10 Most Conservative Colleges in the Northeast

If you are about to choose a perfect college and you want to attend one of the most conservative colleges in the Northwest (or you wish to avoid them), take a look at our list of the most conservative colleges in the Northwest. As defined by U.S. Census Bureau, the Northwestern United States is comprised of nine states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Political leaning of colleges often reflects the area where it is located; hence more conservative colleges are located in the South while colleges in the Northeast generally tend to be more liberal. Nevertheless, this did not stop us to find conservative colleges in this region of the U.S.

First of all, we want to explain what some of the traits of a conservative college are. They are typically politically right-wing. Conservative colleges are more strict and regimented than liberal colleges and students must follow strict rules. The rules include specific guidelines on physical appearances and conduct as well as less tolerance for alcohol and drug use. Many of the top conservative colleges are Christian colleges that promote Christian values. If you are devoted Christian or consider yourself a conservative, attending a conservative college should be a perfect choice for you. Your religious beliefs will probably be better accepted at conservative college and you are more likely to meet like-minded people who share your political, social and religious beliefs.  A study showed that a lot of professors tend to lean towards the left with 50.3% identified themselves as liberals, 12.4% as far left, 11.5% as conservative and only 0.4% as far right. If you are expressing yourself as a conservative or far right, you should probably look for very conservative colleges where your knowledge will be evaluated by same-minded professors. If you are already thinking far ahead and aiming at specific jobs after your college, you can also take a look at our list of 10 Most Conservative Companies in America. For those who are on the far left side and want to avoid conservative colleges at all costs, this list can serve as a warning which ones to avoid in the Northeast.

In order to obtain data for this list of most conservative colleges in the Northwest, I have consulted Niche website which provides rankings of colleges according to various criteria, including how conservative certain college is. I’ve focused only on states which belong to the Northeast region of the U.S. and singled out those that are on top of the each list. Then, I checked other websites which rank colleges on this basis and narrowed down the choice on those that appeared most often. These websites include Princeton review list of 20 most conservative colleges, Best Colleges, CBS News and College View. Since majority of conservative colleges are Christian Colleges, I also explored most conservative colleges on Christian Universities Online website and added high ranked colleges from the Northeast region on our list as well. The King’s College, Grove City College and Thomas Moore College of Liberal Arts appeared most frequently at the top of the lists which is why they are ranked the highest. Other conservative colleges are rated without any special criteria.  Also information about acceptance rate and SAT range is acquired from Niche and tuition fees from College View. I’ve decided to write about conservative policies which influence every day student’s life rather than if a certain college is politically conservative or not, since most of them are conservative. We hope that you will find the answers you need on our list of 10 most conservative colleges in the Northwest.

10. United States Coast Guard Academy

Acceptance rate: 18%

SAT range: 1170-1340

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: Not specified

Located in New London, Connecticut, United States Coast Guard Academy is one of the smallest service schools. Before students arrive at the Academy, they need to be physically fit and prepared for the hard physical training at the Academy. Similarly to United States Military Academy West Point, this Academy is considered to be conservative because of a very strict military regiment. Colleges of this type require a strict schedule, clothing rules, hairstyles, etc. If you want to know more about the United States Coast Guard Academy, take a look at their Student Handbook.

9. United States Military Academy West Point

Acceptance rate: 9%

SAT range: 1160-1390

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: Not Specified

Located at West Point, United States Military Academy West Point that ranks 9th on our list of most conservative colleges in the Northwest is not a typical college with typical application procedure, as you can see from the very low acceptance rate. Admissions Committee looks for students who excel not only in their academic scores but also athletic success and leadership motivation. During the admission, besides standard tests, applicants have to pass CFA (The Candidate Fitness Test) test which consists of: B-Ball Throw, Pull-ups, Shuttle Run, Crunches, Push-ups and 1-Mile Run. Students have to follow a very strict regime including prescribed sleeping and studying hours.

8. Geneva College

Acceptance rate: 71%

SAT range: 830-1304

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $25, 220

Geneva College, the next one on the list of most conservative colleges in the Northwest is located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. According to their Mission Statement, their mission is comprehensive education, emphasizing Christ and service to God and neighbors. It is a tobacco-free campus and there are certain restrictions on romantic behavior: extended hand-holding, hugging and kissing between the opposite sex is permitted if it is done with proper restraint while it is not permitted at all for persons of the same sex. Reason? The former might lead to “an appropriate, godly sexual relationship in marriage” while the latter cannot. If you are interested in other campus rules of Geneva College and wonder why it is on our list, make sure to take a look at their Student Handbook.

