Which conservative college for my son?

Ted

[Ted]

OK Freepers, I can't believe it, but my oldest of three sons is a Sophomore in High School. He's attending a private prep school here in Austin. It's time for us to generate a list of colleges to survey.

When pressed (slightly) he told me this evening that if he had to choose tomorrow he would major in History, Psychology, or Business. I'd guess he'll graduate in the second quartile of his tough school (no genius, but respectable), will score 1200-1250 on SAT, and has been reasonably active in outside activities/volunteer work. Let's assume total costs of $20K - $25K/year would be OK (ouch...).

My goals:

-Conservative school that will teach non-revisionist history and has a deep respect of our country.
-A school where it's OK for a well-rounded guy to enjoy other activities besides studying (he's no academic..., loves sports).
-Ideally in the South, but not required.
-Academically respected institution.
-A school where it's OK to be a Christian (a "Christian" school is not required, but it MUST respect/support Christianity).

Thus far I like what I see at Hillsdale College in Michigan, but dang, Michigan? He's a Texas boy! Is there a similar school any closer to home?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Be nice - signed, a slightly nervous Dad.

[Arkinsaw]

Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas is a fine conservative school. Judge Starr is a Harding Alum.

They have an excellent lecture series and in the last couple of years they have had Margaret Thatcher, Dan Quayle, Judge Starr, Colin Powell, and this year Benjamin Netanyahu will be lecturing.

Its located in a rural area of Arkansas about 40 miles from the metropolis of Little Rock. It has a student/faculty ratio of 16:1 and is classified as a liberal arts college.

It is associated with the Church of Christ and is a Christian school. However they seem to focus on education with a Christian leaven rather than the other way round.

You can take a look at their website here: http://www.harding.edu/

[Ted]

Thank you, I've now got Harding bookmarked! Sounds great.

[Ted]

Good night, all, thanks for your posts.

[ContentiousObjector]

Send him to Singapore,

Although the offical religion in Singapore is materialism, it is certainly conservative.

[joonbug]

I went to an Ivy and am embarrassed by some of the teachings and other nonsense that goes on. Be that as it may, I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience, mainly because of friends, sports and a few good professors, while ignoring the PC side of campus life.

[ccmay]

Randian libertarianism - sounds like college... I suppose one can't avoid these things...

You mean randy libertinism? That's what my college was like too...

-ccm

[tamu]

AZPubbie: i went to AC about 10 years ago, too. lots of things have changed. for the $$, its way, way too expensive for what it can offer the average student. also, in the last few years,have you been keeping track of which campus group has the most members...yes, the gay and lez. society (pretty nice for school that associates its name with the presb. church usa). lastly, its in SHERMAN, TEXAS. that little fact escaped me when i agreed to go there. suffice it to say..YIPES!

ted, SS:
given my handle,i must put in my 2 cents for the last bastion of conservatism in the great state of Texas,
Texas A&M
but if your child wants to be a t-sip, thats ok too.
did i just day that??

[cherry]

U. of Chicago But he better be really smart or forgeddaboutit.

so why are you recommending "conservative" colleges ?

aren't you the one who thinks moms and dads should throw pot and alcohol parties with stripers for their 15 year olds?

Please at least try to be consistant.

Threads like these are for people REALLY interested in instilling some conservative and moral values in their kids, and that is not you.

[cherry]

Now I am going to a very good one in Cleveland, John Carroll. It's Catholic, and the Jesuits don't mess around, but I think one of any faith wouldn't feel that uncomfortable there.

again, suggesting a Catholic college for someone and yet supporting pot/alcohol parties with stripers for 15 year old's...

do you think that you can just float from one thread to the next and change your views to fit in?

"conservative" implies old-fashioned values...it implies that parents will bring their children up with some decency....pot parties/ alcohol, stripers...that just does't cut it.

[Darheel]

I went to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI)for a while, it was very thorough and challenging but nice. It was country, but a college town; Cedar Falls, full of good people. I've found that the Iowa colleges are challenging and worthwhile compared to the Libspeak I deal with now in Chicago. Best o luck to you and yours.

[Exigence]

so why are you recommending "conservative" colleges ? aren't you the one who thinks moms and dads should throw pot and alcohol parties with stripers for their 15 year olds? Please at least try to be consistant.

Thanks. You voiced my thoughts. Plus, this thread also confirmed what I thought -- I was arguing with a student (on the other thread) who really has no concept of real life, parenting, or adulthood.

[Exigence]

When pressed (slightly) he told me this evening that if he had to choose tomorrow he would major in History, Psychology, or Business.

Tricky. Many business depts are conservative, but with liberal arts, you take a real chance. Finding a consistently conservative history or psychology department is a challenge. At best, you will have a mixed bag, and most colleges tilt solidly left. Your best bet is a Christian school, remembering that more and more Christian schools have a liberal bias as well.

Chuck Colson and Phyllis Schafley both have written a number of commentaries recently on colleges and worldview, focusing on what to look for in your assessment.

[Anotherpundit]

I graduated a few years back from Davidson College in North Carolina. It's very well respected (been ranked as high as #8 college nationally), has a strong conservative and christian presence on campus (the FCA has more members than most fraternities). Drawbacks are that he'll have to work very hard -- in many ways, it's a school for academic workaholics. It's the smallest division one school, but most of the students are too smart to do *that* well at sports (we do much better at basketball and soccer than we do at football.)

[StoneColdGOP]

OK - but what kind of school does HE (your son) want to attend?

[FReethesheeples]

My son is looking at several of the colleges on ths lists above, such as St. John's, Grove City, Hillsdale, & Pepperdine, and is also considering VMI (Virginia Military Institute) in Virignia, even if he doesn't even apply to one of the 4 US Military Academies..**

Any comments here?

VMI's current Commandant, Gen. Josiah Bunting, recently wrote a terriffic & profound book on an "ideal" college, and he wrote it as fiction.

**(Annapolis, West Point, Air Foorce, & Coast Guard academy), which he might.

PS, we have 4 sons, including a HS Sr. & Sophomore.

[Ted]

I'd not realized Colson and Schafley wrote on the subject, will check it out, thanks. One of my fav books is Understanding The Times, by David Nobel (Noble, sp?). It compares/contrasts Christian worldview w/various others, in many different disciplines of study. A great book for challenging young brains of mush.

Regards.

[Ted]

He's leaning towards a smaller school (as long as he gets all the sports channels on his TV)...

[AppyPappy]

I second Liberty University in Lynchburg Va. He can play football there as well.

[Snowy]

...And it's a great place to spend four years of your life. Sadly, with the deaths of Dr. Bruce Bugbee, and Basil Crapster, and the retirement of Dr. Charlie Glatfelter, even the History department of this (once) fine school has been over run by feminist theory and political correctness. Gabor Borrit, head of the Civil War Studies institute and Dr. Larry Marschall (Physics) are well published and highly regarded, and to my knowledge, remain on staff. We also had a Bio Prof, (can't remember his name) of whom it was said, could write a letter of recommendation that would guarantee admission to any med school in the U.S. He too, is gone. My husband and I were the class of '87. There was an art "professor" there by the name of Small. She knew I was a business major and said, "you business majors are all alike. All you care about is money!" Needless to say, I didn't get such a good grade in her class, especially after I trashed Jackson Pollock (Jack the dripper) in a term paper. :)

[SERE_DOC]

My son goes here its a good school. Columbia SC