<p>Hello! I have one year under my belt, and I would love to share with you all my experiences here at Whitman. So if you have any questions at all, definitely ask!</p>
<p>Hi ilublustar, on another thread a couple people have asked about the music scene at Whitman. Have you seen student music performances on campus, around Walla Walla? Any students bands around? Thanks!</p>
<p>Well about every month or so, there would be an event put on by WEB called “Coffeehouse,” which features student poets, writers, and musicians, including bands. These bands are formed amongst section-mates and classmates–which I think is really cool. I know my friend would go to the music building at night with her guitar and as she played it, other people joined in with their instrument of choice. </p>
<p>Also, every once in awhile, the Outhouse (I think that’s the group) hosts unplugged music events outside at the amphitheater , where people would gather in a circle with whatever instruments they have and play songs. I come to listen, and every single time, I am just in awe of how beautiful and pristine the event turns out to be. </p>
<p>There’s actually a band coming to Whitman called “The Head and the Heart,” which I am excited for. </p>
<p>The music scene is great here in my opinion. </p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>This great info ilublustar, thanks. What made you decide to attend Whitman and what do you think of the overall experience thus far?</p>
<p>I just love and adore Whitman. This is my happy place. Granted, Whitman is not perfect and there are some kinks. But the people here are very generous, open, and really push you to be a better person. I have found my passion here. </p>
<p>I decided to attend Whitman, because I knew the college would allow me to grow as a person. It was far enough away from home for me to find and build my independence but close enough for any emergencies at home. And I made the right decision.</p>
<p>Can you address those 'kinks"?
What would make Whitman perfect, that would be realistic?
We found the students to be just as you described, so helpful, open, friendly. </p>
<p>Can you speak to the rigorous academics, how hard is the work load? What kind of student tends to struggle academically at Whitman?</p>
<p>For the few people who end up unhappy at Whitman, is there a common thread as to why?</p>
<p>Whitman would be perfect if there was more people from different backgrounds. It would be more realistic that way too. We’re known for being in a “bubble–” that Whitman is not at all a reflection of “real life.” But I feel like we’re working on that. </p>
<p>As for the academics, the work load is not too bad if you are not a consistent procrastinator. In my experience, time management has always allowed me to have free weekends and never an all-nighters. I think students who tend to struggle academically at Whitman are students who go to high schools without taking rigorous, college-prep courses like AP or IB. And I admit, even if you have taken AP or IB courses, you still might feel overwhelmed academically. But that is why Whitman has several academic resources students can go to: student academic advisers in freshman dorms, free individual tutors, and and department tutors. </p>
<p>For the few people who end up unhappy, I think it is because Whitman is too small for them. They are too used to urban life: cars, more stores, restaurants, more activities to do. But for me and the people who are happy, our clubs, sports, music, art, theater, and other people are enough. I actually wish there was more hours in a day.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response. Appreciate it.</p>
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<p>I have a few questions. First of all, it seems to me Whitman is more on the preppy side than other LACs such as Reed. I dress very uniquely, have piercings, and might want to get a tattoo. Would I stick out at Whitman? I still love sports as well but I don’t really want to be surrounded by people who aren’t unique if that makes any sense. I am not fond of yoga pants and uggs if that helps haha.</p>
<p>Second of all, how is financial aid? For some quick stats, I have a 30 ACT and 3.89 UW GPA. I know that whitman doesn’t meet 100% of financial aid. How close does it actually come to that? I’m going to need at least 30k a year and I don’t want my financial aid package to be sub-par because of bad test grades.</p>
<p>Third, how are the sciences at Whitman? I know a lot about Reed and most students there are totally humanities and social sciences based. I think that’s cool and everything, but not where my passions lay. Are there a lot of science kids or not so much? I am particularly interested in the BBMB major.</p>
<p>Lastly- food! I am a vegetarian and I can’t consume ANY gluten. As in, I have to have my own toaster and everything. Is there a gluten free section? Are there hot food options besides soup? It’s totally cool if you know nothing about this of course. Also, is the meal plan the type where you get a certain number of meals or every meal costs a different amount depending on what you get? Is the food good?</p>
<p>Thanks!!!</p>
<p>Biology was recently Reed’s most popular major. See [Reed</a> Popular Majors](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/parents/faq/about_reed.html#popular_majors]Reed”>http://www.reed.edu/parents/faq/about_reed.html#popular_majors) and [Reed</a> Class of 2012](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/commencement/highlights/2012/grads.html]Reed”>http://www.reed.edu/commencement/highlights/2012/grads.html).</p>
<p>I didn’t say it wasn’t popular. I just think that there are a lot more students that aren’t completing hard science degrees than are. I’m not really familiar with percentages at other schools although I have been told that around 40% at Colorado College are in natural sciences. For Reed, less than a third are.</p>
