Campus Life at Willamette

<p>I got accepted to Willamette in Late November. I visited in October. Everything about it seemed great, except that the students looked stressed out of there minds. In comparison to Lewis and Clark the atmosphere was considerably looser. Are the students that go to Willamette happy there?</p>

<p>I did not notice that the students looked “stressed out of their minds”, but I’m not sure what that looks like. We were just visiting, so I don’t have an answer.</p>

<p>Perhaps you were there during midterms? My daughter is a WU freshman. She says the classes are tough, but the students are collaborative and it is not a cut throat competitive atmosphere. She finds the professors approachable and helpful. Now she was stressed during finals. Overall she is enjoying her friends, Willamette and Salem. The freshmen were treated to “stress-busters” during finals- inflatable obstacle courses one evening and massages. Generally speaking, from my daughters stories, and from talking to other parents during Parents Weekend, our students are happy and engaged.</p>

<p>My son is a Willamette freshman, and he’s very happy there. I can tell you his perspective of the difficulty of the coursework, but to do that, I need to put it in context.</p>

<p>When he was a high-school junior, we visited Pomona College in southern California. Pomona is one of the top-ten liberal arts colleges, reputed to be academically challenging. My son had a friend who was a freshman there. Since we visited in late spring, my son asked him how hard the coursework was, compared to their high school here in Silicon Valley. His friend’s high-school senior-year course load consisted of 2 regular and 4 AP classes, including AP Calc BC, AP Physics, AP Computer Science, and AP English. “It’s not any more difficult than high school,” was the answer. “It’s about the same.”</p>

<p>So, when I ask my son how hard the classes are at Willamette, I remember that earlier conversation. My son’s senior-year course load consisted of AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP English, Honors Japanese, and 2 regular classes. He says the same thing about Willamette that his friend said about Pomona: “It’s not any more difficult than high school. It’s about the same.” This leads me to believe that if you seek them out, you can find the same level of academic challenges at Willamette that you can find at Pomona. </p>

<p>Having said all that, I can believe that perhaps Lewis & Clark is not so challenging. My niece attended there on a full merit scholarship. She loved the opportunity to attend college with all expenses paid, but she never felt really challenged there.</p>

<p>You know, you can be challenged and still be really happy.</p>

<p>In fact, there’s some statistical evidence that Willamette students are happier than Lewis & Clark students. According to the Common Data Sets (which colleges are required to report each year), more Willamette freshmen choose to return the next year:</p>

<p>Freshman retention rate (percent of freshman who return the next year)
Willamette = 90%
Lewis & Clark = 83%</p>

<p>Sources:
<a href=“http://www.lclark.edu/livewhale/download/?id=4134[/url]”>http://www.lclark.edu/livewhale/download/?id=4134&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://www.willamette.edu/dept/ir/cd...010/index.html[/url]”>http://www.willamette.edu/dept/ir/cd...010/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>thanks this helps a lot. I enjoyed my visit a lot at Willamette. Interview went great. The tour was very nice, it’s definitely my first choice</p>

<p>My son is also a freshman at WU. When we did the “Portland Tour” last spring, we were really impressed at how calm and friendly everyone was at WU, compared to Lewis and Clark, and esp. Reed, where everyone looked really really grumpy. </p>

<p>So, maybe it was the time of year - by the time we visited, any freshman terror had probably subsided.</p>

<p>My son loves WU, by the way. First semester classes were hard, but doable. Campus life was just ducky.</p>

<p>Happy College Shopping !</p>

<p>Pacamom-love the phrase “just ducky”. I haven’t heard of anyone being unhappy at WU. </p>

<p>Did you by any chance hit University of Portland while visiting last year? If so, do you have a feel for how it would compare to Willamette?</p>

<p>kelliebeff</p>

<p>We toured seven schools last April - UofO (including Clarks honors), Willamette, L&C, Uof Portland, Whitman, UofSeattle, U Puget Sound.</p>

<p>You asked about U of Portland - it is right outside downtown Portland, on bluff, beautiful campus, easy transportation in/out of the city. The have the freshman go on public transportation ‘scavenger hunts’ to get the kids who need to , be comfortable with the system. U of P is a very nurturing school, we didn’t apply because it is Catholic and we are not of the Christian faith (eucemenical Jesuit is OK). All the dorm rooms have sinks, nice touch. We met with a Bio professor and felt the kids had support to go to grad schools. </p>

