Is Basing Choice of College on Regional Gun Laws Foolish?

[JTHunter]

CmdrSlander - your nephew should also consider this: IF he goes to one of those liberal colleges, how much "indoctrination" (aka brainwashing) can be accomplished that will permanently alter his perceptions?

How much pressure through ostracizing him, belittle and berating him, possibly even grading him more severly than the more "PC" students, can they put on him? :banghead:

Is it worth subjecting him to this kind of coercion and ridicule for the sake of a "name"?
Stay away from those places.

 

[fanchisimo]

I would say it's a factor but not an end-all choice. Depending on what degree he's going for should be a factor, too. Someone mentioned engineering, and Missouri Science and Technology is very renowned for it's engineering fields and it is in a (mostly) gun friendly state, if you ignore the St. Louis area. Lol.

 

[AlexanderA]

I would stick to KU in Leavenworth.

KU is in Lawrence. We lived there in 1953-55 when my dad was on the faculty. (I was in the 3rd and 4th grade.) Nice town.

 

[Ryanxia]

If there was a program that wasn't available anywhere else I guess I'd have to consider it, otherwise stay in America (free states).

 

[labhound]

Let the kid go to the school of his own choice!!

 

[Elkins45]

I don't recall having a lot of time for shooting when I was in college. Pick the school that gives you the best start toward a successful career in a chosen field...after all, that's the reason for going to college in the first place.

Besides, it might be nice for there to be a pro2A voice inside the commie echo chamber for a few years.

 

[beatledog7]

As JTHunter noted, students must be wary of college professors who preach progressivism and are not open to the conservative or pro-2A position of a student.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Keep in mind that those colleges with a ... "name" are not necessarily better than other colleges that may have more pedestrian reputations.

Maybe they're not. However, the starting pay from the "name" college's grads are substantially higher than your average school. In my field of choice, (I know this prolly won't apply across the board), the legal profession, the average starting salary of a 1st year law grad is in the $55k-$60k range. A first year grad from Harvard Law is $120k+.

Now, I'm prolly gonna end up going to Law School here in Little Rock, but if I were fortunate enough to be able to go to Harvard Law, (no chance of that by the way), I would be packing up the U-Haul tomorrow.

 

[sonick808]

Unless you have a certain schools' curriculum you desperately want to be involved with, I say it's SMART to choose your school based on your self-preservation options.

Back when i was in college we had a python strapped to the bunk in our dorm room at Southern Illinois University, and nary an eyelash was batted by the school, the RA or anyone else. Big difference these days...

 

[Arbo]

You're the smart one in glorious Colorado,Arbo!

Colorado was a great place, until all the freak show left wing californians moved in... don't worry, we will keep up the fight against them.

 

[qwert65]

If KS is an option look at KSU more Truman and Marshall scholars than any other public school. They are number three overall(behind Harvard and Princeton)

 

[AlbertH]

CmdrSlander - your nephew should also consider this: IF he goes to one of those liberal colleges, how much "indoctrination" (aka brainwashing) can be accomplished that will permanently alter his perceptions?

How much pressure through ostracizing him, belittle and berating him, possibly even grading him more severly than the more "PC" students, can they put on him? :banghead:

Is it worth subjecting him to this kind of coercion and ridicule for the sake of a "name"?
Stay away from those places.

The kid didn't get offered admittance to those prestigious schools by being a non thinker nor by being easily led. only the meek can be led down a path that is not of their choosing.

 

[Vector]

My nephew is in the process of choosing where to go to college. He loves shooting and has been flatly ignoring offers from schools in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, California, etc. because he would be severely hindered by their laws and does not want to contribute to these anti-freedom states. However, he is getting offers from very prestigious north eastern universities (Yale and Columbia among others) and we are both wondering if it wouldn't be better for him to tough out the anti-freedom atmosphere to get a degree from a school with great name recognition?

He is also looking at colleges in free states, to wit: University of Kansas, TCU, SMU, Baylor, Rice, and George Mason.

I'd be more worried about most of those NE schools brainwashing him, or forcing him to act like one of the zombies to get good grades. Granted shooting is important to him, but getting the best education possible within your financial means should take priority.
He can always shoot when he comes to visit anyway.

`

 

[22-rimfire]

I would suggest that he choose the best school in his major that he can afford whether it be via scholalships or paying outright. In the long term, the bigger name schools open doors for you when comparing graduates or job candidates from lesser known but affordable schools. Ultimately, it is what you make of it in life.

So, I would not choose a school based on a hobby versus a long term need unless the hobby is in part what they want to do with their lives from a career standpoint.

People do tend often to end up in the general area where they went to college (at least for the first job) due to opportunities opening up locally that they are aware of or some college professor has influence. But again, choose where you want to live after finishing school whether it be a red, white, or blue state.

 

[-v-]

Being someone who was "just there and just done that" I'll chime in:

If cost is no concern, I would tell him go to the best school he can get into, and to stay away from any of the humanities like the plague. Why? Few job prospects post-graduation. No employer really wants an English major, but someone with a CS or engineering degree is an attractive candidate. Hell, its well known we graduate so few engineers of all types in the US that is creating major headaches for most employers who need to go abroad to find qualified personnel.

Being an Alum of one of the Top-20 colleges I'll say this: The school and curriculum will not make you a better student and a more attractive employee. The Opportunities the school offers that, if you are smart and hard working enough to take advantage of, will make you a more attractive employee, and what significantly boosts your future earnings potential. I see no reason for your nephew to hamstring himself by going to a school with fewer opportunities. He can always move somewhere else when he's done.