<p>I’m assuming it’s fairly common for schools to have more students in social sciences and humanities considering the type of people that generally chose a liberal arts college. However, I am wondering if the vibe on Whitman is different than the vibe I’ve encountered at Reed, which strikes me as quite more humanities driven as I’ve said. The numbers don’t always tell things either. I could look on the website and find how many Bio majors there were at Whitman last year also. This wouldn’t provide me with a better idea of the academic atmostphere which is why I initially asked.</p>
<p>Ok. For dress, Reed. For aid, Reed. For your major, it’s the most popular at Reed (as opposed to hardly any in your major). For food, draw. None of these matter if Reed just isn’t right for you.</p>
<p>I attend Reed now as a high school senior. I’m familiar with basically everything about the school but I am trying to learn more about Whitman… I love Reed but that doesn’t mean it’s the only place I’m applying to.</p>
<p>Plus, who said hard science is just biology? Yeah, it’s not.</p>
<p>I take it all back! :)</p>
<p>Hi thirrdplanet, BBMB is a very popular major at Whitman; environmental science is very strong: geology has a a well regarded undergrad program; I don’t know about the rest of the sciences. Whitman students are very serious about academics but also are involved in many school activities, they seem to have quite a lot of fun.</p>
<p>Reed students tend to be more hipsterish in their dress, according to my son, but there is a very strong art/ music/ theater scene at Whitman so there is plenty of creativity going on, and with that I imagine there are alternative dress styles. But Whitman doesn’t have a uniform look, people are accepting and open so nobody seems too concerned about how someone else dresses. There are lots of vegetarians and vegans, so the dinning halls have plenty of options for them. </p>
<p>Your ACT scores fall in the middle 50%, their mid-range is 29-32. Your GPA is also in the right neighborhood, their average is 3.81. Your parents will need to file FAFSA and a CSS profile to determine what financial aid you will qualify for. ECs can have a great effect on your application, so highlight your interests and passions. Would you be a varsity athlete? The best advice I can give is to go visit and see what you think…</p>
<p>Best wishes in your college hunt!</p>
<p>Thirrdplanet, just reread your post and forgot about the meal plan. You have several options depending on your needs: you can get a plan that provides 3 meals a day in any of three dinning halls; or one with fewer meals in dining halls and more “flex dollars” to be used in the cafe at Reid Campus Center, the library cafe, or any dinning hall; or you can have a plan that is entirely flex dollars. The flex dollars give you more freedom to eat at hours when the dinning halls are closed. Your flex dollars are held in an account and your student ID is used like an ATM card, swipe it at the register when you buy food and the amount is deducted from your account. If you run out of flex dollars during the semester you can add more to your account and carry on.</p>
<p>The best option most people talk about is the combination of a couple dinning hall meals daily and some flex dollars. I’ve heard students complain that they wasted quite a few meals when they had the 3 meal a day plan because of activities that kept them from getting to the dinning hall during serving hours. Having only flex dollars gives you a lot of freedom but you end up paying more per meal in the dinning halls.</p>
<p>Here is all the info on meals at Whitman: [url=<a href=“http://www.whitman.edu/offices-and-services/bon-app”>http://www.whitman.edu/offices-and-services/bon-app</a></p>
<p>Wow 2800 dollars per SEMESTER seems expensive. Is that the norm?</p>
<p>In a word, yes. Here is Reed’s meal options: [Reed</a> College | Residence Life | Residence Life ~ food service](<a href=“http://www.reed.edu/res_life/living_at_reed/food_service.html#Meal]Reed”>http://www.reed.edu/res_life/living_at_reed/food_service.html#Meal)
At Whitman many students move off campus after sophomore year. Rental housing is plentiful and very close to campus, this presents the possibility of doing your own cooking which lowers food costs as well as housing costs. Most college websites list an amount you can expect to pay per year for tuition, room and board, books and fees. If you are full pay at selective privates you can expect to pay $52,000 per year and up for everything. Traveling across country? Add on travel costs.</p>
<p>Colleges will give financial aid to those making lower incomes and without tangible assets, sometimes in grants and sometimes in loans, often in a combination of the two. Obviously grants are better. The middle-class gets squeezed here because they usually have some assets but don’t have income high enough to pay full cost. </p>
<p>What you really want to look for if you need aid, and want less debt, is merit aid. This is essentially scholarship money (grants) given to high academic achievers (relative to the rest of the student body) to lure them to attend. Your GPA and test scores make it a good possibility that you’d be accepted to Whitman or Reed, but doesn’t look that great for merit aid. Maybe you have passions and talents that will enhance your application? You may well get good need-based financial aid if you qualify, this will probably come in a combination of grants and loans. But if you want merit aid, look for schools where your stats put you in the top 25% of attending students, the higher your percentile the better; this means you should identify less selective schools that have the qualities you want. There are plenty of great possibilities out there. Then apply to all of them and see what happens, you’ll have a variety of financial aid packages to compare.</p>