Opinions about attending a religious college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just wanted to chime in but I think the advice above is correct. Many Catholic schools are only nominally so, and I think St. John's fits that. A few years back (maybe 15) the Vatican sought to make the US Catholic schools more religious but they focussed on only a handful -- including BC (where it did ramp up their religious connection) and Georgetown (very little influence). There are lots of Catholic schools, like DePaul, that even the students would likely not identify as Catholic, and I think St. Johns is closer to DePaul than it is to say Catholic University. Should not be a problem though your child might have a religious requirement, which will likely not have to be Catholic.

The Catholic schools prohibit distribution of birth control, so your DD will need to be proactive about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just wanted to chime in but I think the advice above is correct. Many Catholic schools are only nominally so, and I think St. John's fits that. A few years back (maybe 15) the Vatican sought to make the US Catholic schools more religious but they focussed on only a handful -- including BC (where it did ramp up their religious connection) and Georgetown (very little influence). There are lots of Catholic schools, like DePaul, that even the students would likely not identify as Catholic, and I think St. Johns is closer to DePaul than it is to say Catholic University. Should not be a problem though your child might have a religious requirement, which will likely not have to be Catholic.

The Catholic schools prohibit distribution of birth control, so your DD will need to be proactive about that.

They do not prohibit birth control. They just don't provide it. It's not like kids can't find birth control in New York or Boston.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just wanted to chime in but I think the advice above is correct. Many Catholic schools are only nominally so, and I think St. John's fits that. A few years back (maybe 15) the Vatican sought to make the US Catholic schools more religious but they focussed on only a handful -- including BC (where it did ramp up their religious connection) and Georgetown (very little influence). There are lots of Catholic schools, like DePaul, that even the students would likely not identify as Catholic, and I think St. Johns is closer to DePaul than it is to say Catholic University. Should not be a problem though your child might have a religious requirement, which will likely not have to be Catholic.

The Catholic schools prohibit distribution of birth control, so your DD will need to be proactive about that.

They do not prohibit birth control. They just don't provide it. It's not like kids can't find birth control in New York or Boston.

This is so weird. I went to a public state university and the health clinic offered birth control but I had a prescription from my doctor. If you have health insurance, why not just have your kid go to a doctor off-campus and get a prescription...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just wanted to chime in but I think the advice above is correct. Many Catholic schools are only nominally so, and I think St. John's fits that. A few years back (maybe 15) the Vatican sought to make the US Catholic schools more religious but they focussed on only a handful -- including BC (where it did ramp up their religious connection) and Georgetown (very little influence). There are lots of Catholic schools, like DePaul, that even the students would likely not identify as Catholic, and I think St. Johns is closer to DePaul than it is to say Catholic University. Should not be a problem though your child might have a religious requirement, which will likely not have to be Catholic.

The Catholic schools prohibit distribution of birth control, so your DD will need to be proactive about that.

They do not prohibit birth control. They just don't provide it. It's not like kids can't find birth control in New York or Boston.

This is so weird. I went to a public state university and the health clinic offered birth control but I had a prescription from my doctor. If you have health insurance, why not just have your kid go to a doctor off-campus and get a prescription...

Of course. But as you might recall there was quite a big public brouhaha at Georgetown 2 years ago on this issue with Sandra fluke and rush Limbaugh. The upshot is that Georgetown's health plan now does cover birth control. Boston College also had an issue -I think prohibiting a campus group from offering condoms or something to that effect.

It's more about the philosophy than the actual access to birth control. It didn't particularly bother my DC in considering both those schools but it is a distinctive aspect relative to non catholic schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just wanted to chime in but I think the advice above is correct. Many Catholic schools are only nominally so, and I think St. John's fits that. A few years back (maybe 15) the Vatican sought to make the US Catholic schools more religious but they focussed on only a handful -- including BC (where it did ramp up their religious connection) and Georgetown (very little influence). There are lots of Catholic schools, like DePaul, that even the students would likely not identify as Catholic, and I think St. Johns is closer to DePaul than it is to say Catholic University. Should not be a problem though your child might have a religious requirement, which will likely not have to be Catholic.

The Catholic schools prohibit distribution of birth control, so your DD will need to be proactive about that.

They do not prohibit birth control. They just don't provide it. It's not like kids can't find birth control in New York or Boston.

This is so weird. I went to a public state university and the health clinic offered birth control but I had a prescription from my doctor. If you have health insurance, why not just have your kid go to a doctor off-campus and get a prescription...

Of course. But as you might recall there was quite a big public brouhaha at Georgetown 2 years ago on this issue with Sandra fluke and rush Limbaugh. The upshot is that Georgetown's health plan now does cover birth control. Boston College also had an issue -I think prohibiting a campus group from offering condoms or something to that effect.

It's more about the philosophy than the actual access to birth control. It didn't particularly bother my DC in considering both those schools but it is a distinctive aspect relative to non catholic schools.

I understand what you're saying, but I can count on one hand the number of students I knew while in college who used the university-offered healthcare plan, and all of them were international students who couldn't otherwise get health insurance. For the vast majority of the student body (maybe more so at Georgetown because of the international emphasis though), that shouldn't be a concern.

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks everyone!