My personal example, when I graduated from my university, I already had a couple of publications to my name. That, coupled with some post-graduation experience put me on very favorable footing to gaining admission to medical school (which is arguably the most difficult graduate program to gain admission to), and beyond that, suffice to say I am fairly optimistic about my future earnings potential.

I'll relate an example of one of my friends who went to GA Tech and majored in CS. Right out of college he was hired by Norfolk-Southern for a "paltry" sum of $56k a year, as his first job. After a few relocation, he now works for a very well known consulting firm, still doing CS, and making several times that - 5 years out of college.

One of my other friends, she graduated with a dual Bachelors/Master's degree in History (she did this start to finish in 4 years, I might add), she now attends one of the top-3 law school in the nation and will be done next year. She already has an position after graduation for a "paltry" $102k starting. Granted, anyone who can make it into a top-3 law program is also someone who will generally do well for themselves in life. It was the opportunities at school that she took advantage of that made her competitive for getting into this law program, not just having the piece of paper that said "Master of Arts".

Those saying that a college degree is worthless - I would say it really depends. Any humanities degree with no professional degree: Yes. Any engineering or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) is going to pay very very large dividends - and then you can afford to work where you want to work and not worry about how you are going to pay for your hobbies.

But, like any house, a solid foundation is ALWAYS the key.

 

[Ironclad]

You should pick your school based on:

1. Desired degree program - obviously you need to go to a school that has your degree, and it is better if they are known for that degree. Nobody in industry is going to be impressed if you get an engineering degree from a liberal arts school or vice versa.

2. Cost and Financial Aid - it doesn't help to get a little higher paying job if you are going to be up to your eyeballs in debt when you graduate.

3. Location - It may not be important for some who never set foot off campus, but it was for me. I spend a lot of time doing things within my college town that are not at all related to my school. I like being able to drive home on the weekend if I want, and it is nice to be able to have my guns to carry and to blow off some steam on the weekends.

I wouldn't say its a good idea to choose a school based on a hobby, but for some people shooting is not only a hobby, it is about self defense. Lots of people on this forum won't even vacation where they cannot carry. Imagine four years without carrying.

Others have said that they have no gun memories from college but a lot of my college memories are directly related to shooting. I would have really hated to lose that

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Go to School where your free to go shooting!

 

[mp510]

My nephew is in the process of choosing where to go to college. He loves shooting and has been flatly ignoring offers from schools in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, California, etc. because he would be severely hindered by their laws and does not want to contribute to these anti-freedom states. However, he is getting offers from very prestigious north eastern universities (Yale and Columbia among others) and we are both wondering if it wouldn't be better for him to tough out the anti-freedom atmosphere to get a degree from a school with great name recognition?

He is also looking at colleges in free states, to wit: University of Kansas, TCU, SMU, Baylor, Rice, and George Mason.

Edit to add: The "lesser" universities are offering scholarships etc. the big name northeastern schools are not, so other factors are at play.
__________________

Paying for an out of state state-school is foolish,unless they offer a special academic program that isn't available locally.

It is also foolish to boycott a prestigious university to show the state a lesson. The reality is that there are certain opportunities that are open to Ivy graduates that are not necessarily available to others. My brother is at Brown and from what they were told at orientation, recruiters actually pay the university for the privelage of trying to hire students/ grads. There is also a network that develops that can't be beat. One of my classmates from high school attended Yale (you've probably heard of him because of his athletic feats) and was able to network into jobs after graduation that nobody else with his degree would have been considered for.

Unless he is from an ultra wealthy family, it is shock that some of those Ivy League schools aren't offering money. They typically will offer something to help ensure that a student won't have to decline an offer of admission on the basis of financial need. (Come to think of it, my brother applied to Yale last year and decision day was not until late March- most applicants shouldn't have heard anything yet)

 

[Agsalaska]

Yes. But the fact that it would even be considered makes me wonder if it even matters.

 

[CTPistol]

The Yale network is hard to beat....and he can do plenty of shooting in CT.

He can join the Yale Pistol/rifle club or the skeet/trap team.

It's not quite the anti-freedom atmosphere you read about on the crazy interweb....just typical college lib stuff one would find anywhere.

 

[Ironclad]

it is shock that some of those Ivy League schools aren't offering money

IIRC, when I was looking at colleges a few years ago, Harvard offered 100% tuition to families with below $50k income. Or something like that

 

[friscolatchi]

Hey, what he saves in the cost of ammo he can pay for the higher tuition. Actually, I would put shooting on a hiatus for a few years for the perceived better school. It's not always the education, it the connections that you make.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

1. Find the schools that have well known programs in the major area of study. For example, you wouldn't go to Yale for petroleum engineering.

2. Apply to the schools that are of interest and see if they will give financial help.

Unless he's a world class competetive shooter, I'd look at the schools first and the gun laws second. But, there is nothing wrong with the schools you'll find in Texas, Kansas, Arizona, etc.

For example, one of the best geology departments is at the University of Arizona. One of the best mining and petroleum schools is at the little known New Mexico Tech - except, of course, if you watch Mythbusters and know where the Energetic Materials Research and Testing center is located - it's not at Yale, Harvard, or MIT...

Schools have their strong areas of specialization - and that's what you want to look at.

You want to go into automotive styling / design? You don't go to Yale or Harvard. You go to the Art Center in Los Angeles or College for Creative Studies in Detroit. You want to do automotive engineering? Probably the University of Michigan.

You go to school where the area of specialization is well known - not just the name of the school.

 

[razorback2003]

Go to the best school possible. You can always live in an apartment off campus if you really want to keep a gun, even in anti gun places like New Jersey.


It is not always that you would learn more at Yale VS XYZ State Univ, it is the connections a young man can make at an Ivy League school that can help him for life.

 

[HoosierQ]

Yes it is.