Washington University in St Louis Top Questions

I often wish Wash U had more networking opportunities in my area of interest, but overall there are a lot of very successful alums and quite a broad range of networks. I like the size of the school, not too big, but not too small. When I'm at home (a small town) most people don't know where Wash U is or that it is such a great school, but when people do know of the school they are generally impressed. One of the most recent controversies affecting me was all the problems with the Engineering School dean. She wasn't communicating changes within the school very well, and students were getting very upset. Very recently she decided to step down after this semester, so we are waiting to see who gets appointed as the new Dean of the Engineering School. There is definitely a lack of school pride at Wash U. I wish there was more so I had something or someone to root for. I don't know if there ever will be school pride, but there are athletics and ways to get involved if you want, just don't expect a huge crowd come to support you. I'll always remember my freshman convocation. Everyone goes through convocation freshman year, its somewhat of a bonding and welcoming experience, and of course no one will ever forget the free Ted Drewes at the end.

Compared to your Stanfords or Dukes, Wash U is a relative newcomer to that privileged bunch that turns away the bulk of its applicants. ESPN broadcasters don’t name-drop our basketball players and no one goes to St. Louis for its weather; a lot people don’t even know that Washington University in St. Louis is, in fact, in St. Louis. But there is definitely a sense around here that Wash U is a school on the rise and its cool to be part of that. The school is flush with money; the administration has spent millions on constructing new buildings and recruiting world-renowned faculty. We now have dorms that have more in common with the lodging at Disneyland than a traditional college dorm. You can order crepes at our dining halls or take advantage of abundant funding for student groups and projects. I doubt I am the only one, however, who wonders whether these perks really justify a $50,000 a year price tag. Sometimes it seems as though the administration lavishes more money and attention on its buildings than its students. Wash U, like much of its competition, charges for everything: to use the Internet, to print at the library, to use outdated exercise facilities. The nicest dorms cost over $1,000 a month in rent and you can expect to pay $6 or $7 for the convenience of buying a box of cereal on campus. In its defense, the administration has begun to address some of these issues by bundling some fees into room and board. Increasingly, however, the people in charge seem slow to respond to the issues students have with current policies. This spring, for instance, the Chancellor refused an offer from Barack Obama to speak on campus for free on the weekend before Super Tuesday on the grounds that doing so would be a costly distraction and require the school to host any presidential candidate who wished to speak here. A lot of students thought this was a pretty flimsy excuse, especially in light of the fact that the College Republicans brought Mike Huccabee on campus last spring and paid Alberto Gonzales $35,000 for a half-hour speech this winter. For the most part, however, students are really happy to be at Wash U. The size of the school is perfect; intimate enough to see people you know everywhere you go, large enough to constantly meet new people. And despite all of the facility improvements and stellar academics, it’s the people that make Wash U a stellar place. True assholes are a rare breed on campus. Almost everyone is approachable and friendly in a Midwestern sort of way. School spirit is difficult when you play DIII sports and you share part of your name with a dozen other schools, but people bond easily enough through their freshmen floor, mutual friends, extracurriculars, and Greek life.

The great thing about Wash U is that it is the perfect size- it leaves room for diversity without making the campus impersonal or run-of-the-mill. A lot of the activity revolves around campus wide events and takes place on campus property, however there are many opportunities to get off of campus and find involvement within the Saint Louis community. One issue is that it is difficult for freshman to leave campus, and it is often necessary to use cars to get around the city. The school administration is attentive to students needs and the quality of life on campus, however it does not seem to emphasize issues of financial assistance. Students exhibit pride in the school, but more in terms of the academic opportunities and less in reference to sports or other traditional forms of "school spirit." Campus security has been a recent hot topic due to infiltrations of non-students and several isolated incidences, however it seems that the university is taking drastic measures to prevent the recurrence of these issues.

