Washington and Lee University

Visit Report by Motherdear (Member since April 01 2006 with 811 posts) Visit Date - October 2006

6 of 7 people found this visit report helpful
Visit to Washington and Lee University in October 2006 by Motherdear (Parent of Student, HS Class of 2005)
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview: Yes - W&L interviews the prospective for about an hour. Parents should be prepared to be asked into the interview for about the last 10 minutes. Dress professionally. This is not a casual campus. Information Session: Yes - W&L is a small LAC (1800 undergraduates) so the information sessions are were held in the Rare Book Room in one of the older buildings as opposed to a big lecture hall. Campus Tour: Yes - We didn't have time to take a formal tour in November but met with a current student from our hometown who took us around. When we went back in April we did take the admissions tour. The campus was pristine and beautiful even in chilly November. Classroom Visit: Yes - My kid sat in Political Science classes (different ones) both times with 2 different professors. Classes are no bigger than 50 and the classes the student actually attended were around 30.
Washington and Lee University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent - W&L has a "speaking tradition" which is wonderful. True southern hospitality at its finest! Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 5 - Excellent - Staff and faculty were unfailingly courteous and polite. Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent - This is the prettiest campus I have seen. W&L has done a good job of meshing the architecture so that the newer buildings blend with the old. There are many footbridges that connect the 2 sides of campus as there are several ravines on the property Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 5 - Excellent - Spotless comes to mind. I didn't see one stray piece of paper anywhere even in windy November. Dormitories: 4 - Very Good - My child stayed in Woods Creek in November and freshmen dorms in April. Security is tight and like most campuses, you need a swipe card to get in. Most dorms do not have AC but that only is bothersome for a week or two. It's already cooling down Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent - As said before, swipe cards are mandatory for dorm admittance. There is a bus that students can take at night for off-campus functions. Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent - We specifically visited this campus before applying since this was a much smaller school as compared to the others on The List. Child came home with W&L on the top of the list and it never came off 1st place. This is a truly charming school, small
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent - The town is Lexington. W&L shares an entrance with VMI. It's a clean, historical town. City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent - Lexington is a very safe town. My child will have to relearn the city-savvy behavior over the summer.
Campus Visit Notes for Washington and Lee University:
Visit Description: Washington and Lee has an Honor Code that was instituted by President Lee in the late 1860s. It is fairly similar to the USMA Honor Code and is taken very seriously. Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments: There are many hotels just north of Lexington on an I-64, Route 11 exit. From these hotels, it takes 5 minutes to get to the school. One of the nicest hotels is the Hampton Inn Col Alto. This hotel is in town and in the best Hampton Inn I have seen. Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments: Lots of cheap eats in town. Clean, medium-scale/cost establishments. NO Starbucks! Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.): Lexington is 3 hours from DC. It is an easy drive on West I-66 and South I-81. Although there is no major airport nearby, a lot of students seem to come from Houston. Roanoke is about an hour away, Richmond 2-2.5 hours
6 of 7 people found this visit report helpful