I have been accepted into the Political Science course at BYU-Idaho. My Mom is super TBM while my Dad and I and all of my siblings have been inactive as long as I can remember. However, I do still go to church every once in a while with my mom. Even though, I do not mind the LDS culture and the faith itself, I am not a believer. If anything, I am an agnostic atheist.
I would eventually like to go to law school, somewhere in the East. NYU, Georgetown, George Washington and American U really appeal to me.
For my Bachelor's, I've been accepted to BYU-Provo, U of Idaho, ISU, U of Utah, USU and some private colleges in the East such as NYU, Pace U, St John's U and U of Notre Dame. Besides BYU-I, BYU-Provo, UofI and ISU I can't possibly afford any of the other colleges. Thus far, BYU-Idaho is the cheapest option as they have offered me a substantial scholarship. The housing itself it super cheap compared to other colleges. My TBM grandparents are willing to offer me a job at their farm in Rexburg which means I will have a continuous income.
Is going to BYU-Idaho worth it? Will going to an almost unknown church school hinder my chances of getting into a good law school?
Pretending to be something you're not for 4 years sounds like hell to me.
They will expel you if they find out you do not believe in mormonism anymore. That's quite a risk.
Yes BYUI will hinder you in getting into a good law school, it will not preclude it though. Do well on your LSAT and your lower tier college will be less important of a factor.
You do realize that you're going to have to step up your church attendance at a church school, right? We've had reports on here for years that BYUI is even more repressive in terms of church culture than BYU-Provo.
You might consider going to BYU-I for two years or so, and then transferring. To me, BYUI has a mediocre academic reputation. In terms of getting attention from good law schools, I think you'd be better off getting your diploma from a state school or BYU-Provo. Another thought is that if you have a solid community college, do your first two years there and then transfer to a state school. Community colleges often have transfer agreements with their state schools.
If I were you, out of your four options, I'd put U of I at the top of my list for purposes of affordability and academic freedom. BYU carries name recognition (for better or worse, depending on who's looking at it). Find the place that rewards you for asking hard questions...the BYU's have the unfortunate gift of sucking the intellectual joy and curiosity out of people.
No. I survived 2 semesters at Ricks ('66-'67). I did not excel academically (I know I wasn't ready for the immersion in MORMON 101 24/7 and didn't chose my course load correctly) and was not invited to return for my sophomore year. But given that ANY state school will give you a better education, stay TF away from BYU-I or the other 2 BY's. They exist to indoctrinate their students and get them all married and breeding. JMHO
Don't go to any school that would put Brigham Young's name on your resume.....I count it as a huge embarrassment, especially in light of his racist/sexist comments.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2014 10:23PM by magicrocks.
If I was young again, I'm not sure I would spend the pile of dough it takes to get a degree. College is way overpriced these days. A cheap sheepskin is not worth the trouble. It isn't going to open any more doors that some good common sense and sound, logical thinking, mixed with some hustle.
Exception, a medical education earns you a chance at a job that pays well enough to pay off all your student loans...
Don't go, I almost got kicked out of BYU for not attending Church for a few weeks. It was hell on earth, I just concentrated on my studies took 21 credits per semester and got out of there after graduating.
The schools you mention for graduate studies are excellent schools. American and Georgetown are great schools. You won't get into them if you graduate from a school that has a reputation for ideology over education. Go to a state university.
Plus, if you attend a state university and then want to change your major or transfer schools, you won't have wasted time and money on religious studies classes that won't transfer anywhere. Make sure that the state schools have the program you want, pick one and go there.
Avoid at all costs. You have a great pool to choose from. Don't limit yourself by choosing BYUI. Rexburg is small town with rigid, suffocating Mormon atmosphere. Unless you find like minded free thinkers, the intellectual suppression will gut your sanity.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2014 11:59PM by johnnydingo.
My niece got "weird" there. She turned into a total morgbot and holier than thou. She was wonderful before she went to that school. She is different now and not in a good way. It makes me sad that a school like that changed her. Some of the things she was taught in her science class were religion and not science.
Don't go there. You'll be surrounded by people that have been conditioned not to think for themselves.
Don't do any BYU unless you are so completely TBM that you still believe the prophet is perfect and Joseph smith a saint who used funny glasses not a rock in a hat.
Seriously, though. It would be a personal nightmare. You could get around any career stigma, but the culture would just be death. I would recommend UofI, since they also have a decent law program that you could fall back on if something out east (or higher ranked) doesn't pan out due to money or entrance scores.
Usu's political science program is far superior to BYUI. Plus usu has far more enriching experiences available (e.g., research, real people, beer) than the school of hell.
If she lives in Idaho she would be paying out of state tuition to go to the University of Utah. This is not a bad choice, put it would require loans, work study etc.
AND if she's going to do that she should go to the best school she can get in to NOW.
PS - Don't go to LDS schools if you're a non-believer.
Ricks College is a cold. frozen, hole in the ground. If you do not fit the perfect mold they will smell it on you a mile away and will eat your soul the first chance they get.
They made me suicidal at 18 and have recently turned a beautiful, smart niece of mine into a judgmental, hateful little robot. If I had the means I'd have her rescued by de-programmers in an unmarked van!
If you have other options go to a school other than one of the BYU's. It is a tough environment to deal with if you are not a cookie cutter Mormon. I did two years at BYU-Provo and it sucked the life out of me. When I came home I struggled with depression for a few months and had zero desire to ever go back to school. Now a year and a half later I no longer struggle with depression, but I still have a hard time with the idea of school. BYU really ruined the love I had for education.
Why choose a crap school when any other state or even community college is better in every way than BYU-I? And political science at the cult Idaho school? forgetaboutit!