Whitman College

Statistics

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Rankings & Lists

School Says - General Information
Whitman College's programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences have earned the college a national reputation. Whitman's students acquire the knowledge and talents to succeed in whatever career and life paths they choose. Whitman fosters a closely-knit community of dedicated teachers and students working together to achieve lives of intellectual vitality, personal confidence, social responsibility, and the flexibility to adapt to a rapidly changing world. With 1,450 students and a student-faculty ratio of ten-to-one, a rigorous, personalized education is ensured. College rating guides recognize Whitman as one of the nation's top liberal arts institutions. Believing that every moment should be a "learning moment," we offer extensive, extracurricular and residential programs. Our student body is extremely active, with more than 100 interest groups and clubs that are student-run. The Outdoor Program sponsors numerous wilderness activities. Three-quarters of Whitman students live on campus in a wide variety of living arrangements, including coeducational and apartment-style residence halls; 11 special interest houses, dedicated to foreign language study, environmental awareness, the arts, and multi-cultural living; four fraternity houses; and an all-women's residence hall that provides living space and chapter rooms for three national sororities.

School Says - Student Body
Students complement their classroom learning with extracurricular activities. Most people can find a group that shares their interests within one of the college's 100 student organizations. Students are welcome to found new clubs and groups. Those interested in communications may participate in KWCW, the student radio station, The Blue Moon, an award-winning literary magazine, or The Pioneer, Whitman's newspaper. Physically active students enjoy Whitman's Outdoor Program, the ultimate Frisbee team, and twelve intramural and ten club sports. Varsity athletes compete in the NCAA's Division III. Exceptions to this are the men's and women's Division I alpine and Nordic skiing teams and the Division II men's and women's road cycling team (winners of the National Championships in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006). The men field teams in alpine skiing, baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, Nordic skiing, soccer, swimming, and tennis. The women compete in alpine skiing, basketball, cross-country, golf, Nordic skiing, soccer, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. Students undertake volunteer work arranged by the Whitman College Center for Community Service. The college's forensics team excels on the national level. The theatre program stages up to ten major productions a year as well as numerous smaller performances. Students interested in music have 16 groups to choose from, and an opera or musical is staged annually. Students do not need to major in music or theatre to participate.

School Says - Academics
Whitman strives to equip all students with the intellectual tools they need to become life-long learners. All students undertake the general studies program, which hones skills in reasoning, critical thinking, leadership, and expository writing. Freshmen take Antiquity and Modernity, an interdisciplinary seminar focused on reading, writing, and in-class discussion about many of the great books of Western intellectual thought. Whitman's distribution requirements include fine arts, social sciences, humanities, sciences, and alternate voices. Students must complete a class in quantitative analysis. The capstone to each academic major is a comprehensive oral examination. Whitman was the first college in the nation to require such exams. Top students receive honors distinctions in their respective majors. Whitman follows the semester system.

School Says - Admissions
Whitman's admission committee seeks applicants who show motivation, a dedication to learning, and the potential to contribute to the college community. Each admitted class includes students from diverse backgrounds. Gaining admission to Whitman is a competitive process. 60 percent of admitted students graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class. The middle fifty percent of enrolled students score between 620-720 on the Critical Reasoning section of the SAT and 620-690 on the Math section. The middle fifty percent of enrolled students taking the ACT scored between 28-32. Whitman offers two rounds of Early Decision. The deadline for Early Decision I is November 15, and for Early Decision II, January 1. The Regular Decision deadline is January 15. Those seeking spring admission must meet a November 15 deadline. Students may apply to Whitman online at www.whitman.edu/admission/apply.html. Students may also complete the Common Application, www.commonapp.org, as long as they also submit the additional essay found on the College's Personal Supplement form, or by paper form. Official scores from the SAT or the ACT are mandatory. Candidates must submit the application fee of $50 with their materials. In addition, international students are required to send TOEFL scores and the College Board's International Student Financial Aid Application and Certification form.

