Anonymous
Post 08/21/2025 09:20     Subject: WashU - specific questions
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
Post 08/21/2025 09:18     Subject: WashU - specific questions
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
Post 08/20/2025 22:43     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:Is WashU woke?


What I want to know is who “woke” the f’ng troll?
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 21:15     Subject: Re:WashU - specific questions
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
Post 08/20/2025 19:17     Subject: WashU - specific questions
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
Post 08/20/2025 19:16     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:I dropped my daughter off last week. She is in a older dorm and has suite with 6 people. There are two double rooms and 2 singles and they share a big common area. The South 40 is beautifully designed and is a very good place to reside. Orientation is going well. Lots of lectures but there have also been fun events. Our daughter has been very engaged and is enjoying meeting her fellow students. Friendships will develop over time. The kids are very smart.


That's really nice to hear - thanks!
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 19:15     Subject: WashU - specific questions
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!


Is your kid nervous about making friends or does not make friends easily? Someone posted a few years ago about concerns her daughter had making friends in college and wanted to ask the RAs to reach out to her daughter and make the effort for her to engage and make friends. Everyone said that was her daughter's job to do that. All freshman are nervous about making connections...but from your post it seems like this is more than just nerves.


I think just garden-variety nervous - has plenty of friends from school, sports, camp. But we hear such different things from different college kids about what their orientations are like, how social dorms are, etc. Does however really want a single - he could get the medical accommodation for it due to allergies, but just wondering if he needs to.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 19:12     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:bump


You bumped your thread less than 10 minutes after you posted it. It seems like you may also have anxiety...try and relax a little. I mean this in a very kindly way.


I posted the original questions - I just came back to see if anyone answered. I did not post "bump" (I don't even know what that means). Why make any of the assumptions you just did?
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 16:59     Subject: WashU - specific questions
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!


Is your kid nervous about making friends or does not make friends easily? Someone posted a few years ago about concerns her daughter had making friends in college and wanted to ask the RAs to reach out to her daughter and make the effort for her to engage and make friends. Everyone said that was her daughter's job to do that. All freshman are nervous about making connections...but from your post it seems like this is more than just nerves.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 16:43     Subject: WashU - specific questions
I dropped my daughter off last week. She is in a older dorm and has suite with 6 people. There are two double rooms and 2 singles and they share a big common area. The South 40 is beautifully designed and is a very good place to reside. Orientation is going well. Lots of lectures but there have also been fun events. Our daughter has been very engaged and is enjoying meeting her fellow students. Friendships will develop over time. The kids are very smart.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 16:06     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Does anyone know what percent of washu kids start as pre-med. my ds is not but didn’t know if he would be in minority
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 16:04     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:bump


You bumped your thread less than 10 minutes after you posted it. It seems like you may also have anxiety...try and relax a little. I mean this in a very kindly way.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 15:17     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:Is WashU woke?


Relatively speaking, no. Note that the other thread on elite school admin battle - WashU/Vandy vs Princeton
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 14:13     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Independence, desire to engage in the city/town they're in and not live in an artificial bubble?

Walk off campus or drive? This is another imaginary issue.


Why are you so bothered by other people's choices that don't affect you? Live and let live. Christ.

I asked a question and just don't think that was a valid answer. I am not bothered. You seem bothered though.

+1, it's nonsense to think that those who live off campus engage with the community. Students mostly get tired of being on campus and want to feel a difference. DS wanted to go off campus, then we told him that he can pay for that, and suddenly he was in an on campus suite that he loved more than his friends who were dealing with slumlords.
Anonymous
Post 08/20/2025 14:07     Subject: WashU - specific questions
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
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.


Independence, desire to engage in the city/town they're in and not live in an artificial bubble?

Walk off campus or drive? This is another imaginary issue.


Why are you so bothered by other people's choices that don't affect you? Live and let live. Christ.


THIS THIS THIS. Now maybe someone will engage with the actual point of this post instead of just using the space for their own weird hangups and generalizations about 18-22yos....

?