<p>"Lee" as in Robert E. Lee.</p>
<p>LakeWashington:</p>
<p>Do you think that attitude is present among the faculty? Would my son, if he does well, have a harder time getting a glowing recommendation for law school than if he were white?</p>
<p>Check out The U, they hava whole video on schools in the south and tell you all about what it's like.</p>
<p>The GFG, although I do not have firsthand knowledge of W and L, I think the answer top your query regarding recommendations is a resounding NO OF COURsE NOT (if you even meant it seriously.) Not to mention the advantage of being a qualified minority candidate, which cannot be overlooked in any academic context.</p>
<p>Read what the guidebooks have to say about W&L. Its not flatterring...</p>
<p>I'd never go there.</p>
<p>You would be naive to think that the ideas and beliefs that are prevalent in a certain region of the country are somehow not significantly present at a college in the specified region. Like I said before, how can you guys expect the "good, ole'" southern hospitality to be existent without the other (typically conservative) ideas to be present as well. A lot of you have recognized what I'm saying as stereotypes. But you all are doing the same thing. You guys have said how "warm" and "welcoming" southern people are. A stereotype is a stereotype. I am not attempting to discourage people from attending southern universities, I'm just keeping it real. You all should do the same.</p>
<p>Check out The U, they hava whole video on schools in the south and tell you all about what it's like.</p>
<p>"You would be naive to think that the ideas and beliefs that are prevalent in a certain region of the country are somehow not significantly present at a college in the specified region."</p>
<p>dsctt, some of the top schools in the south have less than 50% of their student bodies from the south. there are kids from all over the place, and all types of backgrounds at these schools.</p>
<p>I'm sure some of the points made have a lot of validity. What I don't understand is why all the rock throwing at southern schools? I don't see the point in running down an entire region of the country and making broad statements about "talking slow" and "not as intellectual or academically inclined as northerners". No one is forcing anyone to come down here if they don't like the atmosphere. You've never seen a discussion about why "nothern" schools are "bad" only discussions of the various pros and cons of individual schools.<br>
A girl (top student) from my S's h.s class is attending Columbia (on a scholarship) this year. Her Mom told me just ths week that her D is getting really tired of people coming by her dorm room and asking her to "talk" for them so they can laugh at her southern accent.<br>
So does that make Columbia or any other Ivies "bad" schools for a smart girl from the South? Probably not but it does appear that the street runs both ways on this subject.</p>
<p>Sidebar: with all the moving from region to region that people do in the US, and with all the TV watching, why is it that the people in New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and the South still talk so differently than the rest of the country (which has slight differences from region to region, but nothing at all as extreme as in the Northeast and South)? </p>
<p>Also, it's not just Southerners that people in the Northeast make fun of. Midwesterners get razzed too. When I was 16, my family moved from Michigan to a Boston suburb. My first year there the class would erupt in laughter whenever I answered a teacher's question.</p>
<p>This stupid liberal minded bashing is making me laugh. </p>
<p>Hell, less competition for me, I say!</p>
<p>Well, I read the first 2 pages, before it turned into a political flame thread, and I would have to say that I have met quite a few people from the South (not meant to be a derrogatory term, I'm just as much from the West as they are from the South) and I believe there is a different mindset there compared to the West, just as there is a different mindset when comparing the West to the East. The West is filled with self-centered bastards with low self-esteem (I'm from the West, so don't flame me for that.), and some will say the South is unintentionally a little more "racist" (that truely is too strong a word for what I am trying to convey). People tell you to not apply there because of this different mindset, and because they didn't like it. I personally think that you should go where ever you really want to go. </p>
<p>I ran into an example of what might make other people dislike colleges in the South; I was talking to a person who was having trouble with his roommate, who happened to be black. Now, I was severely shocked when he actually referred to him by the "word that shall not be said (on the West Coast)", and I actually thought about not talking to him after that (since he sounded like a flaming racist), until he clarified that he wasn't a racist, but made a distinction between black people and "word that shall not be said". It was an interesting viewpoint, and it makes sense to a certain extent...but it was still shocking to me. Some people would take offense at that kind of language, or perhaps discrimination, even though I do not think it's any different from me calling a nasty white guy a redneck.</p>
<p>But again, I would really focus on the what you like about the school, location, etc., and not on whether the school is too "south" for you. You may not like it, however I highly doubt that the education is worse than any other U.S. school, and it will probably teach you a thing or two about how other parts of the country are different from where you live. I'm sure it surprises many people when they go to a university in a different region (the main regions being North East, South, Midwest, and West Coast) because it breaks an enthnocentricism or closeminded-ness that has undoubtedly been instilled in all of us.</p>
