliefs constitutes a sense of learning. </p>
<p>I’m not going to have this discussion with you here. Take it to PM or start a new thread, which I’m sure will garner many opinions.</p>
<p>“Learning” does not only mean interacting with students of different viewpoints. If I throw a dart at a board and pick whatever belief is hit, read only sources from that viewpoint, etc., I’ve still learned something. If I learn math with no political overtones, I’ve still learned something.</p>
<p>You are not in a position to judge whether college is the appropriate place for people to be exposed to different viewpoints, as that position belongs solely with the person himself (and God). For all you know, these applicants could have been exposed to more in a year than you have in your entire life, yet you treat them as if their college desires reflect a lifetime of sheltered and biased experience. College does not have to be the same thing for everyone. Some people are perfectly content with their beliefs and have already gone through what you hope that they do in college. Get over yourself, and let the applicants make the choices most appropriate for them.</p>
<p>I think conservatives can feel comfortable at many of colleges where they are a minority. If I were a conservative, I would reach out and address questions to the conservative groups on campus in the places that I would be considering. </p>
<p>I would put Duke in this category, at least based on my own observation as a grad student in the 2000’s. I wouldn’t call Duke “conservative”, but conservatives were active and accepted; and there were regarded conservative thinkers on the faculty (one of whom was the Libertarian candidate for NC governor in 2008).</p>
<p>I say all this because I don’t think you should limit your choices to the places that brand themselves as arch-conservative. E.g., Liberty University (yuk).</p>
<p>*I say all this because I don’t think you should limit your choices to the places that brand themselves as arch-conservative. E.g., Liberty University (yuk). *</p>
<p>Good heavens…no where did the OP suggest that he’s looking for arch-conservative schools.</p>
<p>This is an example of how extreme people get when a person just wants a school that is not screaming left. He has listed schools he’s considering; none are Liberty U types. The schools he’s interested in are just middle of the road schools. They “seem” conservative simply because they aren’t 80/20 liberal/conservative.</p>
<p>People, get a grip!</p>
<p>Also, “yuk” is a rude word to describe a university (Liberty) that one might not choose to attend. Some “Liberals” are becoming as intolerant as the intolerant conservatives…</p>
<p>p.s. I might not be an “arch-conservative,” or even conservative, for that matter, but have a good friend who has a son and daughter who attend Liberty. They are good people, far from ignorant or intolerant.</p>
<p>Yes, I should explain that I am not looking for super conservative schools (minus BYU maybe), just schools that are more middle of the road slightly leaning right…</p>