7. Messiah College

Acceptance rate: 80%

SAT range: 1010-1240

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $31, 340

Messiah College, the number 7 on our list of most conservative colleges in the Northwest is another Christian college, located eight miles outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Students are expected to refrain from sexual intercourse outside of marriage, use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, use and distribution of pornography and students who feel attraction towards the same sex are to refrain from sexual expression. You can read the full Code of Conduct on this link.

6. Roberts Wesleyan College

Acceptance rate: 90%

SAT range: 970-1160

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $28, 068

Roberts Wesleyan College is another Christ-centered college, located in New York. This college is another perfect option for devoted Christians and those who are not so faith-inclined should probably avoid it. Students are obliged to attend Chapel at least once a week and earn “22 spiritual life credits per semester“. You can read other rules and regulations in their handbook.

5. Houghton College

Acceptance rate: 94%

SAT range: 980-1260

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $28, 556

We are continuing our list of most conservative colleges in the Northwest with Houghton College that is a Christian liberal arts college in the western New York State. If you look at the Residence Life section of their website, you can see that their aim is to produce Christ-centered living and learning environment. Students are encouraged to exercise biblical maturity and avoid harmful practices including: drinking alcohol to excess, cheating, engaging in sexual relationships outside of marriage, the use of pornography, abuse of over the counter drugs, etc. Houghton College is a tobacco-free environment and usage of tobacco is forbidden on and off the campus. This set of behavioral expectations might be the reason this college (as well as all other colleges on this list) got a D+ by Niche, when it comes to Party Scene. All this is making it one of the most conservative colleges in the Northwest.

4. Saint Vincent College

Acceptance rate: 72%

SAT range: 910-1160

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $31, 370

Saint Vincent is a traditional Catholic college, located just outside of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Student life is described as unique because of its proximity to the monastery and influence of the Benedictine community. Because of this, Saint Vincent College has a strong concentration of monks. It is very much dedicated to community service and groups of students travel every year to Calcutta, India, to serve in Mother Theresa’s mission. Inside Higher Ed published an article about Saint Vincent College entitled “Too Catholic, Even for Many Monks” in which the author discusses students’ concerns in regards to college’s drift to the right. Some of president’s decisions included Internet filter which blocked sites related to pornography, gambling and “mature content”. Other causes of dissatisfaction included overemphasizing faith.

3. Thomas More College of Liberal Arts

Acceptance rate: 93%

SAT range: 830-1050

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $20, 400

The number three on our list of most conservative colleges in the Northwest, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is located in Merrimack, New Hampshire. This college values “atmosphere characterized by Christian love” which means that it also imposes strict rules. Smoking is strictly prohibited on campus as well as any tobacco-related advertising material.  The College also expects students to refrain from overt/sexual public displays of affection, including exposing oneself in an indecent manner on campus or via social media. In case to plan to enroll, make sure to check your Facebook profile for any “indecent” images.

2. Grove City College

Acceptance rate: 88%

SAT range: 1070-1334

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $16, 154

Grove City College often appears at the top of the lists of most conservative colleges in the Northwest. Located in Grove City, Pennsylvania, this college is faithful to its founder’s vision to foster intellectual, moral and spiritual development in accordance with Christian faith. On their website, Grove City College is described as “grounded in conservative values” and “authentically Christian“. In other words, premarital sex is forbidden, possession of pornographic material (magazines, videos, picture etc) is also forbidden. Believe it or not, students are not allowed to use candles, incense or empty alcohol containers because they could pose a threat to the safety of other campus members.  You can also read a review by a student who details his dissatisfaction with college life at Grove City College which, according to him, “puritanical moral system”.

1. The King’s College

Acceptance rate: 70%

SAT range: 1000-1220

Undergraduate in-state Tuition and Fees: $32, 300

The King’s College was originally established in Belmar, New Jersey, but later on it relocated to New York. The Mission of King’s College is to through its commitment to the truths of Christianity and a biblical worldview, transform society. While going through Student’s Handbook, you can see strict codes of behavior that students must follow. Among other things, students are not allowed to wear jeans, T-shirts, anything too tight or revealing. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed and this college promotes sexual conduct consistent with biblical teachings meaning that premarital sex is not allowed. You can also read personal experience of a former professor at The King’s College who writes about conservative nature of this college. We hope that you found some useful information on our list of 10 most conservative colleges in the Northwest.