Washington University in St Louis Top Questions

The environment can become very competitive at times, especially amongst the surplus of freshman pre-meds. The rat-racish feel during midterms and finals can be overwhelmingingly stressful, but there are ways to avoid it.

There is a lot of work; it is very stressful, and doing well is not a guarantee even if you work very hard.

There is an understandable tendancy to focus on high achieving, A type students as the norm. But this is frustrating because it sends the message to an average student, like me, that your contributioins are worth less, and your experiences invalid. It creates the illusion that that an average student with a 3.0 GPA cannot make a difference. Mediocrity in this environment is akin to failure, making it difficult ask for/receive neccessary aid. The normalization of this facade of ever perfect performance is an impediment to the success of the average student desiring more.

I go to the continuing education University College portion of Washington University, and the most frustrating thing about this school is the class length. Each class meets once a week and after a hard day at work it can be fairly hard to concentrate on a 2+ hour class.

Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) as one of the nation's best colleges for pre-med students, attracts many pre-med students to attend the school. Medical school admissions are known to be highly selective based on the criteria of MCAT scores and GPA, and this causes pre-med students to be very driven to earn the top grades in their classses. The most frustrating thing about WUSTL is the number of students who are "grade-grabbers", or more focused on getting the grades as opposed to learning for the sake of personal knowledge and curiosity.

The most fustrating aspect of my school is its lack of diversity. The school is currently working very hard to bring in people with different backgrounds but right now there is a lack of individuals who are of the same socioeconomic background like mine. I believe that education is more than what one learns in the class but it also encompasses the people that that person encounters. Therefore, it is important for all schools to have a diverse community of students in order for individuals to become educated global citizens.

The most frustrating thing is that you can try really hard, study a lot, prepare a lot for an exam and still do poorly. Classes here are at a pretty high level and so just because you study alot for an exam doesn't ensure the fact that you will do well on said exam. There have been cases where I've studied for atleast 10 hours for an exam or spent a long time on a paper and still only gotten a B. That's pretty frustrating.

The most frustrating thing is the insane workload. Intellectually, I know that all this work is worth it because it helps me learn, but the constant homework, reading and assignments really wear you down.

The most frustrating thing about Washington University in St. Louis is the fact that it is not wel known throughout the country. Students of the school notice its high caliber - as seen by the low acceptance rate, however many have never heard of the school nor do many know of its high status among other top colleges of the nation. What most students are frustrated about is the fact that their school is hardly noticed among others.

It can feel like a bubble at times.

Although located on the outskirts of one of the Midwest's most interesting and largest cities, very few students find the time to fully explore the city of St. Louis. I myself have ventured into the city few times. In part, it is because of the tremendous amount of work the students find themselves undertaking, but I believe it is also because of the enourmous number of interesting opportunities available right on the campus itself that prevent students from needing to seek the city. It's not necessarily bad, but it is limiting for us students.

People tend to be perfectionists.

bubble

The first-year curricilum is full of scare classes, that weed out the students who casually want to become doctors from the students who really want to become doctors. This means that material is taught at a higher level than it needs to be, and that exams are purposefully created to inspire a low test average. It can be discouraging.

The most frustrating thing about Washington University is the parking situation. It's almost impossible to find a parking spot any where on campus without driving around in circles and wasting gas. Your best bet is to take the metrolink, bus, bicycle, or walk.

The most frustrating thing about Wash U is how many people are here because they didn't get into an ivy, and that they have to let everyone know it. I'm here because I wanted to be, and I wish that everyone else could just be more positive and make the most of it.

I would love it if Washington University could just uproot itself and relocate about a half-hour drive from my house; however, that most likely will not happen. Honestly, there really isn't anything that frustrates me at school. It is a wonderful learning environment that challenges me to go beyond my goals and be passionate for my endeavors.

The most frustrating thing is the Greek system. It perpetuates a sexist, mysogonystic social life that is detrimental both to women and men.

The lack of diversity frustrates me a bit at WashU. At a predominantly Jewish school with a more that prevalent Asian population it's difficult to say that the school is equally represented by all. The socioeconomic status of the majority of the students are far greater than those of other schools which poses a great disadvantage for those who don't quite git into the average student.