Tell me about Catholic U

[Anonymous]

I’ve lived here for 15 years but know not much about it.

My niece is very, very interested in a career in politics and so DC seems like the natural fit. But money is definitely a consideration. GW is a reach for her; she applied but even if she got in it’d likely be too expensive. AU is more of a match but again, may be a bit too $$$. She also applied to Catholic and got enough money for it to be in her budget.

She is Catholic but not conservarie Catholic. Let’s just say she’d be interning for Democratic legislators/more left leaning groups.

Would someone like her be comfortable there? For some reason I’ve always had it in my mind that CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC but I’m not sure if I’m off base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived here for 15 years but know not much about it.

My niece is very, very interested in a career in politics and so DC seems like the natural fit. But money is definitely a consideration. GW is a reach for her; she applied but even if she got in it’d likely be too expensive. AU is more of a match but again, may be a bit too $$$. She also applied to Catholic and got enough money for it to be in her budget.

She is Catholic but not conservarie Catholic. Let’s just say she’d be interning for Democratic legislators/more left leaning groups.

Would someone like her be comfortable there? For some reason I’ve always had it in my mind that CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC but I’m not sure if I’m off base.

CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC.

[Anonymous]

My friend went there for some music program. She was not catholic or religious at all. Very liberal, kind of gothic. I think your niece will be fine there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I’ve lived here for 15 years but know not much about it.

My niece is very, very interested in a career in politics and so DC seems like the natural fit. But money is definitely a consideration. GW is a reach for her; she applied but even if she got in it’d likely be too expensive. AU is more of a match but again, may be a bit too $$$. She also applied to Catholic and got enough money for it to be in her budget.

She is Catholic but not conservarie Catholic. Let’s just say she’d be interning for Democratic legislators/more left leaning groups.

Would someone like her be comfortable there? For some reason I’ve always had it in my mind that CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC but I’m not sure if I’m off base.


CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC.

What makes you think all Catholics are Republicans?
Traditionally, Catholics were not Republicans--they were too committed to social programs and charity to support Republican policies. This remains the case--I think if you polled most American Catholics, you would find that they lean left.

[Anonymous]

NP and while I do know a lot of Catholics, including some in my own family, who are indeed strong advocates of social programs and charity, to be fair to OP there are plenty of very visible right-wing Catholics. Kavanaugh and Scalia come to mind pretty quickly, for instance. FWIW my own impression of CUA (I got my grad degree there several years ago, which is a different experience than undergrad but did give me some experience on the campus) is that its student body does lean more conservative, especially in the religion/history/politics areas.

As for the individual student experience I think in part it depends on the major. The STEM disciplines have plenty of secular students who are just there to get their degree for reasons like those you mention, OP - it's convenient location-wise and with aid can be perfectly affordable. But if she's going to major in politics then yeah, I suppose a lot of her classmates are going to be there because it's CUA and they are conservative Catholics. But it's not like Liberty or anything. I agree with 13:41 that she would be fine, and as 13:51 mentions, there are definitely Catholics who are left-leaning, progressive, and/or supporters of the Democratic party. She'll find her crowd if she ends up there. As an atheist I never had anyone give me any flack, though some did try a bit to convert me (unsuccessfully ).

[Anonymous]

There is a College Democrats chapter there, FWIW.

[Anonymous]

I would guess that Reproductive Choice and Gay rights might be contentious there?? How safe is the neighborhood/metro area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I’ve lived here for 15 years but know not much about it.

My niece is very, very interested in a career in politics and so DC seems like the natural fit. But money is definitely a consideration. GW is a reach for her; she applied but even if she got in it’d likely be too expensive. AU is more of a match but again, may be a bit too $$$. She also applied to Catholic and got enough money for it to be in her budget.

She is Catholic but not conservarie Catholic. Let’s just say she’d be interning for Democratic legislators/more left leaning groups.

Would someone like her be comfortable there? For some reason I’ve always had it in my mind that CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC but I’m not sure if I’m off base.


CUA is CATHOLIC CATHOLIC.

What makes you think all Catholics are Republicans?
Traditionally, Catholics were not Republicans--they were too committed to social programs and charity to support Republican policies. This remains the case--I think if you polled most American Catholics, you would find that they lean left.

PP here. I didn't say that all Catholics are Republicans. I said that Catholic University is fairly orthodox, religiously speaking, and I stand by that statement. It is more orthodox than e.g. Georgetown or Boston College.

This piece from the National Catholic Reporter supports that assertion:

https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/battle-over-catholic-identity-catholic-university-america

[Anonymous]

The local Cardinal cleaned out non-Catholics from the faculty ranks and limited diversity on campus making it less hospitable for non-Catholics on campus.

At least that is my recent experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP and while I do know a lot of Catholics, including some in my own family, who are indeed strong advocates of social programs and charity, to be fair to OP there are plenty of very visible right-wing Catholics. Kavanaugh and Scalia come to mind pretty quickly, for instance. FWIW my own impression of CUA (I got my grad degree there several years ago, which is a different experience than undergrad but did give me some experience on the campus) is that its student body does lean more conservative, especially in the religion/history/politics areas.

As for the individual student experience I think in part it depends on the major. The STEM disciplines have plenty of secular students who are just there to get their degree for reasons like those you mention, OP - it's convenient location-wise and with aid can be perfectly affordable. But if she's going to major in politics then yeah, I suppose a lot of her classmates are going to be there because it's CUA and they are conservative Catholics. But it's not like Liberty or anything. I agree with 13:41 that she would be fine, and as 13:51 mentions, there are definitely Catholics who are left-leaning, progressive, and/or supporters of the Democratic party. She'll find her crowd if she ends up there. As an atheist I never had anyone give me any flack, though some did try a bit to convert me (unsuccessfully ).

How about Justices Kennedy and Sotomayor? And don't forget Nancy Pelosi. Weird that you picked those two and not the others.....

[Anonymous]

Not weird at all. PP said there were "plenty of very visible Right Wing Catholics" and named two. That there are visible Left Wing Catholics doesn't undercut the point at all.

[Anonymous]

I was an adjunct in the Political Science department. The student body is very conservative. I didn’t really interact with the faculty much, so I can’t speak to where they fall, ideologically, but I assume many are also very conservative.

Honestly, I would be cautious if I were your niece. One’s college experience should open some doors, but I’m not sure CU has the connections to Democrats that would do that. I could be wrong. The one student I remember well having an internship was working for Grover Norquist. Great kid, and he was getting a great experience, but not Democratic.

[Anonymous]

She should visit and not listen to the stereotypes on this board. It's a good school and not all Catholics are superconservative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She should visit and not listen to the stereotypes on this board. It's a good school and not all Catholics are superconservative.

It not really a good school, but if it is where she can afford it and she absolutely wants to be in DC, then sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should visit and not listen to the stereotypes on this board. It's a good school and not all Catholics are superconservative.

It not really a good school, but if it is where she can afford it and she absolutely wants to be in DC, then sure.

Why is not really a good school?