So, I have a bit of a dilemma- two schools, very different from each other but from which I am having a really hard time deciding between. I’m trying to decide between Whitman in Washington and William and Mary in Virginia (I’m OOS).
Whitman- Love the vibe, that’s it’s a liberal arts school, the outdoorsyness, the happiness of the student body, the quality of life, and I know it has an excellent rep on here and online. Things I am worried about are job placement and career services (since I know Walla-Walla may not be on the way of recruiters), smallness of the campus, and outgoingness of the student body. I’m a bit of an introvert and worried, for lack of a better term, that I would feel a bit out of it.
William and Mary- A lot more logical for what I want to major in (see below), loved the campus, the kids that seemed a lot like me, the size, that it’s near history sites, thought the career services seem good, but I am concerned about the workload and the balance between fun and stress. Also from the West and heard the East Coast vibe is quite different.
I want to major in history or political science- with a focus on American history (been obsessed with the American Civil War since age 11 which is a bit embarrassing but ah, well! ) Money is not a deciding factor, since both are affordable to my parents, but there will be none left over for grad school with these two choices as opposed to a cheaper one (which I do have several of), something I’ve been struggling with a bit- so insight on that would be great! I do know that undergrad degrees in a lot of fields are not good ones to be wasting a ton of money on. I’ve read some pretty conflicting reports on whether or not a history major needs to go to grad school or even whether it’s a good idea since there’s a glut of scholars wanting to study nineteenth century American history.
Thank you so much for your replies and any insight you may have!
Take a look at Gettysburg College. It would be among the best schools in the country for American history and is probably the only school in the country with a minor just in the Civil War. I have been to William and Mary twice. The kids at Gettysburg are very similar.
Gettsyburg campus is located next to the national monument and the town obviously has a lot history.
Thanks, @OntheBubble! Yeah- kicking myself a bit for not applying to Gettysburg, which is a wonderful school but was a little worried about the preppiness/ what seemed like a lot of Greek life (Whitman was about my threshold for Greek life dominance.)
I don’t think there is a wrong choice for you. I bet you will do quite well wherever you go.
I can reassure you that introverts do fine at Whitman. I have two there now. And there is a career engagement center that works hard at helping students find internships and jobs. If you think you might end up living in the Northwest, you might enjoy being part of the Whitman family—the network can be helpful.
But if you really love Civil War history, then heading east is the obvious choice.
And, finally, a history degree can lead you many different places. You have time to decide on an ultimate career. A liberal arts school is all about pursuing your interests while gaining analytical and communication skills that carry over into virtually every field. People with degrees in history from my Whitman years went on to become editors, physicians, archivists, lawyers, teachers, and more.
This probably isn’t helpful if you are looking for the “right answer.” Good luck with whichever you choose!
@KnearSeattle, thank you so much for sharing your children’s experiences and about your own! That was very helpful. And yes, as my good old dad keeps telling me, it’s about you and what you choose to do with that resume, not what school is on it. I definitely have two good options!
For your interests, W&M is the better choice. Don’t worry about being a history major. You’ll come out of W&M, a strong writer and critical thinker, and that will serve you well
Both are fine academic institutions but my vote is for Whitman. By design, W&M, along with other VA state schools, is predominately VA kids, and therefore doesn’t offer much diversity. I also don’t like the idea of going to school in a tourist driven town. I do get the sense that W&M is more of a pressure filled place and a little more “buttoned down” in terms of the student body. Those are my personal biases but since you asked…
Many students, regardless of the school, don’t get jobs through the career centers on campus. A lot of recruiting on campus is centered around certain industries and larger companies and there are many jobs available outside those avenues. The most important thing is to get work experience during the summer - either paid jobs or internships - so your resume will show work experience along with your academic learning.
@wisteria100, thank you very much! That’s what I’ve been hearing about history majors too, so that is great to hear it confirmed!
@doschicos, thank you for chiming in! That’s a really interesting point about jobs- I do have a summer job at a historical site near my hometown, but I wonder about networking and career help that I could broaden my horizons in since I do hope to live out of my state after college.
Does anyone know about how Whitman handles internships?
My kids have always gotten internships on their own. A lot of kids do. That’s not saying that W&M or Whitman can’t be helpful but I personally think its unrealistic for any student starting college to think all their internships and job opportunities will be generated through the career center on campus.
@sevmom Still low compared to most private schools. Not a knock, just a reality.
@doschicos, my mom just looked at this thread and said that your point right above about internships was a great one and one her and my father had been trying to make a lot!
I updated the figure. The class of 2018 was actually 36% OOS. Whitman’s profile is 32 % from Washington, 20% California, and 12 % from Oregon. It draws heavily from its own state and region, understandably. Both great schools. Good luck with the decision.
I was wondering if anyone with kids at W & M or any current students could speak or give a little more insight to the pressure and academic rigor they feel there- a real cooker or exaggerated? Thanks!
) Money is not a deciding factor, since both are affordable to my parents, but there will be none left over for grad school with these two choices as opposed to a cheaper one (which I do have several of), something I’ve been struggling with a bit- so insight on that would be great! 
I do know that undergrad degrees in a lot of fields are not good ones to be wasting a ton of money on. I’ve read some pretty conflicting reports on whether or not a history major needs to go to grad school or even whether it’s a good idea since there’s a glut of scholars wanting to study nineteenth century American history.