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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We toured Washington & Lee in the Spring.  [b]I was surprised how much I disliked it.[/b]  So was DC.[/quote]

why?[/quote]

A lot of things.  DC didn't like it either.  We were on the grand tour so W & L was one of 6 schools we toured that week.  W & Lee has astronomical ratings so I was expecting just a more positive experience.  I was turned off by the two ED (binding) deadlines.  I was turned off by the extremely high grades and scores expected which was made quite clear in the hour-long presentation before the tour started (I'm not so sure DC could make the cut).  I was turned off by the heat and humdity (nothing they can do about it).  DC didn't like the fact that most dorms are older and don't have AC.  The racism issue (only 3.5% AA) bothered me a lot.  The focus on Lee, his crypt, the skeleton of his horse and the Confederate flag in the chapel bothered me (discussed in a recent Post article - the Confederate banner is now down due to pressure from the Law School).  The Greek scene permeates the campus life so that even if you get a full-ride scholarship, those scholarship kids can't participate in the very expensive Greek scene, which results in a "have" and "have-not" culture.  The percentage of kids in the Greek system (an astonishing 83-87%) bothered me.  Housing off campus nearby is poor, or not well-maintained, so kids move far away from campus which leads to horrible car accidents when students return from drunken orgies out in the sticks.  One girl died last fall when 9 kids in a car had an accident.  She wasn't wearing a seat belt of course.  The young male driver was drunk and is now expelled and facing criminal and civil actions.  The casual hook-up culture is very alive.  And, finally, I expected the campus to be more impressive than it was.  The lawn in front of some of the older pillared buildings was pretty but that's about it.  It's a very all-white campus with very little diversity and that bothered me a lot (and I'm white).[/quote]

OP, you have saved us a trip to W&L, so thank you.  Everything you said is what I've heard from others who have toured the school.  While it may be pretty, the incredibly high Greek rate is the biggest turnoff to DC (and to me).  That, plus the pricetag of the school.  I think we'll look elsewhere.[/quote]

You're welcome.  If someone had mentioned the Greek Scene to me and had I known the race problems I wouldn't have even made the trip.  But it gets top scores for top school in the South, top SLAC in the South, etc., and DC's grades and scores are xlnt so we put it on the list and went.  BTW, according to a faculty friend, the partying starts on Thurs. night and runs through Sunday night.  Lots of alcohol abuse, date rapes and all those other problems.  And frightfully expensive as you noted.  But all the SLACs are frightfully expensive.[/quote]

There's actually an honor code at W-L that many schools with more diverse and cut-throat student bodies would do well to emulate.  Please send your kid to College Park and let them riot and burn couches.[/quote]

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