Washington and Lee University Top Questions

Inteligent students from a wealthy background, who desire to make lots and lots of money later in life.

Friendly

Work hard play hard.

The student body does not look very diverse, but this is mainly due to its small size. But, because of this size, students know almost all of their fellow classmates by name. We are diverse in different ways. Where else can you find a Cheerleading captain double-majoring in Physics and Engineering? Almost everyone you'll meet is extremely friendly and welcoming. Just visit campus and see for yourself. Students typically dress up more than the average college students usually would. Dresses and pearls are very common for girls and boys will often don khakis and polos. Most students are typically from upper middle class East Coast homes. Students are very politically active as W&L hosts a very accurate Mock Convention every 4 years. Students typically lean more towards the right.

The student body is one that emphasizes a "work hard, play hard" mentality. The majority of students join fraternities and sororities. The majority of the student body is Caucasian and there is little communication between different racial and socio-economic groups outside of class.

The typical student is from a wealthy family in the South or East region of the country. There are very few minorities, and those on campus are usually international students. Many students have family ties to the school and consider it a stepping stone towards getting a well-paying job. The average student is very driven and serious, and reflect that by dressing nicely to class. The exterior is highly polished just like the politicians many wish to become. If you are not from a well educated and wealthy background it is difficult to reach the higher tiers of the social ladder.

the school is predominantly white, but minority students still benefit from that same sense of community. the administration and student body often focus on making every student-type and orientation comfortable. while rich, polo-wearing conservatives are definately present here, the less-than-wealthy, original will be fine once they find their support group. even the classes provide opportunities for different students to interact. people who are hell-bent on living the same life that they did in high school may be dissapointed, because the campus is unlike most schools outside of Virginia. The campus is very different, but you have a whole new support group to help you grapple. you will undoubtedly be fine if you take advantage of the opportunites: groups, clubs, potential friends etc.

Washington and Lee was historically a white, upper-class, male, Southern school. Though the administration is trying to change that image, it is still largely intact.

Hmm. Lots of white rich kids here. They all tend to dress alike too. It is a study in clones sometimes. But there are lots of other types too. That is what makes it interesting.

I have had the pleasure of knowing a variety of constituencies at Washington and Lee, and while most students are white and do come from well to do backgrounds, there is a niche for everybody. I've addressed LGBT and women's issues above. I think gay students would certainly feel somewhat out of place at W & L, but that can change from year to year depending on how many gay kids are admitted. Politically liberal students may feel some hostility towards their views, but they will not feel out of place, and some may even thrive on it. It is a politically engaged campus.

very, very homogenous. the school has pushed for diversity, but seems to be failing. different types of students, and even students in different fraternities interact minimally, with only a few exceptions.

Ambitious. Driven. Youre bound to know people in high places coming from this school. Pretty homogeneous student body-- but hey, thats why we like it.

AWESOME! If you find the right people (which you will), you'll have the most fun of your life, guaranteed.

Issues of race and sexual orientation are still being dealt with at Washington and Lee. Washington and Lee has never boasted about being the most diverse school in the world, but it is certainly making strides and should be recognized for doing so. The school seems to be moving in a positive direction and with the Honor System currently in place, students are held to the highest esteem and are looked upon highly when they uphold the values of truth and honor. The school is also very politically active with our various political groups such as college republicans, Young Democrats, and College Libertarians. We also hold a Mock Convention for every presidential election and this convention has been followed by MTV and the Associated Press. Ultimately, the school gives students with diverse ways of thinking an opportunity to have their ideas heard on an open sound stage.

The student body seems uniform on the surface, but after attending one class at W&L you see that that is far from reality. The students are typically white and upper middle class; but the other ethnicities and socio-economic classes are not non-existent, nor are they hiding in the dark. The student body is very friendly and very open-minded. Everyone is accepted equally--even parties are open to anyone. With the Greek system being so predominant on campus, the only real separation is by fraternity or sorority; and even that is rarely a problem. Since the Greek system is so big, the social life is so big. But students work hard during the day, and do what they have to do. School-related matters stay on the hill, and discussion disagreements stay in the classroom. I have never heard of someone talking about their social class, how much money they have, or that they are better because of some shallow statistic. Students are modest when it comes to their own lives, and really, don't want to waste the time worrying or arguing over their differences.

The student body tends to be conservative and WASP-y, but the admissions office is doing a great job bringing more diversity to campus. It's true; you encounter students who indignantly pronounce that any change on campus, especially regarding diversity, indicates W&L's demise, but I think that the campus make-over is an excellent thing. If college is a place where you want to learn about yourself by learning from others who can constructively challenge your own beliefs, W&L might not be the best place for you; at the same time, I would challenge you to go there with that incentive to achieve some positive change on campus.

Mostly white, preppy, conservatives, but that is changing. There is interaction between different students. Most don't care about politics too much, but are aware of it.

Students really dress up for class here. Students are very political, most are conservative but there is a very vocal liberal community as well.

pretty white, rich, popped collars and so on, but there is a decent amount of diversity. We have a good number of international students more than racial diversity. Also, it depends on where you hang out. The top srats and frats are all white, but the middle/lower ones have more diversity. People are not that politically aware until the year or our Mock Convention. Then everyone gets involved. I would say we are split down the middle politically even thought most people think it's a very conservative school.

Non greeks are rare. Most (but not all) students look put together for class. You won;t see any pajamas in the classrooms. I'd say the majority of students are from the south. I don't hear a lot about financial aid, most people here probably don't need it.