The best thing about Wash U is the people; everybody is so smart but so nice and always willing to help. I wish WashU had more of a sports environment and was on the East Coast. I feel the school is just right; I know lots of people but there are many that I haven't met yet. Most people have not heard of it, however, the people that do know about Wash U give high praise. The name might not be Harvard but the school is just as good. I spend most of my time on campus, there are not many things to do in the city. The administration is very friendly and willing to listen to your concerns. One of the biggest controversies on campus was the Dean of Engineering, she was making radical changes that many people did not agree with. She has since decided to resign at the end of the semester. There is not a lot of school pride. The alcohol policy is unique. WashU treats its students as adults and allow them to make their own decisions. The most frequent complaints are about the weather, St. Louis weather is sporadic and can go to extreme cold to heat.

The best part of WashU is the South 40. The South 40 is forty acres south of main campus where every freshman and most sophomores live. There are also some juniors and seniors as well. There are new dorms and old (traditional) dorms that are in the process of being replaced. In the middle of the 40 is “the swamp” which is a grass quad complete with picnic tables, basketball court, and playground. One of my favorite activities is watching the Belegarth group battle with foam swords in the middle of the swamp. There are also two dining places, a mailroom, and a supermarket on the 40. With lots of students living on campus, housing is the hardest part about being at WashU. While there is plenty of room for people to live on campus, and as far as I know most people stay in WashU housing the entire time, the housing application process is arduous. Every student gets a lottery number and groups of students form petitions for where they want to live. Rarely is everybody satisfied by living arrangements, although ResLife tries to give you your first choices. The campus itself is beautiful. Often you will see top care workers planting new flowers in the dead of winter, all in the name of keeping the campus pretty. Every building looks the same, made out of the same Missouri Limestone. If that’s your cup of tea, then you will fall in love; the buildings are gorgeous and there is a great mix of old buildings and brand new buildings. But beware: the school is ALWAYS under construction. St. Louis as a town is great, featuring plenty of nightlife in many different places all over the city. The school is located in University City, home of Nelly and Chingy. Also the campus is on “the loop,” a very trendy section of the city featuring restaurants, concert venues, boutiques, and tattoo parlors. Another added benefit is the school is situated across the street from Forest Park, the third largest urban park in the country. Everything inside the park is free, including the zoo and many museums, much to the delight of college students everywhere. Speaking of money, St. Louis is very reasonably priced. Apartments are cheap and so is food. WashU is expensive. And, the tuition has risen every year I have been here. It also seems that the administration spends money on poor choices as well. Recently, Alberto Gonzales was paid 30K to speak on campus. The event caused much controversy in the way the university is spending money. Also, there were a few campus events that were expensive recently that nobody came to.

The most popular shirt on campus says, "Wash U Pride, it's in St. Louis dammit." That pretty much sums up the reaction we have when we try to tell other people where we go to school. I am from FL and the first response I usually get is "O, Wash U, is that in Seattle?" kindly responding, "No, in St. Louis..." only get a more disappointing response of "Why the hell would you move to Missouri!" Wash U is a good mix of really focused academic students, and well, the more social students. The environment is way more relaxed than some other campuses I visited and people are pretty friendly. The campus is beautiful, including historical collegiate Gothic architecture and brand new similarly designed facilities that are up to date with 21st century technology. The students here complain a lot about the food, but in the grand scheme of things, I think Wash U is rated among the top schools for food. It's always a topic of conversation, as I am sure dining is on every campus. More recent hot topics here revolve around the political world. Alberto Gonzales came to speak on our campus, Barack Obama was turned away from speaking directly on campus (though he came to the Edward Jones Dome for a rally anyhow), in effort to stay neutral before Wash U hosts the VP debates next fall. Students are gathering to discuss these controversial issues, igniting political activism. It is a wake up call and I think everyone is learning more about what's going on in our government and country in effort to be educated voters. I am looking forward to more speakers and debate coming to campus in the near future. St. Louis, not the most exciting city I have ever been to, but a good place to explore and experience different flavors of culture around town. There are a ton of different places to eat and a few different areas to go out in. I think many people think it is a much more 21 and up friendly town, though. With our graduate schools, SLU and Fontbonne campuses nearby, there are a lot of college students to be found, though St. Louis would definitely not be classified as a "college town." I could go on forever about how I love Wash U and probably only complain about the ridiculously random weather we get here. If you would like more of my opinion I'd love to speak more with you on the phone.