How to Choose a College (Mobile Device Format)
Reliable Metrics for Predicting Campus Discourse and Making Friends in College
For the past several months I’ve been studying the situation in higher education, trying to answer the question, “Where would I go to college?” I’d like to share my findings with you in a series of posts. In this first post, I’ll share the best information from FIRE’s College Free Speech Rankings.
There are three important points to make about FIRE’s rankings.
FIRE’s overall ranking metric is only moderately helpful in selecting a college. Think of it as a fine-tuning variable.
Students are self-censoring equally at all college campuses.
FIRE’s best metric is “viewpoint ratio”—a number representing the viewpoint bias—also referred to as viewpoint diversity—of the student body.
Along with basic factors such as average SAT score, location, major, family, and cost, consider including the viewpoint ratio in your college decision making process. The viewpoint ratio will help you find a cultural fit for college.
Now let’s dive into some details.
On page 13 of their 2024 College Free Speech Rankings report, FIRE authors write
When it comes to students’ comfort expressing their views, the differences between schools in the top five and schools in the bottom five are mostly negligible. The two exceptions are the percentage of students who reported feeling comfortable expressing their views on a controversial political topic in class (43% at the bottom five schools; 39% at the top five schools) and the percentage of students who reported feeling comfortable doing so in a common campus space (50% at the bottom five schools; 44% at the top five schools).
Thus, students are self-censoring pretty much equally on all campuses—no matter the FIRE ranking. This doesn’t mean the overall ranking is useless, but attending their #1-ranked school isn’t going to be a free-speech paradise, and maybe not much better than their last place finisher. How can we know? The overall ranking confounds a number of variables which may or may not be important to you. For example
How often will you be attending speaking events with controversial speakers? Once a year maybe.
Are you an engineering major? If so, the number of de-platforming incidents might be less important to you.
These variables and a few others play big into the overall ranking. Overall free speech ranking may not be a reliable predictor of discourse in your classroom or residential living environment. Read FIRE’s report for more details. My recommendation is to use the overall ranking to narrow down your shortlist prior to visiting schools.
What I want is a metric for
Predicting discourse on campus;
And for meeting likeminded friends.
I believe the best predictor of campus discourse is FIRE’s viewpoint ratio, i.e. the ratio of progressive-to-conservative students, or the ratio of conservative-to-progressive students, depending on which is the dominant viewpoint.
FIRE provides the viewpoint ratio—along with the dominant viewpoint (liberal or conservative)—for each college in their ranking. Unfortunately, FIRE doesn’t provide an easy-to-use spreadsheet that allows one to sort by viewpoint ratio. I do. See below.
Here’s how to think about the viewpoint ratio; it provides you with you an intuitive feel of the political bias you’re likely to experience on campus. For example, in a typical discussion section made up of 30 students, or in a typical dormitory of 30 students, there will be how many progressive students if the viewpoint ratio is 2:1 with a progressive dominant viewpoint?
A ratio of 2:1, means there will be 1 conservative student for every 3 students; or 8 conservative students for every 24 students; or 16 conservative students for every 48 students. So rounding off—count on approximately 10 conservatives in a group of 30 students. If you’re a conservative or libertarian student, this should give you a decent chance of finding likeminded friends and not being too greatly outnumbered by progressives in classroom discussion. Agree?
One might prefer a viewpoint ratio near 1:1, but there are only a few schools that have both an average SAT score greater than 1400 and viewpoint ratio better than 1.3:1 (that is between 1:1 and 1.3:1). Here are three schools that do.
Notre Dame.
Stevens Institute of Technology.
Washington and Lee.
If you don’t like those schools or didn’t get in, here are three schools with average SAT scores higher than 1300 and viewpoint ratios better than 1.3:1
Clemson
Creighton
Colorado School of Mines.
In order to expand my options even more, I include schools with lower SAT scores and worse viewpoint ratios. Below are schools with viewpoint ratios better than 2:1. (The six schools above are included in the table below). A negative viewpoint ratio means there are more conservative students than progressive.
