<p>Hello! First time posting here :)
I was recommended both of these schools and upon doing a little research, I learned they actually had similarities in terms of location, academics, green initiatives, and a few other programs. Can anyone compare them? Any insight would be greatly appreciated! One of my biggest questions is what's the environment like? Is Whitman really laidback? How does it compare to the nature at Dickinson? Being on the east coast, does the latter give off more of a competitive vibe? Sorry if I'm incorrect about any information, it's actually been a while since I first compared these schools.</p>
<p>Well, they are both small LACs. They are both fairly selective (Whitman maybe a bit more so). They are both a little off the beaten path (Whitman more so). Beyond that … I doubt too many CC posters will have first-hand (or even second-hand anecdotal) experience with both schools, given the distance between them and their size.</p>
<p>You might try posting questions to each school’s forum. Check out the student reviews at studentreviews.com (bearing in mind that sometimes the most disgruntled students will be most motivated to post there, so try to verify any assertions that alarm you before accepting them at face value.) </p>
<p>Both schools (but especially Whitman) have rather active Greek life compared to other selective LACs. 51% of Whitman men and 11% of Dickinson men are in fraternities. 37% of Whitman women and 29% of Dickinson women are in sororities. Dunno how exclusive/laid-back they might be.</p>
<p>Don’t know anything about Dickinson, but Whitman is “collaborative” more than “competitive.” For that reason, some might call it “laid back,” but it is still very rigorous and you have to work hard. For some reason, it seems students at Whitman are very happy. My D is a freshman and is loving it so far. Her reports are similar to what most reviews say. There are tons of exceptional kids but they are in general very friendly and want to build a sense of community and friendship. Walla Walla is in a lovely area, but far from any big city nightlife. Most fun for students (especially under 21) happens on campus or in the great outdoors. However, I found Walla Walla far more charming than expected. The area is a growing wine region and the town has hipped up somewhat in order to accommodate the wine crowd. But again, not a big city vibe.</p>
<p>the one thing I know about dickinson is that it has a road running through the campus, and no pedestrian bridge to cross from one side to the other. you would think they would have fixed that years ago.</p>
<p>I have no first hand knowledge about Whitman but I did visit Dickinson with my D a couple of years ago and it is a lovely school. When we visited Dickinson, the school stressed the notion of giving students a global education and it seemed that a lot of people studied abroad. There is a new science building on campus (which they were trying to get certified LEED gold at the time - not sure if they succeeded) but we all had the sense that the school was driven by the humanities. The campus is lovely but there is a road through the center which was a bit of a turn off but not a deal-breaker. </p>