Washington and Lee University Top Questions

Just as aggressive on the dance floor as in the library. Not ridiculously competitive but everyone wants to genuinely do well. Honorable crowd. At the end of the day, if you don't land the investment banking job, youre in the minority.

Academics at Washington and Lee are quite rigorous and challenging. This school really shapes you into a well-rounded and strong student. The greatest thing about the curriculum is how it offers you a vast opportunity to learn about subjects that don't necessarily have to be in your major. My favorite classes have been classes that are culturally-based such as African American history and Environmental issues as they pertain to Chinese literature and film. The academics at Washington and Lee are also spectacular because you can always count on being able to go to your professor for help whenever you need it. All of my professors knew my name and I, theirs. Some professors even invite their students over for dinner to discuss class work. I truly believe an education at Washington and Lee is the best money can buy.

All of my professors knew my name from freshman year and on. When I would pass my Geology teacher from freshman year at Lowe's during my senior year, he would greet me and ask how I was doing and if I was able to go spelunching in the cave that wewhitewater rafting in West Virginia lately. Often times during spring term you can mix your major background with other topics that interest you. Since I am an Accounting and Finance major, I am interested in the general marketplace and many other facets that affect a value of a business or commodity. I was able to combine my interest in Chemistry with my major to take "Chemistry in the Marketplace," which went into the oil and gas business and the future that it holds. We went into basic economic principles and applied it to our findings in the actual chemical bonds found in the energy sources that we use today to formulate our theories on the future of the industry.

If you've never liked to talk much in class, you will now. It's hard not to voice one's opinon when everyone has so many different ideas. The professors are wonderful--they care about your progress, your understanding, and your well-being. I've had professors know my name by the second day of class--there is no hiding in the back. Students really take advantage of small class sizes, and professors do as well. Talking to your professor outside of class is common and encouraged--not only will you improve in the class, but you will form a bond that only provides beneficial results. Classes can range from an 8 person Religion seminar to a 35 person Intro Chemistry class. But even in the larger classes you are expected to participate, and your individual achievements will not go unnoticed. The greatest thing about W&L is its liberal education. Without it, I may never have taken a Religion class, and never found what I truly excell at studying. And with W&Ls open-ended education I am able to major in Religion and still take all the science classes I need and want in order to prepare for med-school. In fact, I even have time to double-major, and that is not uncommon. The greatest thing about the liberal education though, is that it unites the student body by requiring each person to be well-rounded. You meet so many different people in your classes that you would never meet at another school because they would be concentrating on one subject. The professors are very good at incorporating their own liberal education: I have Biology professors talking about philosophy, I have Religion professors discussing politics, I have Philosophy professors talking about genetics. The professors provide you with a background necessary for life and a mind geared for the future.

Academically, I think Washington and Lee offers much more than people tend to assume. Without the dedicated, earnest interest of my professors, I would be a completely different--and disinterested--student. Class sizes are small and office hours are frequent; talking with professors about everything from the last test, the next paper, to that time THEY shaved their head in college, means that you develop strong relationships. You are held accountable for your performance because the professors pay attention to it, and for me, this made all the difference between starting as a B- student and finishing as an A student.

Small classes, often with discussions. Some of the older, great professors are being forced out to make way for the new, liberal ones. Students are competitive, but not in a bad way. The business department is great, and the majority of the professors are great.

I know all of my professors and can really only name one that I didn't love. My favorite class was Grave Matters (Anth 290B) with Dr. Means. Least favorite, Global Politics (Pol 105) with Professor McCaughrin. Class participation is absolutely necessary in most classes. Students are competitive, extremly bright, motivated and exceptional.

All of my professors know my name. Studying is a part of every day here. We are all academically enriched- even on spring break the conversations are intellectual- its who we are. I've heard great stories (mostly from my dad) about eating with professors outside of class. I havent had that opportunity yet, but I sure hope I will. Being a liberal arts college, W&L makes sure that each student gets a taste of everything (which means lots of requirements before you settle on a major!)

It is not easy. Teachers demand a lot out of you but it is worth it to work hard. I love seeing teachers off campus and outside of class and having them know my name and say something to me, it just gives W&L a sense of community...which I love. Education at W&L will help you get a job but that is definitely not the primary objective. The school is about the education of the whole individual which is why we have to take classes in all academic areas.

The professors knew my name. I suppose it helped that most of the time I was the only Asian in my class, but nevertheless most classes are small enough that there is some kind of relationship between the students and professors that is built throughout the semester. My favorite class… I don’t know. I think would have rather just been given the reading assignments and have a one on one conversation about the specific topic with the professor. Least favorite classes were the introductory classes. How often do students study? I don’t know. Studying depends on the requirements for the class. Join a frat or sorority and get the inside information on how professors conduct their classes. It is a huge untold benefit of joining a fraternity or sorority, granted one goes out of ones way to join one (meaning going through pledgeship). Class participation depends on the class. W&L students, in my opinion, regurgitate what they hear without thinking twice about it. There was a comment from the Princeton Review (I think…) that said something like, “W&L students have a lot of intelligent students, but not very many intellectuals”. In my opinion, I felt this comment was not fair (whatever “fair” might be) because I found this comment true for most academic institutes. I’ve attended a class at Williams College (in MA), Seattle University (Summer), Harvard Summer Program, and Binghamton University (Fall). I think it would be safe to say that I’ve had the opportunity(?)/circumstance of getting a broader firsthand experience of the tertiary educational process. Students are competitive, some are cold hearted, others are friendly and beneficial. It’s a mixed bag, probably like most any other place. The most unique class I’ve taken at W&L was during my senior year during spring semester. Economics of Race and Ethnicity. I was the only Asian student in the class, no African American students, one Hispanic descent but looked Caucasian, and the rest was Caucasian. Just a coincidence? I think not, but if it was, it was quite a coincidence. This class did not have any text books. It had a great professor. All the required reading was from recent economic journal articles, and the homework was to systematically analyze the reading. Community service was required. My major was economics. The department... well it's ok. I'm not quite sure what you want to know. As far as my understanding goes "C-School", as it's called amongst the students, is comprised of Econ, Business, and Accounting Majors. I though the education I received was pretty good. Some professors are better than others. All professor are reachable, prompt in responses, and have time to meet with you after class. The academic requirements, well there are some policies that I don't understand why they are there, but I think the school's academic requirement is strongly influenced by the composition of the student population structure and "tradition". Whether it's a good thing or a bad thing is something you have to experience, and arguments that are based upon subjective, personal experiences are hard to rationally justify as "good arguments" (read derrida, or was it someone else... i forget). I'm not sure whether an W&L education is geared towards getting a job or learning for its own sake, but the way I think has been more theortical ever since.