<p>So how would you compare Davidson vs. Washington + Lee? Both small LAC with strong academics and close professor student contact. But what about the social scene? Greek? Community Service? Welcoming to people who don't share the predominant conservative political views? We have visited both, but that doesn't really tell the story that current students or alumni know.</p>
<p>Washington and Lee recently expanded their merit aid programs significantly which is allowing them to bring in students who would not necessarily have looked at them before so the culture may be altering somewhat.<br>
Caliber of education at Washington and Lee is superb and so are alum networks. Alum networks of both Davidson and Wash and Lee are outsized and last a lifetime compared to the student body size. Graduate schools respect them equally.<br>
That said, the cultures are very different. Davidson is a 20 minute drive from a big city, and Wash and Lee is not really near a big city but does have advantages related to being well connected to VA and the whole Richmond DC Charlottesville corridor that are very good. Wash and Lee is Greek for both males and females in a very predominant way which is true of many colleges in smaller towns that make their own fun. This culture is a turnoff for some people no matter how much you write up how the few independents are very happy. But access to faculty relationships and mentorships are wonderful at both colleges and not replicated at larger colleges.</p>
<p>Davidson has the remains of its former single sex culture in this respect…almost no sororities and many frats. Girls are part of a unique eating club option at Davidson which is pretty democratic and open after your first year …you can pretty much pick your friends and join any of them. A lot of Davidson boys do not join frats. My son spent time with guys in frats and not in frats while on campus.</p>
<p>Sorry but I give Davidson the lead in dorms on campus since a lot of Wash and Lee upperclassmen move off campus in Lexington in Greek groups which are cozy housing options but still…not dorms.</p>
<p>Davidson has a very remarkably strong sports program. Something like approaching 20-25% of students are involved so that is a significant percentage of fit people who are also hard workers in the classroom. </p>
<p>Davidsonians voted for Obama …I was there that week visiting but the student body is mixed in terms of party affiliation. It is not a school where a conservative would be uncomfortable. Our tour guides at Davidson were an atheist from California (someone asked about his church life!) and a Catholic from Connecticut so I think it is fair to say that religious diversity is good at both schools although each has its traditions and alum culture.</p>
<p>Washington and Lee runs a world class mock election program on campus that receives a lot of press nationally. The whole student body gets involved. You can easily read up on this and probably see it on youtube. There are lots of youtube videos on both LACs.</p>
<p>Agree with Faline2. We visited both but S applied only to Davidson. W&L’s campus is breathtaking and the town is quaint. S thought in general it was too white & preppy (this coming from a white & preppy boy ) :rolleyes:. He has a close friend who is there and she is very happy. I have no doubt that it is a great school. H and I loved it; S just didn’t feel it. He “feels it” for Davidson.</p>
<p>If you need merit money, W&L wins hands down. Johnson scholarships are full rides and the school gives out around 40 a year. My youngest loves Davidson, but since she didn’t get included in Belk nominations her chance for merit money at Davidson is nil since that’s the only big scholarship. Davidson makes noise about Davidson trust, no loan promise but that is only for people with demonstrated financial need.</p>
<p>DD applied to both Davidson and W&L. She attended W&L’s Johnson Scholar competition March 8-10 along with 183 other Finalists. Forty-four students (10% of the incoming class) will be chosen for full-ride scholarships, including tuition, room and board. I imagine many of those not selected will receive smaller scholarships and/or financial aid.*</p>
<p>Wednesday night was party night at the Greek houses, so most of the Finalists attended one or more parties. DD reported most attendees were drinking (including Finalists), but a number of students were not drinking. Most of the drinkers appeared to be drinking moderately. She observed no pressure on the non-drinkers to drink. While I respect the academic side of W&L, I am a little concerned about the drinking. However, I expect that DD will be adequately prepared to resist this temptation while taking full advantage for the opportunity to build her social life on campus. (I would like to know more about the drinking culture and Greek life at Davidson.) </p>
<p>We don’t yet know if DD will accept the Johnson Scholarship, if offered. She will probably be majoring in the sciences in preparation for medical school, so we shall have to assure ourselves that the school she chooses is up to this task. If any of you can provide insight into the strength of the sciences at W&L vs. Davidson, insofar as premed is concerned, please comment.</p>
<p>W&L also was male-only until the 1980s, similar to Davidson being male-only until about 1979. There are only half the number of sororities at W&L, similar to Davidson. </p>
<p>W&L varsity sports participation is also around 25%. Davidson is Division I for most, if not all sports, but W&L is Division III. I noticed the swimmer times vary considerably at W&L. Splits for the relays are sometimes on par with a good high school team, yet one male swimmer tried out for the Olympic team several years ago before going to Harvard Medical School.*</p>
<p>On another thread, some concern was expressed that Davidson was not adequately diverse. Davidson is slightly more diverse than W&L. Although DD is multi-racial, we are not concerned about any perceived lack of diversity at either of these campuses. At many colleges, there is a psychologically unhealthy obsession about race and group rights vs. freedom and individual rights. Fortunately, at W&L and Davidson, our kids will be exposed to less of this pathology, and might graduate to become healthy adults, replete with a modicum of self-esteem.</p>
<p>Correction: Davidson does not have sororities. Instead, the girls can join eating clubs. (Please correct if wrong.) </p>
<p>DD has applied to both Davidson and W&L. I would like to know more about the drinking and party culture at Davidson.</p>
<p>Victor, let’s keep the veiled racism to a minimum, okay? Wouldn’t want students to get the wrong idea about Davidson or W & L</p>
<p>Grabler: As I mentioned previously, we are a multi-racial family (actually tri-racial). I don’t know what you are referring to, but do recognize an ad hominem attack when I see one. </p>
<p>Others: Please let’s stick to the topic of Davidson vs. W&L and ignore the ad hominem attack.</p>
<p>D has applied to both Davidson and W&L. I would like to know more about the drinking and party culture at Davidson.</p>
<p>I believe that one historically African American sorority got permission to colonize at Davidson about two years ago if my memory serves. You can find it in the Davidsonian if I am correct. Otherwise, eating clubs.</p>
<p>Davidson and Wash and Lee are equals in focus on the honor code and on the wonderful and rare privilege of sometimes setting up your own exam time of day to suit your own body clock and schedule. (love this feature)</p>
<p>Davidson seems to really push for foreign study and service trips via the Dean Rusk Center. </p>
<p>Davidson does personality tests and uses them for roommates (no one else does this from the two lists of our now in college sons) Nice! They claim that freshmen roommates stay together more often this way.</p>