School Says - Campus Life
Whitman's hometown of Walla Walla, Washington is a lovely and accepting community of 30,000. The location in the foothills of the Blue Mountains gives students access to outdoor activities: skiing, backpacking, hiking, kayaking, rafting, and rock climbing. The sun shines 300 days a year in, providing a New England-type fall, a moderate winter and an early-blooming, prolonged spring. The campus attracts performers and intellectuals from many fields. Students have numerous opportunities to attend concerts, film screenings, art shows, lectures, and interactive panel discussions.

School Says - Cost Aid
In the 2007-2008 school year, tuition totaled $32,980*. Room and board cost $8,310. Students spend approximately $1,400 more on books, supplies, and personal expenses. *Includes student government fee.In 2007-2008 Whitman granted $17 million in institutional need-based and merit financial aid. Approximately 48% of Whitman students receive need-based aid and a total of 78% of all students received financial aid. The average need-based aid package in 2007-2008 was $28,780. Merit-based grants vary from $1,000 to $10,000 annually. Students seeking financial aid complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service Profile Form.

Students Say - Academics
If learning can be both rigorous and laid-back at the same time, it happens at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. The "challenging" academics here are coupled with a "relaxed attitude" in order to give students "the best education possible without sacrificing all the fun one expects of college." Populated mainly by "intelligent, ambitious liberals with far-reaching goals," this somewhat idealistic school seeks to build critical thinking skills through "an earnest discourse about 'life, the universe, and everything.'" So no one starts off with a blank slate, all first-year students are required to take a course referred to as "Encounters" which offers a survey of Western thought, starting with The Odyssey, working through Socrates, Plato, Augustine, up through Marx, Voltaire, and other thinkers who shaped modern thought. Distribution requirements ensure that all students get a breadth of courses, and a lack of TAs ensures that they get all the attention they need. Although there's always a dud or two in the mix, professors are "genuinely brilliant and interesting people" and "love to spend time with students outside of class," whether it be for academic help or just conversation. "It is not uncommon to have potlucks, classes, or movie night over at your professor's house with your class," says one student. On the administrative side of things, bureaucracy and red tape are kept to a minimum in this chill environment through "effortless use of the 'system.'" and the administration gets raves all around for its devotion to "maintaining quality student life," which is something of a rarity. "I have never heard of ANY college being as supportive as this place has been to me in just the past two years," says a student. "Whitman's president gave me a ride to campus one semester after I met him at the airport," says another. As one can imagine, all these things come together to form a student body that's "happy, well-balanced, and well-cared-for."

Students Say - Campus Life
Most people stay on campus for their fun, "especially first-years," and throughout this "bubble" the "sense of closeness and comradeship is very evident through attendance at student-run concerts, art shows, etc." Everything is within ten minutes' walking distance. Academics take precedence for almost everyone, but "most students find time to party on the weekends" at the frats, due to a "lenient and fair" alcohol policy. Thanks to the campus activities board, "there's almost always something fun going on, whether or not a person chooses to drink," such as Drive-In Movie Night and Casino Night. With "four beautiful seasons," outdoor activities are also very popular, thanks to "a great gear rental program that gets people outside hiking, biking, kayaking, and rock climbing," and "Frisbees are everywhere when it's warm." In fact, there's so much going on "if someone says they are bored, students laugh and wish they could relate."

Students Say - Student Body
It's a sociable bunch at Whitman, where most students "are interested in trying new things and meeting new people" and "everyone seems to have a weird interest or talent or passion." The quirky Whitties "usually have a strong opinion about SOMETHING," and one freshman refers to her classmates as ""cool nerds." Diversity has risen steadily over the past several years, as the school has made an effort to recruit beyond the typical "mid- to upper-class and white" contingent. Everyone here is pretty outdoorsy and environmentally aware ("to the point where you almost feel guilty for printing an assignment"), and leans far enough to the left to tip over; there's also not much of a religious quotient to the student body, and those who find themselves "subtly looked down upon."

Other Schools To Consider Top Programs