Washington and Lee University Top Questions

Credit load compared to other colleges is really low - 12 or 13 credits per semester, with one 4-credit mini semester at the end of the year. It's easy to get B+s, kind of hard to get As.

The classes here are small, but you still have to make an effort to get to know the professors because they will not seek you out. The small community is overrated, and I often feel like I have missed out on the resources and opportunities of a big university. I was astonished at how easy the classes were compared to high school, and I often wonder how many of the students here managed to get in. I thought this was supposed to be a top-notch school, but so far it reminds me more of a community college in the caliber of its education.

Most professors are passionate about what they teach and definitely know their stuff. The classes are tough, and the workload is heavy most of the time. Fortunately the professors are great about being available through office hours and will answer any e-mail you send them. Since we're a liberal arts school we get to take a wide variety of classes outside our major. I think this school does a good job of preparing students for succesful careers while exposing them to subjects that provoke some deep thought. I'm an Econ major, but one of my most interesting classes here was a course in Acting. Generally though most classes are interesting, students are heavily involved in discussion, and everyone here works hard for good GPAs.

The academic life may be my favorite part about W&L, though of course it's only a fraction of what the school has to offer. There are no TAs and professors always have their doors open to talk, and I've been to some of their houses for dinner. Yes, classes are very hard, but it's worth it.

My largest class was 27 students (Macro Economics). The professors will always know your name and they will remember you for your entire W&L career. They are personally interested in your growth and success. It is very common for students to go to coffee with professors or to even go over to their houses for dinner on occasion. This does not mean that classes are easy--in fact they are quite difficult. I have never worked so hard, but it is manageable. I have time to double major, teach riding lessons, and be involved in my sorority and other clubs on campus. Students are competitive, but not in a cut-throat way. They all want to do well, but they will bend over backwards to help others who are directly competing against them. We're a community here and we act like it in all aspects of our life, including academics.

The small size of the student body lends itself to an intimate academic atmosphere. Professors actually care about you and get to know you. Since all classes are taught by full professors, students never skip class because they feel it's "not worth it to go." There generally exists an open door policy, meaning that professors will drop what they're doing to meet with you whenever their office door is open.

My Poverty 101 class last year had 9 students, and it met every day so I got to know the students in my class and my professor very very well. We all joked with each other and were a tight, close-knit family by the end of the term. It was also an intensely discussion-based course, so the 55 minutes of class flew by each and every day. The professor did a fantastic job of getting us to work out our opinions on our own, rather than spoon-feeding us what he wanted us to learn. He challenged our beliefs, made us think, and taught us so so much. The quality of teaching at W&L is unrivaled. Profesors are all extremely qualified and many have been published and are well-known names in their field. While many conduct research during summers or even during the year, they are primarily at W&L to teach. At W&L you will not find yourself in class with a professor who is at the University to do research and teach on the side, teaching is very much the first priority for all Professors. Along the same lines, there are no TAs at W&L. The only classes with any kind of teaching assistant are the introductory level language courses, and those assitants are international students studying at W&L employed by the university to meet with students individually and aid them in language development process. They do not teach the class but are there for development of conversation skills and other important aspects of the languge learning process. Students at W&L care a lot about success in their classes but that doesn't stop students from helping each other out. Even though classes are a challenge, the atmosphere is not competitive. Study groups are common, students often edit each other's papers, and discussion of class matter outside of class is a typical occurrence. While W&L has a reputation for a raging party scene and consistent underage drinking, students also take responsibility for their studies in as passionate a way. If there was a school that epitomized the phrase "work hard, party hard", W&L would be it.

Professors at W&L are amazing. They know your name, have you to their homes for dinner, and give you their personal phone numbers in case you need help with the assignment for that night. One of my best classroom experiences at W&L was Philosophy 142: Modern Philosophy with visiting Professor Terjesen. I had never taken a Philosophy class before coming to Washington and Lee and have to admit that I was afraid I would find the subject matter boring or irrelevant. I was surprised when the exact opposite occurred. Professor Terjesen, a movie and pop culture buff, is able to relate all the material we learn to movies or other media relevant to the present-day. For example, when we were learning about Descartes’ metaphysical solipsism, a complicated name for Descartes’ belief that he can only prove his own existence, Professor Terjesen stopped his lecture to show the class a brief clip from Family Guy in which a character “watches” everyone in town through a cardboard TV. So, in that character’s mind, he was the only one who really existed, and thus he could only prove his own existence. The crazy examples Prof. Terjesen comes up with really help me to remember philosophical concepts that I would probably otherwise find too complicated to grasp. He makes sure everyone in the class understands even the most difficult of subject matters by presenting it in both a unique and informative manner.

At the end of the term the professors will know everyones name even in the largest classes (which are around 40 people). Professors are usually very willing to work hard with you outside of class to make sure you are getting everything. Most classes in the history department are small and discussion based. Class participation is crucial but also makes the classes dynamic and engaging. Students are not super competetive, they are willing to talk outside of class and work together-when it is permitted. The academic requirements are easy to fufill and interesting. The teachers really teach you how to learn, analyze, and argue. As a result almost everyone gets a job or into a graduate program.

overshadowed by the fraternities. don't go there for the academics.