Of those aged 18 to 35, 30% say they are not affiliated with any religion. While we atheists (yes, I am one) may be the minority, I suspect the numbers are even higher than the polls show for this age group. And I can assure you, this was a big deal for my D when she was looking at colleges, and I’m sure it is for others. In fact, one of the very good schools she got into was quickly crossed off her list b/c of the heavy religious leanings of the students she noticed when we did a campus visit.
Attending a college that has an old religious affiliation versus requiring religious class(es) are very different in my mind. Neither of my children would ever have attended a college where they were forced to take even one class on religion.
So, just adding my voice to the “make sure your kid fits” contingent. A school may have a fabulous program, but if your child will be uncomfortable there b/c of culture, religion, idealism, or regionalisms, it’s not worth it. This degree is hard enough without adding the discomfort of not fitting in.