Whitman College Top Questions

The stereotypes are definitely true of a lot of people, but Whitman students also come from a variety of backgrounds and outlooks on life, and most are eager to pop the "Whitman Bubble" whenever possible

Pretty much yes: for the most part we like school and have our educations as a top priority. We can be a little spacey and tend to be silly.

I'd most of the stereotypes were fairly accurate, although I encountered more diversity on campus than I'd expected.

No--while there are some people at Whitman who are really outdoorsy and never put on a pair of shoes, there is a wide range of people who attend the college. There are plenty of people who attend who have never been camping a night in their life!

The campus is left-leaning, but the Campus Conservatives club is also active. While it's not the most nurturing environment for a budding conservative, it's certainly not the entire campus that's voting liberally each voting season. As for environmentalism, I'd say that everyone is environmentally conscious in some ways. Some students choose not to recycle once they move off campus, but during the 2 years required on-campus living, students tend to pick up on the environmental ethos behind, say, weekly recycling pick up in the dorms and the special faucets that we have that regulate water output. Students are at the very least informed on environmental issues, so it's no surprise that a majority (though certainly not all) choose to do little things like recylcing their cans, getting a re-useable water bottle, and printing double-sided.

We tend to be nerdy and liberally leaning, but the outdoors stereotype can be misleading. There are tons of things to do outdoors, but you don't need to be a seasoned camper to fit in.

If you just look at the surface you may think so, but Whitman students are very dynamic and very involved. It is incredible how involved the average Whittie is in the community and on campus. Sure, most of us are tree-huggers, but we are also much more than that. And Whitman is making a genuine effort at drawing in students with diverse backgrounds.

For the most part, although the college is attempting to include more diversity.

To some extent these stereotypes are accurate, but Whitman has a very diverse student body. While many students are socially, politically, and environmentally conscience, that is not all that we are. We are first and foremost liberal arts students - interested in and dedicated to learning. We also have lots of fun. From your typical college party to a trip with the outdoor program to a cello choir concert, Whitties enjoy many different activities.