Located in the heart of the Midwest, Washington University in St. Louis has much to offer students looking to attend a top-tier university in a collaborative, relaxed environment. Below is my take on the college’s academics, student life and campus.
- The people at WashU are nice — a lot nicer than here in South Florida. WashU is located in the Midwest and has an overwhelming culture of courtesy, leading people to quite literally fight over who will hold the door open for the other. Whenever I looked even the slightest bit lost, a student would approach me and ask if I needed help finding anything and lead me to my destination.
- WashU is urban, but still has a campus. Located in St. Louis, WashU is surrounded by the beautiful Forest Park, trendy Delmar loop and numerous venues that host concerts and festivals. However, the university is located on a defined campus with large green expanses, granting students a taste of both city and campus life.
- WashU is working to improve its diversity. WashU is making significant strides to increase both its racial and socioeconomic diversity. Through granting students scholarships to visit the university and offering financial aid options specifically for minorities, WashU is breaking free of its stereotypical Midwestern reputation and emerging as a leading university for students of all backgrounds.
- At WashU, it is okay not to know what major you’d like to pursue. Although some universities require undergraduates to commit to a specific college upon admission, WashU supports the natural evolution of students’ interests. Transferring between schools at WashU is a simple process that simply requires speaking with an academic adviser and division-specific scholarships follow students regardless of whether they switch from Engineering to Business.
- Greek life is there if you want it, but isn’t the focal point of students’ social lives. Some WashU students choose to join a sorority or fraternity, but unlike some universities, it is common to opt out of Greek life. Students largely socialize through classes, clubs and other organizations, making it possible for students to avoid Greek life if they want to.
