Whitman College Top Questions

Yes, the town is small. Yes, you can work around it, and it's worth it. Get a bike, stargaze in the wheat fields, visit the taco trucks, get involved in the campus community(Newspapers, lit mags, sports, activism, you name it, we've got it). Also, go to the speakers, bands, comedians, poets and authors that come to campus. Pretty much everyone at Whitman is the involved overachiever they were in high school, still rosy-cheeked with optimism and energy, which is great because that means they're up for anything. But you should know that oftentimes kids here are also rosy-cheeked because they're super wasted. Yes, alcohol is a thing here, but let's be realistic- mass intoxication is a common affliction at most colleges. We also have some pot, of course, but not really a lot of other drugs.

Whitman is a unique place. The students are extremely involved, whether it be academics, athletics, student government, student groups, etc. Although most students are actively involved in some way or another, few yap about their accomplishments or GPA. The strength of the academic curriculum, the welcoming environment, and friendly classmates all are attributes i will always remember about Whitman. If i could change a few things, i would enlarge the campus and have more students. Walla Walla offers a wealth of opportunities to achieve. Although i certainly didn't get this impression initially, Walla Walla is not a simple agricultural community in eastern Washington, it is definetly a complex and interesting community.

Whitman is a community. Since there is no big city to go to, we make our own fun. Everyone is really welcoming and there is always something going on around campus. I guess you could say that Whitties stick together. I love this about Whitman.

At first Whitman can feel really small, but at the end of the day, the close-knit community is what made me fall in love with the school. Walla Walla did not seem like an ideal place to go to school either, but the town has really grown on me. The campus is beautiful and I often walk to class thinking "I can't believe I am lucky enough to go to school here". I can't think of a better environment to go to school-I am continually impressed by the professors, the students, and the setting.

Whitman is a pretty small school, which some find limiting, but it also leads to a great group dynamic, with everyone knowing and supporting each other.

I think Whitman is the perfect size- not so small that I know everyone by name, but certainly small enough to where the classes are comfortable. Folks back home generally don't know where Whitman is, but out west it's pretty well recognized. There is a healthy amount of school pride. Walla Walla is a nice sized town, in my opinion. Students are pretty liberal.

The best thing about Whitman is far and away the people: the professors, students and staff are all genuinely kind, concerned and intelligent. The students are excited to be there, and are legitimately interested in learning for the sake of knowledge, rather than grades. The size may feel small at times (when you see someone you hooked up with at party four or five times on campus the next day), but in reality, it's perfect. It's small enough that you know most people and never feel "lost," but there's always fresh faces to meet. Most people spend their on-campus time on Ankeny (playing frisbee, guitar, etc.), in the dorms or at the library (which is surprisingly social!). Walla Walla can feel a little small and isolated, especially if you don't have a car. Also, it caters predominantly to the wine tourists, so most restaurants and stores are too expensive for students. I think the most frequent complaint is the lack on diversity on campus, but most of the time I feel like that's because most students don't seek it out -- there is actually quite a bit of class diversity on campus, at least. I'll always remember the first few weeks before school and being terrified about fitting in, but once I got there I was shocked by how welcoming and genuinely friendly literally everyone on campus was.

Whitman is one of my favorite places on earth. While many people are worried that the town, and campus, are much too small, I've never felt like that while at Whitman. The size of the college is perfect--I know a lot of the student body, but I still meet new people all the time. It feels so friendly and comfortable. While Walla Walla itself can feel a little small, there's always something to do on campus, so it's not really a problem. Downtown is adorable, and there are plenty of nice restaurants and cute coffee shops to explore. I would say students are very proud to say that they go to Whitman...even though we don't have a lot of sports teams, there are always fans out cheering their peers on. Whitman becomes like a second home to most, even a more important home to others; most of my friends would rather stay at Whitman with all their amazing peers than go home all the breaks.

The highlight at Whitman for me has been the sense of community. Staff and faculty all work together to create an incredible sense of belonging and community that provides a phenomenal springboard for students who have the passion and intitiative (as so many Whitman students do) to take on their own individual projects. The resources (such as the Associated Students of Whitman College and the Res Life staff, to name only two of many) are there to make anything happen-- if someone else hasn't already initiated it, of course :). Most activities and programs at Whitman are included in tuition, and there are a ton of different clubs and organizations to get involved with. The toughest part is usually picking which of your favorite 15 clubs you're going to prioritize so that you can really give your all to something. There's never *not* something to do. I'll always remember my freshman year when I first met with some upperclassmen who wanted to start a quarterly literary magazine. We met downstairs in the campus center and brainstormed and a month later, we had published our first issue. Now, we've become an official Whitman publication and have enjoyed three years of increasing success thanks to the support here at Whitman and to the engagement of the student body. It's the community and the support that make Whitman students Whitties for life. Though it's certainly stronger in some than in others, I'd say that yes, there's a lot of Whitman pride. Watching alumni gatherings and meeting Whitman alumns on trips to Portland is always enlightening-- they always have fond memories of their alma mater and donate quite a lot of things, from buildings to sculptures to time helping new graduates find a job or a social network when they leave Whitman.

The 10:1 student to faculty ratio is fantastic. Getting a hold of professors has never been a problem, and I know many professors outside of the classroom through class dinners at their house or babysitting their kids. The workload is large, but entirely manageable. Almost every student is overly committed to their activities here: whether they’re in Tae Kwon Do club or doing student government. Buying into campus life and getting invested in activities is key—there’s always more than enough to do on the weekends, but it’s not the nightlife of the big city. It’s more intimate and close knit.