Washington and Lee University Top Questions

W&L's student body is primarily composed of fraternities and sororities. I have friends who are unaffiliated, but the majority of the student body is involved in Greek life. The most casual attires girls wear includes Nike running shorts and a t-shirt, if they choose to work out promptly following class. Other than that, polos, button-downs, dresses, etc are commonplace. Lily Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines and Tori Burch could stay in business solely off the female population at W&L. Guys are out of an ad from either Nautica, J.Crew or Polo as well. While upon coming to W&L, I thought virtually everyone would be conservative, there are a healthy number of liberal-minded students. The ideal date or boyfriend is the i-banker. Nobody cares about football or basketball. I have a handful of guy friends in varsity sports, but I can count the number of sports functions I've attended this year on one hand. And when we go to home football games, girls wear sundresses, and guys wear suits.

I love the W&L students. People here are absolutely beautiful. For the most part, they dress well, know how to party and are intelligent and friendly. Students here seem to be in good shape for the most part. People either go to our awesome gym or participate in a sport. You are just as likely to see the students here in their running shorts, tee and sneakers as you are to see them in vineyard vines, forever 21, polo, designer jeans or lilly dresses.

W&L has had issues with the integration of new ideas and types of different students, and its a slow process, but one that is a goal of the student body almost universally. the school gives full scholarships to about a hundred outstanding students every year, and is gradually becoming a more diverse population. traditions are key at w&l though, and they carry over into dress, which is usually abnormally formal (sun dresses and suits, bowties, etc). a student who never dresses up for anything, and persistently wears sweats would probably feel a bit out of place, but at the same time a lot of people dress like that to class too.

Students here tend to not be very active politically and things like demonstrations or protests are unheard of. Students who cannot balance work and partying need not apply here as it is expected of a student to do both. Students are often very busy with work for classes and then finish it so that every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night you can often expect to see straight A students out at parties. Students here dress much better than would be expected at another college. You don't see students wearing sweats unless they are going to the gym and there are a tremendous number of formal functions here (I have been to 3 black tie events this year). While W&L is predominantly Christian religion is not an oft discussed subject outside of academically so often one does not know what religion others are without asking, although there are ample opprotunities to attend religious services of your faith as there is a hindu temple, a buddhist meditation center, several mosques and synagogues, and almost every church imaginable within an hours drive. Most students are fiscally conservative and socially moderate. While there is some discrimination against minorities by certain segments of the student body overall most people are generally very accepting. Most W&L students are from the east coast and upper south but there is a broad diversity of students from across the country.

Work Hard, Play Even Harder.

Although diversity is in the student body and endorsed on campus, an average visitor might gain an impression of homogenity among the students. Financial backgrounds tend to be upper middle class and above, but I've never witnessed or experienced any kind of bigotry. I believe that despite the similarities, tolerance isn't just a watchword. On other campuses, those touted as liberal and all tolerant, I've observed a disdain for those who label themselves conservative. At W&L, I believe that all are tolerant and tolerated. Any remarks about political affiliations (especially conseravatives towards the liberal) are often made, and taken, in jest. The small student body allows for closeness and acceptance based on personality, not political views, sexual orientation, religious leanings or socio-economic standing.

W&L is a pretty homogeneous environment, but we are becoming more diverse. Almost everyone is in a fraternity or sorority, and most students have other extra curricular activities as well. Students are generally politically aware, smart, and good on their feet. Most students are social, good conversationalists, and not awkward. People wear all sorts of things to class. I would not feel out of place in a casual dress or sweatpants. Generally, students come from affluent families and are serious about their futures. I would say most lean right politically, but there are plenty who lean left too. The student body is not as uptight as its reputation would suggest. Students enjoy dressing up, going out, and taking themselves, their studies, and their reputations seriously, but they also love to have a good time and hang out.

divided community.

students wear a wide range of clothing to class...you will see anything from pjs to lily. with mock convention and an active college republicans and college democrats-students are politically active. the campus leans to the right.

Fratty