<p>The thing is, I don’t remember politics coming into the discussions I had in college (except for that one poly sci class and that was appropriate) and my daughter hasn’t either. I took classics, ancient history, drama, geology, marine biology, languages and it really didn’t come up. My daughter is taking bio, chem, language, calc2, freshman seminar writing, psych, and there wouldn’t be a possibility of it in those classes. I think you have to go looking for those kinds of issues.</p>
<p>My best friend’s boyfriend was Republican and we had good natured banter but it wasn’t rabid. If you give respect, you get it. Off course there will always be some people who are passionate about a cause, but just don’t engage.</p>
<p>I am interpreting the “conservative” adjective as a political one. I don’t necessarily think that political conservatism equals fundamental religiousness.</p>
<p>I have heard that Bucknell and Claremont McKenna have a mix of conservatives and liberals but this is second hand information. Have you researched either of those?</p>
<p>My HS sends a lot of graduates to LACs, and I can’t think of a single one that is actually conservative and is also in the NE. Most are liberal-very liberal, and the top ones are no exception. There are some more conservative ones in the southeast but that may not be what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>Second, I think this thread is ridiculous. I opened it up KNOWING what would happen. From a student’s perspective, the idea that kids should go into college and have challenged beliefs, etc. is a fairy tale that generally only applies to a select few. Many of my friends, current college students, flatly state that a liberal view permeates the college and is totally unquestioned except by the Republicans/Conservatives club (which is marginalized to varying degrees, depending on the school). As geekmom said, how many here would honestly suggest a conservative school to a liberal student who felt uncomfortable with “homophobia, racism, etc.?” I’m willing to bet very few. </p>
<p>All the OP’s son wants is an environment where teachers don’t push political beliefs on students. The idea is up for debate is some ways, but clearly a physics professor doesn’t have much leeway in the realm of political discussion when discussing kinematics.</p>
<p>OP, from everything I have heard, I don’t think that a NE LAC would be a great idea unless your son is willing to give ground on the “no liberal expression of views” rule.</p>
<p>boy an awful lot of generalizing…there are profs at many lacs that do not push their views. there are profs who are liberal at conservative schools etc. why not have your son look at the indl colleges he’s interested in and research that school. as far as the comments about this thread being fascist, come on folks. lets stop being so quick to accuse and to divide.</p>
<p>colleges and universities have liberal or conservative reputations and that is one of the many ways families make up a college list. It is good imho to have colleges that suit all comfort levels. It is not one size fits all.</p>
<p>New England LACs are not going to be a good fit. There are lots of other colleges, though. There are conservative colleges, Christian colleges, private public colleges in more conservative states can also be worth a look, although they will likely have a good share liberal students and faculty too.</p>
<p>My liberal son is at a liberal NE LAC. There are conservative students there, but not that many. If it’s truly an issue for your son, then he would not like it, and I don’t know why he’d opt to go to such a school. My son (and my daughter, for that matter) would not go to Wheaton or Liberty. That’s kind of a no-brainer, isn’t it?</p>
<p>often times it’s other students (or the administration) who are trying to push beliefs, not the professors. visit the school and do some research. keep your mind open to some surprises. they do exist.</p>
<p>Look, I can’t think of a single class I took where professors pushed their views in college - though I admit I didn’t take too many courses in government, sociology or history where it might have come up naturally. I did take a course that covered political theory Hobbes, Locke, Nietsche etc. I had a happy Republican roommate and she remains a Republican to this day. Even a very conservative student body (like the one at Washington and Lee) tends to have professors that are more liberal. But as far as I know that hasn’t stopped kids from going to W&L and feeling comfortable there. I’m just not convinced that this should be a big worry. I would look for a campus where the student body has some variety so that there are some like minded folks to hang out with and where profs are used to hearing competing view points. But most of the time I just don’t think it comes up that much in class. Less so than in high school anyway.</p>
<p>Steve Pinker, the famous Harvard psychologist, voiced serious doubts about whether there really is free thought at Harvard and in academia in general. And his concern was of liberal dogma snuffing out free thought. I highly doubt Pinker is a conservative, but conservative dogma has no place at all in academia so I suspect that is why he has only discussed liberal dogma. He wrote an interesting article in the New Republic about his take on the Summers’ fiasco. If you google “steven pinker” and “summers” or “steve pinker” and “taboo” together, you’ll get an idea of his concerns.</p>
<p>Your son will get pretty much what you’ve gotten in this thread. A bunch of smug assurances from liberals that, with proper enlightenment, he’ll be as brilliant as they are.</p>
<p>Most professors would welcome an articulate, empassioned conservative foil in the classroom. The right kind of student could have a lot of fun with that. Most conservatives at hoity-toit east coast schools just learn to keep their mouths shut.</p>
<p>Frankly, I wouldn’t worry about it either way.</p>
<p>not the ones i know. . .not at all, and shame on them if they do. it is a catholic school, so if you’re comfortable with those traditions you will feel right at home. if one is not a catholic, the views of the church will not be shoved down your throat.</p>