This table has been formatted for mobile devices. See my desktop-device formatted post here if you prefer a more natural format: “Name, Viewpoint Ratio, SAT.”
(Key: NP = SAT Not Published)
Viewpoint Ratio, Average SAT, Name
-1.43, 1150, Oklahoma State
-1.35, NP, Kansas State University
-1.32, 1244, U. of Tennessee Knoxville
-1.32, 1115, Arkansas State
-1.29, 1206.5, Iowa State
-1.24, 1204.5, North Dakota State
-1.22, 1480, Notre Dame
-1.22, 1125, Ole Mississippi
-1.22, 1105, University of Idaho
-1.20, 1260, Auburn
-1.18, 1285, Utah State University
-1.11, 1320, Clemson
-1.10, 1206.5, University of Kentucky
-1.09, 1314, Creighton University
-1.07, 1185, Montana State University
1.00, 1280, South Carolina
1.00, 1170, University of Toledo
1.02, 1125, University of Arkansas
1.03, 1260, Texas A & M
1.05, 1445, Stevens Institute of Technology
1.08, 1240, Michigan Technological University
1.08, 1195, Texas Tech
1.09, 1090, Boise State
1.14, 1155, Mississippi State
1.18, 1470, Washington and Lee
1.19, 1260, Florida State University
1.19, 1130, West Virginia University
1.25, 1185, Appalachian State University
1.26, 1390, Colorado School of Mines
1.26, 1172.5, University of Wyoming
1.36, 1255, University of Dayton
1.40, 1225, LSU
1.44, 1039.5, Wright State University
1.46, 1205, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
1.47, 1245, Oklahoma, University of
1.47, 1105, Missouri State University
1.48, 1415, Lehigh University
1.49, 1270, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
1.58, 1270, IU
1.58, 1140, East Carolina University
1.59, 1150, Florida Int University
1.60, 1310, Purdue
1.61, 1425, South Methodist University
1.63, 1205, University of Nebraska Lincoln
1.65, 1265, Miami University
1.65, 1030, New Mexico State
1.67, 1245, Duquesne University
1.69, 1370, Franklin and Marshall College
1.71, 1320, New Jersey Institute of Technology
1.72, 1230, James Madison University
1.73, 1240, University of Southern Florida
1.75, 1290, DePauw
1.76, 1174, University of Rhode Island
1.76, 1020, S. Illinois University, Carbondale
1.81, 1150, Indiana Uni. - Purdue University
1.83, 1062.5, Eastern Kentucky University
1.85, 1100, Illinois State
1.86, 1240, Mizzou, U. of Missouri, Columbia
1.86, 1115, BGSU
1.87, 1220, University of Tulsa
1.88, 1352.5, Furman University
1.89, 1185, College of Charleston
1.90, 1310, Bucknell (Pennsyl)
1.91, 1164, Northern Arizona University
1.92, 1475, Boston College
1.94, 1125, University of Missouri, St Louis
1.94, 1045, S. Illinois University, Edwardsville
1.97, 1397.5, University of Missouri, Kansas City
1.97, 1265, Marquette University
A negative viewpoint ratio means there are more conservative students than progressive. Notice in the above list that there are only 14 schools with a dominant conservative viewpoint (not including FIRE’s Warning schools).
The six colleges that FIRE has labeled with a Warning are
Viewpoint Ratio, Average SAT, Name
-20.00, 1090, Liberty University
-12.00, 1425, Hillsdale
-1.54, 1330, BYU
-1.41, 1265, SLU
2.76, 1255, Baylor
2.77, 1350, Pepperdine
Notice that 4 out of 6 of the Warning schools have a conservative dominant viewpoint ratios. Why are these given a Warning? See their “statements of faith” and see FIRE’s report.
If the schools listed thus far don’t appeal to you, here are those with viewpoint ratios from 2:1 up to 3:1. This gives us another 15 schools with SAT score greater than 1300 to choose from. You can find these in the table below.
