<p>Is Wheaton very conservative? I don't mind a moderate environment, and would prefer an environment where there is a variety of political ideas, but I don't want to be at a very conservative school.</p>
<p>among the more conservative schools, esp. in its evangelicalism.</p>
<p>We live three miles away from Wheaton. It is extremely conservative: evangelical, dry, etc. My kids use to swim club at the Wheaton College pool so I have been there a lot. It is a beautiful campus and the kids who go there are some of the nicest and most respectful I have ever met. This college is located within the city if Wheaton which is just as conservative. I mean it is seriously conservative.</p>
<p>A relative of mine went there and yes it is very conservative. The town has changed over the years and isn’t quite as conservative anymore, though still quite a Republican area. The town isn’t dry anymore.</p>
<p>From your post, it seems that you are speaking of political rather than social conservatism. My personal impression of Wheaton was that there is a wide range of political beliefs, and as a whole the faculty tend to be more liberal than the students. While most of the students are probably conservative, the conservative Intercollegiate Studies Institute reported that 60% of Wheaton faculty voted for President Obama in 2008. This is probably a smaller percentage than most other liberal arts college, but it is larger than one might expect of a strongly evangelical school.</p>
<p>I was very impressed by the Wheaton community, facilities, and academics when we visited and would definitely recommend a thorough investigation. If you can, I would encourage you to visit campus and talk to some students.</p>
<p>The campus is dry. The restaurants in Wheaton do serve alcohol. I have never seen a party on campus. Still the school is quite charming. Twice I hired student tutors from there for my son. The kids were awesome.</p>
<p>Nearby North Central U in Naperville is also a small school - and not as conservative as Wheaton. Check it out if you are in the area.</p>
<p>OP is looking to avoid schools that are too conservative, however it is she defines that, because she’s progressive and liberal.</p>
<p>If you want a midwestern LAC that is more moderate than Wheaton, check out St. Olaf. If you consider yourself “progressive and liberal”, and have the stats for Wheaton or St. Olaf, you might also want to consider Lawrence, Beloit, or Knox. More selective options include Kenyon, Grinnell, Oberlin, Macalester, Colorado College, and Carleton.</p>