Washington University in St. Louis

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Students Say - Academics
Rigorous but very rewarding, Washington University boasts a "strong" premed program, a "very intense" curriculum, and a "very, very stressful" academic atmosphere. "Teachers are tough," warns a biology major. "They have high expectations." "Architecture majors for instance, have so much work that they go for days without sleeping," observes a junior. Overall, though, students at Wash U wouldn't have it any other way. "I've had an amazing time since my first day of class," declares an English major. However, students aren't without complaints. "Distribution requirements are complicated and difficult for students to understand." "The engineering professors are very poor teachers." However, "All of my professors have been brilliant," says a chemistry major. "My only problem with them is some of them are so smart that they can't even conceive how I don't understand an idea." Professors "really care though." They "love to talk to their students," and they are remarkably accessible. Management is a huge hit. "Administrators realize that their first priority should be the students." "This school is also very wealthy and therefore offers greater opportunities than some schools would be able to." "From building amazing new facilities to creating world-class programs from scratch, it really feels like the sky is the limit."

Students Say - Campus Life
The food is "really amazing" on this "gorgeous campus." Dorms are reportedly fabulous, too. "Things are way too expensive," though. Outside of class, Wash U students hit the books hard. "The library is always incredibly crowded." "Campus involvement is big" as well, and "no one social scene dominates the campus." "Wash U is a bit of a bubble," describes a senior, "When you're here, the school experience shapes your entire lifestyle. It's a pleasant world, but [it's] hard to divorce yourself from the happy beauty of the campus and take note of the greater world and its problems." "Not every weekend is buck wild," but, of course, debauchery does happen. Some students "seem to live this strange double life of intense studying and partying." "A lot of students go to parties at the fraternities." There is little pressure to drink, though. "If you just want to stay in and watch a movie or play board games with friends," it's not a problem. The eclectic area next to campus-fondly called "The Loop"-is "a great neighborhood to walk to for restaurants, boutiques, and bars," though sketchy neighborhoods are mere blocks away. "St. Louis is a great sports town, so there are always great baseball, football, and hockey games," and there is some culture here but much of the city "shuts down after about 1 A.M."

Students Say - Student Body
Some people may say the typical student is a Jew from Long Island, but really this is just a hyped-up stereotype, says a junior. East Coasters definitely have a presence at Wash U, but Midwesterners predominate. The campus is "very ethnically diverse." However, "self-segregation is a big issue." "People who are very wealthy tend to hang out together," too. There is "a frantic premed culture," and, overall, the campus is "a little nerdy." "I hadn't seen so many hot geeks in one place until I came to Wash U," claims a first-year student. Jocks, punks, and goths are rare. "A lot of people look exactly the same. This isn't really the best place to explore your education or figure out what you want to do with your life," reflects a senior. "The typical students here have a plan and a goal they are working toward." These "overcommitted, fun-loving high-school all stars" are "pretty politically apathetic," but they have an array of other interests. "I think the thing that connects everyone is passion," suggests a sophomore. "Every student brings something different." "There are the students involved in way too many activities just for the sake of activities, the premeds, the counterculture and counter-counterculture art students, B-school partiers, intense architecture students, frat boys, sorority girls who promised themselves they would never join one, the ethnicity-obsessed, and then a huge melting pot of all of those mixed together."

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