Washington and Lee University Top Questions

Best thing is the sense of community I love the small classes and personal relations that are possible and encouraged with professors. Always remember my professors knowing my birthday, my interests, and my story- because they can I would like to see the rampant alcoholism and snobby attitudes dissappear. That is what I would change.

The best thing about the University is its academics. There is a work hard, play hard attitude, but the work that students do is remarkable in its quality, and you get a great education. The social aspects of the school are limited, students must make their own fun because the town is small and offers more for those interested in hiking or arts and crafts than for those looking for a night life. The school is about the right size, I'd say. The biggest problem with the school is the limited diversity, not just in terms of background but also in terms of viewpoint. It is a very conservative place. At the same time, minority recruitment has made strides over the years but there is still much room for improvement. Also, the way gay and lesbian students are treated here by other students, as well as the way women are treated, is extremely disappointing. The culture is still male and hetero-centric, and there are a large number of students who aim to keep it that way, whether it means resisting calls for change or actually engaging in harassment or verbal degradation of women and minority students. The Administration means well. They are in the inenviable position of any administration: trying to please all the students and faculty and trustees at the same time. They try hard, and I think many of them would like to change things more than they have, but they do not want to take the risk of acting in a bold manner.

it feels a bit small sometimes, but i do not want to see the school's size change. most of my time is spent in the fraternity house. when i tell them i go to W&L, i either get an "i'm impressed" eyebrow arch, or a "where is that again?" W&L is run smoothly, few problems with "red tape." W&L is (almost too) steeped in tradition, with many old secret societies and drinking societies. the only real student complaint seems to be that Lexington is too small.

Here's the thing about W&L... Best decision I've ever made. And I'm pretty sure 99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my class could attest to this. Despite our attempt at DIII sports, of which I dabbled a few years in (no seriously, theyll take almost anyone), we have the school pride of a state school. Minus the body paint. Insert, coat and tie to football games, girls in sundresses. Varsity garden party. This little script box couldn't stand to hold even a summary of a month at my time at W&L but here's a few statements I've heard through the years that might be most effective: "If you gave me an acceptance letter from Harvard (or insert any school's name here) today, I'd still pick my experience at W&L time and again." "Freshman year i recall i once announced to Caroline* that we are the happiest people literally in the entire world. i had done the calculations, assessed our status in the grand scheme of life on earth and had deduced that we were literally the ultimate happy people. and looking back from the vantage point of graduation morning, i was right." - excerpt from a friend's email on graduation morning The people at W&L seriously make the experience. In my efforts to make this as sincere as possible, I cried the day I got in and I cried the day I left but the moments in between were some of my happiest.

For me Washington and Lee is a place to learn, make connections, and enjoy life. Being in a fraternity sort of separates you sometimes from your stereotypical ivy collegiate experience and vaults you towards a life not dissimilar to Animal House. But my favorite part about the school is that your in the same classes as the men and women you party with - it brings energy and life to the classroom that I don't think you have anywhere else. Also the small class size lets you get an education that's really in touch with the professors, no TA's was a big draw for me. I'll be a junior this fall and my biggest class so far has been about 26 people.

The best thing about Washington and Lee is the small campus and community feeling you get from being there. The school is the perfect size where not everyone knows you, but you still have the opportunity to know everyone if you really wanted to. Another great thing about Washington and Lee is the small class size which allows for much more individual attention between you and the faculty, which you really can't find at a lot of bigger schools that are not as prestigious as Washington and Lee. Even so, there are things about Washington and Lee that worry me and should worry any student who is looking at college and that is the work hard, play hard mentality at the school. A lot of the students can party quite regularly and do well, but there are students who are not able to do this, and many of them who try to wind up making huge and sometimes fatal mistakes. Thus, I question whether or not we glorify this party mentality too much and look over the fact that there are a lot of negative things that come with habitual heavy drinking, such as increased sexual assaults, more alcohol related emergencies, and even the spread of sexually transmited infections. These are some of the issues that currently plague the institution and are causes for alarm for some students. That said, Washington and Lee still has a great deal of wonderful qualities. The school is gorgeous nearly all year and the administration is made up of some of the best and brightest teachers, counselors, and minds that can be found in the United States as well as abroad. There are countless opportunities to go abroad to learn and see the world. And the greek system, despite some of it flaws opens students up to vast opportunities for networking and socializing that a lot of other schools are unable to match. Some of my most valued memories and greatest connections are directly because of my decision to go greek and at times, I did question whether it was the right decision for me, but I always come to the same conclusion that I am a much stronger and well-rounded person for going greek and it has positively impacted my life in more ways than I can say. Finally, there is a great deal of school pride which can be seen at Homecoming and at other times throughout the year. Once you are a general, you are a general for life.

One of my most recent and loving memories of Washington and Lee was when half of the senior class stayed for the night of graduation and went nude rope swinging into the Maury as a class. It showed that after four years our class had become unified and loved being with each other. Also, the administration wishes the students to become involved in the future of the school, and if one wishes to become involved in the various student run committees, he or she can make a huge impact on what W+L looks like for many years to come. After graduating and talking with many faculty members, they seem somewhat frustrated by the inability of students to take part in these discussions. The typical W+L student works hard at class, is involved in a varsity sport or leadership position at the school, and is a member of a fraternity or sorority. Balancing all three of these activities is often difficult to manage and often limits the student's capacity to become involved in school policy making. The few individuals that are not involved in these other activities are able to voice an opinion (good or bad) for the students to the faculty.

Overall, W&L is a small school with endless opportunities. Professors, coaches, and peers encourage and foster your desire for academic achievement as well as athletic, social, or community goals. W&L prepares you for the real world. Although W&L may seem like a Greek life fantasy world stuck in a bubble that extends 2.5 square miles, no student graduates without the skills and knowledge to tackle whatever they want to do. W&L prides itself on its honor system, and the difference with W&L is that those ideals are upheld with the highest respect by the students, professors, and community. The W&L bubble is a safe one, and never without a friendly smile or hello. Lexington is a small historic town, but the people love the school and love the students. With the town being so small, the school provides many extra-curricular activities. Students are very involved: the Outdoors club is popular since there are so many options in the mountains. The school is very concerned with environmental needs, and you won't walk 100 feet without finding recycling bins. A lot of times, you can get lost in the bubble, being so far away from everything. But the school is always up-to-date on the most current world events, and professors are happy to take a break from the syllabus and discuss it.

Washington and Lee has plenty of student and alumni pride, which means that it's easy to network with the ambitious people who go here. That being said, the social scene is not as fluid as it initially appears. With fraternity and sorority membership extremely popular, friend groups form early and last: you end up knowing a lot of people, but being fully accepted into a group that's not in your sorority or fraternity can be difficult. Otherwise, people are generally very polite and respectful; the speaking tradition (everyone walking on campus says "hello" to each other) encourages this sense of friendly camaraderie. And while the social scene is probably receives the most attention from students and sites like this one, it's important not to forget all the opportunities beyond campus life. Hiking trails, the Maury river, and nearby farms afford outdoor activities that you will not want to miss out on: my favorite W&L memory is camping out on the Appalachian Trail with a group of friends during the last week of senior year.

Its a small school, so everybody knows each other, which helps the spread of rumors. Most people here drink, and drink a lot, but they know that academics come first. The administration is trying to kill some traditions, like Spring Term, and the frat life.