<p>I felt it was a notch below Willamette but I can’t substantiate that., it was just feel. But is is closer to a downtown and urban ‘college town’ area whereas Willamette is more in small town Salem. It is quite a bit larger, 5,000 students.</p>

<p>THanks, Kellieff! No, we didn’t tour U. of Portland, basically for the same reasons as crester. My son just really really liked everything about WU from the first tour onward. He still does, too!</p>

<p>thank you for this post! i am seriously considering attending willamette. it sounds so perfect on paper. very nice to hear that the environment is ‘looser’ than L&C, because at one point L&C was my number 1. honestly now, i consider willamette much better. however i’m on the other side of the US, so i probably will not be able to do a visit (i know that’s usually bad, but i’ve been doing TONS of research about willamette, so i think i can still make the right choice). i’ve been taking college classes since my junior year (and all honors+AP before that), so i don’t think the workload will be much of an adjustment for me at all.</p>

<p>boilingwax my son is also considering Willamette, but not L&C. Are you considering any other PNW schools?</p>

<p>We just attended the admitted students day. I was really impressed with the high quality of education they provide–even more than I expected to be. They are so dedicated to helping their students get the most from that education, and concerned about their overall growth and well-being. The sun came out that morning, which was great, as the gray, dismal evening light the night before made it hard to appreciate how pretty the campus really is. The students seem very smart, friendly and unpretentious, just as often noted in guides and such. The only downsides, as anticipated, are the rainy season and not being in Portland. Even so, I don’t think anyone would regret choosing Willamette.</p>

<p>I enjoyed the admitted students day. The overnight before was fun too. I now feel considerably better about Willamette. Everyone was friendly. I’m sold</p>

<p>Daughter and I visited on Admitted Students Preview Day (#2). Now her # 1 choice. We were so impressed with the professors, how down to earth, friendly, and approachable they are. How they seemed to be so concerned and involved with students. Also like how it is very acceptable to not have major declared until end of sophomore year, they encourage exploration and discovery, and well rounded education. Beautiful campus. Everyone very nice and helpful.</p>

<p>DD3 and I also attended Admitted Students Day #2. DD3’s friend came from Colorado to attend with us. Both girls really enjoyed their visit day and this school is high up there on both of their lists. There appears to be a lot of interest in Willamette. I heard there were 200 attendees for the Admitted Day #1! Not quite as many for Day #2, but still a very good turnout.</p>

<p>We learned that financial aid decisions might be available as early as next week.</p>

<p>My son was accepted and got a nice scholarship. We have been impressed by everything at the school so far. My son is hung up on the relatively small size of the student body, as it is only slightly larger than his high school. He wants to major in business and doesn’t know if he can handle 5 years at one school with their 3/2 program. Salem is probably the third strike for him. We will see if he comes around. Perhaps WU is not the right fit for him.</p>

<p>Does anyone know if Willamette offers 3/2 Engineering?</p>

<p>Son has been admitted with nice scholarship; seems like a wonderful school; but he is interested in engineering and a 3/2 program opporunity with an engineering school might tip the scales for WU.</p>

<p>Have not found such on website but maybe must missed it?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Paragpon,</p>

<p>Yes, they have 3/2 Engineering. Take a look here.</p>

<p>[Majors</a>, minors and special programs - Academics - College of Liberal Arts - Willamette University](<a href=“http://www.willamette.edu/about/academics/majors.html]Majors”>http://www.willamette.edu/about/academics/majors.html)</p>

<p>Willamette’s 3-2 engineering program is in partnership with Columbia University, USC, and Washington University in St. Louis, as described here:
[Physics:</a> Combined 3-2 Engineering | Willamette University](<a href=“http://www.willamette.edu/cla/physics/engineering/index.php]Physics:”>http://www.willamette.edu/cla/physics/engineering/index.php)</p>

<p>Combined 3-2 Engineering
To offer the advantages of a combined liberal arts and engineering program, Willamette University has arrangements with Columbia University (New York, New York), the University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California) and Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri), whereby a student may receive both a Bachelor of Arts from Willamette and a Bachelor of Science from the participating engineering school. A six-year combined program results in a Bachelor of Arts degree from Willamette and a Master’s degree in engineering from Columbia.</p>

<p>In terms of campus size, Willamette is a small liberal arts college. The term “university” comes from its graduate schools in law, education and business.</p>

<p>

So Jeeve’s son might only be at Willamette for 3 years, and then on to a partner school as described above?</p>

<p>That sounds terrific. Too bad they don’t have a BA/MD program for my daughter.</p>