WashU - specific questions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a bunch of posts praising or criticizing WashU, but could I just ask some specific questions here - and hopefully get answers from posters who have/had kids there, or know kids who are there?

1) How is freshman orientation? Would a kid who is nervous about making friends have an easy time? How social are dorms?
2) How hard is it for a freshman to get a single? And are most dorms suite-style? Is that something that can be requested?
3) I read conflicting things about how easy/hard it is to switch schools - eg, Arts&Science to Olin or vice versa - anyone know from experience?
4) Any feedback on academic advising?
5) How generous is the school with resources? I feel this varies so much - at my older kid's small private, the college is unbelievably generous (including with money) and admin and faculty are super accessible. At her friend's much larger private, kids even have to pay for a gym membership. Where does WashU fall on that spectrum?
6) Also read conflicting things about the food - it used to be rated one of the best (and still is sometimes) but so many complaints now about food being too expensive, only one AYCE option, having to order everything through grub hub, limited hours, etc.
7) How are off campus apartments? It seems WashU only guarantees 2 years of housing (but that it is not that hard to get a 3rd or 4th year if you really want). What is upperclassmen campus housing like?

Thank you!

Like any other school, there will be be supporters and detractors

1) orientation was good. My DC made a few friends the first month there. It’s a midsized school so not too large and not too small

2) don’t know about single because dc started off with double. There is a questionnaire of what your kid wants in a dorm

3) quite easy to transfer which is what my dc did
4) you are assigned a general advisor and later on, a major specific one
5) we did not have to pay for anything else on top of tuition, room and board
6) food is still quite good but upper classmen may tire of eating cafeteria food and many options off campus
7) off campus housing really good with lots of different options

Thank you for all that feedback!

[Anonymous]

My take:

1) orientation excellent - my kid made tons of friends but is an extrovert

2) don’t know about a single but the dorm rooms are really nice and I strongly encourage you not to have your kid do a single.

3) quite easy to transfer

4) my kid’s advisors are amazing

5) complaints about food increased significantly last year but my kid always found something. Your kid can rent a $5 enterprise care (per hours and inc a free gas card to fill it back up) to get groceries. Mine does this sometimes

6) campus housing is amazing. My non-freshman will be in a suite of four singles connected by a shared living room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is WashU woke?

What I want to know is who “woke” the f’ng troll?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is WashU woke?

Relatively speaking, no. Note that the other thread on elite school admin battle - WashU/Vandy vs Princeton

Wash. U. is diverse.

It has many woke students and faculty members.

It also has a campus named after the brother of the man (John Danforth) who put Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll never understand why people choose to get housing off campus if on campus housing is available to them, and they can afford it.

I went to Wash. U. in alumni times and don't have current information to offer the OP.

But, in alumni times, the reason to live off campus was that living off campus could be cheaper, and there were gorgeous Beaux Arts apartments within easy walking distance of the campus.

Broke students could easily afford to live what in Manhattan would be $2 million or $3 million apartments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is WashU woke?

Meaning not centering white people as normal and expected?

It's in Missouri

What do you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll never understand why people choose to get housing off campus if on campus housing is available to them, and they can afford it.

Depends on the school, but I can think of many reasons. A few off the top of my head: it's nicer, they have a kitchen and their own bathroom, they can live with exactly whom they want, they want more independence (no RA or university housing rules), they are sick of the noise.

agree.