GOOD ADVICE: Why Liberal Students Should Attend College in Red States. “Third, given current economic trends and realities, it’s arguably better in a red state for future job prospects. These states may have more opportunities and a lower cost of living; just ask the American workers who have been moving in large numbers to red states in recent years, many for lifestyle and financial reasons. Graduating college students seek affordability and career opportunities, in that order, in where they’ll start their adult lives. Don’t think that students don’t want to live in red states; Texas boasts the highest retention rate for college grads (more than 60 percent in one study) and other red states, such as Florida and Georgia, are not that far behind.”

Plus: “Many students with whom I speak actively express a desire to go to school with people from all kinds of backgrounds, with points of view different from their own. That’s part of why diversity is so important to them as a generation. But when it comes to higher education, we should not limit ourselves to seeking diversity on just the grounds of race, gender, or socio-economic backgrounds. We need to reach out across the different sides of the political divide as well.”