Visit Report by CharlotteRH (Member since September 25 2007 with 45 posts) Visit Date - April 2008
Visit to Warren Wilson College in April 2008 by CharlotteRH (Student, HS Class of 2008)
Visit Activities:
Campus Tour:
Yes Classroom Visit:
Yes - 1) Spanish was fine.
2) Appalachain studies w/ Jamison we watched a documentary for most of the class, but the short discussion after had the potential to become quite interesting with more time.
Warren Wilson College Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good -
As anywhere, there was a range. My dinner host actually was not very friendly, but basically everyone else was. A random student on the Asheville bus talked all about WWC with other prospies and me.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 5 - Excellent -
Anyone whose dealt with Warren Wilson knows it is NOT the usual impersonal college admissions experience. My admissions person knows my name! and my tour guide sent me a note in case I had more ?s.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
The rare school that actually looks like the viewbook. The student-inhabited part of campus is small, but it's truly in the mountains overlooking a farm! Only a few buildings are typical college
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 3 - Good -
I'm not too picky in this area, but I surely didn't notice anything "unmaintained". Of course, there are buildings, cars, etc. being worked on by students--so it's not pristin
Dormitories: 3 - Good -
Didn't spend a lot of time in one, but it seemed average. The lounge in the sub-free dorm was particularly nice though. Don't know if all apartment-housing has nice lounges.
Security/Safety: 3 - Good -
Again, I wasn't paying too much attention to that. I think I saw some unlocked bikes, but I don't know if that is typical/advised.
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
Well, what can I say. It was really nice. Different, but nice. It did feel a little like summer camp though.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 2 - Fair -
It's about a half hour bus ride from town. The area immediately around was nothing special, but pretty. Not really suburbs, but not isolated either.
City/Town/Community: 3 - Good -
see visit description
Campus Visit Notes for Warren Wilson College:
Visit Description:
City: Many would say it is a cute liberal town in the south. For me, it was a little too much like home (Berkeley, CA) so I wasn't that impressed. Indie bookstores, coffeeshops, buskers. Restaurants close early, but I think there's an active music scene.
Other things of interest:
-student on the bus said that noone judges based on appearance, and I believed her. I felt totally comfortable on campus, which is not true most places.
-it is very counter-culture--perhaps to the degree of no longer being counter. It seemed like a tight knit community of non-mainstream people. People eat outside under a tree with a swing on it. Apparently the cow pasture is the place to be. There is contradancing with a live band and caller everyweek, which I saw. It looked like lots of fun--sorta wish I'd taken part.
-it is pretty geographically diverse, as you can tell by looking at all the license plates. Personally, I wished it was a little less bicoastal, as I am trying to go somewhere different. But more geographically diverse than other places I looked, I think (Lawrence, Oberlin, Guilford).
I ended up not enrolling--with a fair amount of regret--for a few reasons. Mainly, because I got the impression that they are narrowing the philosophy dept. and that's what I want to major in. It is a small school, so departments can be small. But they also have their specialties that you can't get many other places--Appalachain studies, social work, outdoor leadership, bluegrass band, etc. My other reason was that it was a little too homogenously quirky (oxymoronical, I know) and familiar to me. However, if it weren't for the small department problem, I would have gone despite the homogenously quirky thing...
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
I took the greyhound bus! which I enjoy.
Warren Wilson sent someone to pick me up at the station at 9am and dropped me off at 8 the next morning!
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As anywhere, there was a range. My dinner host actually was not very friendly, but basically everyone else was. A random student on the Asheville bus talked all about WWC with other prospies and me.
-
Anyone whose dealt with Warren Wilson knows it is NOT the usual impersonal college admissions experience. My admissions person knows my name! and my tour guide sent me a note in case I had more ?s.
-
I'm not too picky in this area, but I surely didn't notice anything "unmaintained". Of course, there are buildings, cars, etc. being worked on by students--so it's not pristin
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It's about a half hour bus ride from town. The area immediately around was nothing special, but pretty. Not really suburbs, but not isolated either.