<p>I have <em>never</em> heard a non-black person use that term casually (at least, only rarely). I use the term redneck freely, though (usually in reference to SC). If they watch NASCAR, they deserve the term. :p</p>
<p>Yeah, I don't understand NASCAR. It's got to be the single most boring and idiotic thing ever...aside from that WWF crap. Add beer to those two things and you've got the ultimate redneck entertainment.</p>
<p>GFG, I believe that with a record of good performance in the classroom, your son would get the recognition he deserves from W&L faculty. Let me add to my earlier comment by saying that I met many folks who were not supportive of the the "Johnny Reb" attitude at W&L. On a lighter note, I am reminded of the comment that Abby Hoffman made to me in a Lexington bar shortly after his speaking enagement at W&L when I jokingly asked hiim if he had given the rebels any religion. He replied "they don't call this place 'Washington and Lincoln,' do they?"</p>
<p>GFG et al...my sisters' child attends W&L and is from the Mid-Atlantic area. I hesitate to give more information because the school is small and if you are from "up north" it could be easy to figure out. Anyway, "Amy" was accepted to many of the top NESCAC schools and Colgate and Bucknell etc. W&L did provide a ton of merit aid which in the end was hard to ignore. An interesting aside was that they never visited the school, interviewed, did not have a view book--so none of the 'show how interested you are'. 'Amy' knew someone there and just thought it would be fun to visit for the re-visit day. The point to this post is that there is NO question that the school is dominated by southern culture (that is not necessarily a bad thing). In fact I think it is an important piece in the development process. For 'Amy' it is a little like letting the fox in the hen house. But at the end of the day regardless of your career 'Amy' will have a keen sense of what southern culture means. My advise for anyone considering W&L from up north... you will be taken out of your comfort zone especially with regards to attidudes. For example, 'Amy' feels that many of the girls from the south just believe what they believe and have never questioned certain assumptions. I believe that is a stark contrast to most non-southerns. I don't care what your belief system is just be able to explain and defend it. For southern girls that is described as being 'confrontational'. Aside from this she has been very pleased with all of the classed and profs. Getting into classes, access to prof/staff is super. Overall, the students seem happy in their little bubble. They do party quite regularly but never or rarely at the expense of doing well academically. I am boring my self at this point but would be happy to expand if you are interested. Good Luck.</p>
<p>"For southern girls that is described as being 'confrontational'. " Gentility: The quality of being well-mannered; refinement.
Not bad, and possibly better, but obviously different. Ever heard the advice that one should not discuss politics, sex, or religion in polite company? Not that I always heed it, but some may.</p>
<p>"with all the moving from region to region that people do in the US"
Very nice and all, but false. People moved around more post-WWII than they do now. Sorry I can't dig up the statistics (I read it in Reason magazine a couple issues back).</p>
<p>I only read the first few pages of this post and wanted to say something with regards to the political battle going on, lol.</p>
<p>I'm personally very moderate and I'm disgusted by both liberals and conservatives who decide to degrade the other. I don't understand why it happens and why those words are "dirty" (as someone said), but that's how it is today, and it's sickening. </p>
<p>Honestly, not only people on this post, but in our country in general seems to make blanket, degrading statements about both liberals and conservatives. It's as if all liberals are athiest hippies who don't eat meat and drive hybrid cars. Meanwhile, all conservatives are snobby, prejudice, and stubborn whites who don't care about the less fortunate and rely far too much on christianity. Since when are either of these things always true? I don't know, but I don't think they were ever entirely true.</p>
<p>Making general statements is bad, and then trying to bash the opposing side with that ******** is ridiculous. People need to grow the hell up, and not just on these damn boards, but everywhere.</p>
<p>To those on these boards who relate to a Conservative as a "Red-neck, Bible-preaching prick" only shows how racist you are. To be honest: Everyone is a damn Racist. It seems that the Human race wants to hate each other. Since hating by Color is out of style, everyone goes for politics. To a Conservative, a Liberal is a Hippie-peace sign waving lunatic, and to a Liberal, a Conservativ is a "Red-neck, Bible-preaching prick". When I turn on the radio and listen to both sides (yes I'm probably the only American in existence who listen to both) and you know what I hear? The same intolerant bull*****. If a caller on either side is on the opposite side of the political spectrum, he is treated like a crazy. If you'd actually listen to both sides of the conversation, you'd find out that, yes rich people are Liberal, that yes, Blacks, Latinos, or the like are Conservative, that Buddists are Republican, Jews are Republican, that people from the big companies are Democrats and so on.</p>
<p>In other words: Someone is throwing you the same bag of hate with a twist.</p>
<p>You know what's the most sickening thing of all? Sometimes, the caller would make a very legitimate point about their stance against a certain group of people in politics. Then the talk-show host would try to say "I don't mean it that way"... bull sh !t, and the next day continue to preach their hate.</p>
<p>Do you think they are alone? All you people with your stereotypes of what you belive to be the other side is just a mirror of those talkshow hosts. Maybe I'm the craziest one here, but in my mind, I'm the only one with a little bit of sanity left. (If just a drop)</p>