Liberal, Free Spirited Colleges

warblersrule
Wed, 04 Dec 2019 22:21:51 +0000

Warren Wilson and possibly UNC-Asheville

Warren Wilson definitely has a hippie feel, but a student uninterested in its primary strengths (environmental science and creative writing) may find the academic offerings a bit lackluster. It’s relatively unique as one of the handful of Work Colleges.

https://www.warren-wilson.edu/academics/work-program/requirements/

UNC Asheville is more of a mixed bag. (Full disclosure: My sister is a recent UNCA grad and still lives in Asheville.) Most students are very liberal, but there’s a small but noticeable conservative streak due to the college attracting many students from Appalachia. It’s probably the most queer-friendly college in NC after Duke and Carolina. Academically it’s a very well-rounded school with an extremely rigorous core curriculum.

The town of Asheville itself has been changing with gentrification, and these days there’s more hipsters than hippies. Great craft brewery scene, though!