Viewpoint Ratio, Average SAT, Name
2.00, 1360, Georgia
2.01, 1345, Ohio State
2.04, 1175, University of Maine
2.04, 1100, Central Michigan
2.04, 1080, University of Memphis
2.05, 1300, Penn State
2.06, 1250, University of Cincinnati
2.07, 1185, Colorado State
2.12, 1440, Rensselaer Poly
2.14, 1130, Washington State
2.15, 1285, Utah University
2.19, 1380, Umiami
2.22, 1315, Illinois Institute of Technology
2.23, 1210, Michigan State University
2.26, 1260, University of Central Florida
2.30, 985, U. of Texas, El Paso (UTEP)
2.31, 1055, Eastern Michigan University
2.32, 1140, University of New Mexico
2.35, 1355, CalPoly San Luis
2.36, 1385, U. of Florida (Gainesville)
2.40, 1240, Oregon State
2.41, 1205, UNH
2.42, 1180, University of Hawaii at Manoa
2.48, NP, CSU LA
2.50, 1260, University of Delaware
2.50, NP, Amherst
2.52, 1210, University of Kansas
2.53, 1110, Western Michigan
2.55, 1300, UT Dallas
2.58, 1425, Wake Forest
2.59, 1080, Texas State University
2.60, 1460, Georgia Tech
2.60, 1175, Rowan
2.63, 1220, U. of N. Carolina at Charlotte
2.71, 1220, Alabama (Uni.), Huntsville
2.72, 1250, Arizona State
2.73, 1280, Clarkson University
2.74, 1285, University of Buffalo
2.75, 1245, University of Arizona
2.76, 1255, Baylor
2.77, 1350, Pepperdine
2.85, 1125, UNT
2.90, 1160, Virginia Commonwealth Uni.
2.92, 1140, University of Alaska
2.94, 1520, Carnegie Mellon
2.94, 1110, Wayne State University
2.95, 1430, U. of Wisconsin Madison
2.96, 1160, University of Louisville
2.97, 1475, Case Western
And here are the remaining schools on FIRE’s list. Note the very biased viewpoint ratios at some of these schools. Buyer beware! Or maybe you’re into bias?
Viewpoint Ratio, Average SAT, Name
3.02,1217, Berea College
3.03, 1425, Boston University
3.06, 1235, University of Houston
3.08, 1500, USC
3.15, 1165, University of Nevada Reno
3.16, 1105, Kent State
3.19, 1145, University of Colorado, Denver
3.19, NP, U. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
3.20, 1555, CalTech
3.22, 1440, U. of Maryland College Park
3.24, 1435, U. of Illinois at Urbana Chmpn
3.25, 1130, Towson (Maryland)
3.27, 1520, Cornell
3.27, 1355, Rutgers
3.29, 1385, Trinity College ,
3.30, 1490, Carleton College
3.30, 1115, U. of Texas, San Antonia
3.30, 990, CSU Fresno
3.32, 1535, Harvard
3.32, 1425, Conn College
3.34, 1530, Duke
3.34, 1310, Virgina Tech
3.38, 1245, George Mason
3.39, 1180, Ohio University
3.41, 1240, University of Iowa
3.42, 1280.5, U. of Alabama at Birmingham
3.43, 1275, CU Boulder
3.49, 1300, Chapman University
3.52, 1535, Washington U. in Saint Louis
3.53, 1355, NC State
3.63, 1425, Davidson
3.68, 1095, UNLV
3.71, 1410, Stony Brook
3.78, 1220, SJSU
3.79, NP, UCLA
3.83, 1440, University of Michigan
3.89, 1475, Georgetown
3.92, 1545, U. Of Chicago
3.92, 1190, DePaul (Illinois)
3.93, 1185, Portland State
3.94, 1110, Montclair
3.97, 1365, UT Austin
3.97, 1255, Oregon University of
4.00, 1405, Lafayette College
4.00, 1332.5, UC Irvine
4.03, 1540, Yale
4.03, 1445, Temple (Philly)
