Quote:
Originally Posted by HQWest
My child under no circumstances will be going to Cal (Stanford is cheaper out of state and a nicer place to live besides), Notre Dame, or Baylor....
I might just be really depressed if they decided to go to West Point - so glad I talked my way out of that one. 
|
As a Cal grad I do feel the need to point out that much of the "left wing" image of Cal comes from the surrounding community and not the student body. Granted, I went there for grad school, but it was pretty obvious to me then (which was not TOO long ago, though "long ago" gets longer each year) that the undergrads are super focused on academics. Freshman year, in particular, is known for being extremely academically unforgiving.
I think in comparing Stanford and Cal, you would see that the Stanford undergraduate student body is probably along the same lines politically. However, Stanford is surrounded by a very affluent community that is slightly conservative (by Bay Area standards) while Cal is surrounded by one of the looniest cities in the nation. I think both schools offer exceptional academic opportunities for their students.
With that said, I can understand a parent's concerns. The first time I saw the hippies on Telegraph marching naked (I don't know if they still do that, which was completely different from the guy who refused to wear clothing to class...I think I am hurting my argument

), I was competely caught off guard. By the time I graduated I was not phased at all.