Washington and Lee University Top Questions

Class participation is required to pass most classes. People are randomly called upon in class and if the class is not a lecture class, discussions most normally do not include input from the professor. Be prepared to speak up and learn to think on your feet. Geology has been great for me. It's a lot of hands on/outdoors activity and the department is so excited for its majors. They have picnics, cookie/soda days, and personally know all students in the major.

The academics are excellent. Lots of personal attention, difficult classes, but do well here and you'll be able to get pretty much any job you want or into a top grad school.

It's hard. But the professors are always there if you need help. Every class is taught by a professor, and it allows a bit more freedom in the classroom, because you're on an almost equal footing. My only regret is that I don't go for help as often as I should with professors.

The academics are hard, but doable...if you get in here, you can handle it. Professors are great. They know your name and are always available for help; I go to all my professors' office hours for help whenever I need it and they're great about help. People do study really hard. Normally, you'll stay on the hill until around midnight if you're doing work, but you go out just as hard the next night. During exam week, the library is like a social scene...everyone's in there working hard. Students want to do well, but we're all always willing to help each other with anything.

The academics here are rigorous but rewarding, and provide the students with a lot of flexibility for what they want to study. I am a neuroscience major who is also on the premed track, but I also plan on getting a concentration in African-American studies, and I feel like that epitomizes the opportunities that the University allows. The professors are incredibly friendly and you know them as people, not just doctors and distant researchers. Also, because of the small size of the University, many students will assist professors in their research, and oftentimes if the professors do publish their findings, the undergraduate students will be listed as coauthors, which is an amazing opportunity for an undergraduate student.

The student to professor ration at W&L is about 10-1, so professors almost always know your name. They care a lot about your success and are always willing to make time for you. My favorite classes have been those in my majors - politics and studio art. I have especially enjoyed my drawing classes and international politics classes. I would say students study about 20-25 hours during a none exam week. Class participation is very common at W&L. Because of the small class sizes and the emphasis on seminar-style classes, students are often expected to speak up as part of their final grade. There is certainly intellectual conversation outside of class - not an obnoxious amount, but the students here are extremely intelligent. Students are relatively competitive. I would say we are more competitive with ourselves then with our classmates. The most unique class I have taken was Islam and Politics last semester. It was a seminar elective class that focused on the resolution of politics and religion as one of the most important foreign policy issues today. As I said, my majors are politics and studio art. Most people would think that they are two very different subject, but I am finding interesting ways in which the two complement each other and interact. I am enjoying them both very much. Every professor at W&L is available for office hours or time outside of class to meet with students. I have often taken advantage of this time to talk with teachers and further discuss topics in class. I don't mind W&L general education requirements, but I do wish they were a few fewer, especially in science/math! However, the GEs do allow students to get a taste each discipline at W&L.

students are very hard workers and takee their work very seriously. the professors are absolutely fabulous, and i don't believe that any other school has professors who are as available and willing to help. because classes are so small, professors make time for everyone and pay close attention in making sure each student can and will succeed. they really couldn't be better.

There is a great relationship between students and professors. Professors are always easy to meet with and you actually get a chance to know them. My most interesting class was a recent macro econ class. I got to know my professor well and he was definitely one of the smartest teachers I've had. He taught us practical economics and offered different perspectives to our nation's economics than is mainly depicted in the media. Classes are small and comfortable. Students are competitive, and there is very little grade inflation. Professors will do as much as they can to help you out - they don't want students to fail. Many of the major departments are like big families, and students get to know their advisers and professors very well. Education is great.

A high point is the experience in the classroom. The teachers, especially in the humanities, really want you to learn, and this is evident in their curriculum and their office hours. They are very available. The sciences are also helpful and engaging, but the classes tend to be bigger, probably due to essential classes for the MCAT, etc. Although I'm an English major (and a freshman), I'm researching this summer with a biology professor, which is a really unique experience. I am taking an anthropology class with 5 kids, and it's really engaging and interesting. Obviously, with such intimate class sizes, participation is key. In every class I'm taking, it's at least 25{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the grade. This makes you do your homework, and it forces you to think critically. The English department is very conducive to students who want to double-major, or who are going pre-med or pre-dent, etc. They want you to receive a well-rounded education that will benefit you in the future.

I love my classes. I love my professors. W&L has exceeded my expectations in offering challenging yet extremely engaging classes which I have applied myself to 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}. I am very motivated by the interesting professors and classes offered. My main problem is the FDR (required core classes) which prevent me from taking the endless list of classes that interest me. Why should I be wasting my time with a math requirement when I'd rather be enjoying a class discussion and studying one of the highly fascinating humanities courses offered?