4.05, 1400, Fordham
4.11, 1490, Northeastern
4.14, 1440, U. of N. Carolina Chapel Hill
4.15, 1460, Virgina
4.16, 1120, U of Texas, Arlington
4.22, 1530, Rice
4.29, 1545, MIT
4.31, NP, UC Merced
4.41, 1375, University of Pittsburgh
4.42, 1540, Dartmouth
4.43, 1485, Colby
4.43, 1430, Brandeis
4.43, 1400, University of Minnesota
4.43, 1355, Gettysburg College
4.50, 1390, Binghampton
4.58, 1365, Denison University
4.74, 1177.5, UNC, Greensboro
4.81, 1370, Umass Amherst
4.83, 1220, SUNY at Albany
4.85, 1225, U of Illinois Chicago
4.87, NP, UCSD
4.89, 1407.5, Bates College
4.95, 1475, Claremont McKenna
4.95, NP, UC Berkeley
4.97, NP, San Diego State
5.10, 1410, University of Washington
5.14, 1310, Syracuse
5.18, 1330, UConn
5.31, NP, Worcester Polytechnic Inst.
5.45, 1520, Stanford
5.45, 1447.5, William and Mary
5.50, 1530, Northwestern
5.52, 1330, Drexel
5.56, 1520, Columbia
5.62, 1065, Georgia State
5.72, NP, UC Riverside
5.73, 1525, Vanderbilt
5.86, 1270, UC Davis
5.91, NP, U. of California Santa Barbara
5.94, NP, UC Santa Cruz
6.19, 1515, Princeton
6.28, NP, Bard College
6.29 1520, New York University
6.38, 1480, Hamilton College
6.40, 1440, Tulane
6.50, 1380, Santa Clara
6.55, 1500, Tufts
7.00, 1470, Colgate
7.00, 1445, Kenyon College
7.13, 1340, Wheaton College
7.15, 1410, George Washington
7.20, 1520, Harvey Mudd
7.27, 1495, Wesleyan University
7.71, 1475, Middlebury College
7.74, 1535, University of Pennsylvania
8.00, 1310, University of San Francisco
8.00, 1240, SUNY College at Genesco
8.16, 1510, Bowdoin
8.31, NP, Colorado College
8.56, 1490, Emory
8.59, 1345, Vermont
8.71, 1445, Mt Holyoke
8.72, 1535, Brown
9.05, 1340, Clark University
9.14, NP, Pitzer
9.18, 1520, Pomona
9.63, 1280, Loyola University, Chicago
9.71, 1295, University of Denver
9.75, 1482.5, Vassar
9.77, 1525, Williams
10.09, 1500, Swarthmore College
10.57, 1495, Barnard
11.50, 1279.5, Knox
13.20, 1545, Johns Hopkins
13.40, 1485, Haverford
13.89, 1490, Wellesley
14.00, 1170, Howard
15.29, 1380, Skidmore
15.50, NP, Rochester, University of
16.25, 1445, Macalester College
21.75, 1445, Oberlin
24.00, 1450, Scripps
24.67, 1455, Grinnell College
36.50, 1435, Occidental College
55.00, 1445, Smith
With these lists I have a reliable method for selecting colleges with high average SAT scores and desirable viewpoint ratios. Next I can consider location, major, family and cost. This should give me a shortlist. After I have my shortlist, I’ll check FIRE’s overall ranking to make sure I’m not making a bad decision attending a school with a very low overall ranking. I might want to attend a controversial speaking event after all. Notice that some colleges have signed a “Free Speech Pledge”. This boosts their overall free speech ranking. Will that make much of a difference if the viewpoint ratio is 4:1? Maybe. It might be a risk worth taking
Almost done? Not so fast. Next time, I’ll tell you the bad news about higher education.
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