hi! So I’m another Johnson Scholar (I don’t know if I met you at the weekend or not), and I will be attending w&l next year. I’m biased, and do want you to come to w&l, but I can try to give you some advice. I know very little about Rutgers, but I do know that W&L’s business school is well-known as a strong program. You wouldn’t be lacking in that department. It seems like you’re a little torn, so I’ll echo what previous posters have said: get on campus again. The very first time I visited w&l, I fell in love with it. That may not be your exact same experience, but I do believe that there is something about being on campus that helps you feel out the college, and whether you would fit in there. My feeling is that there are all types of people at w&l - not just the stereotypical rich partiers. I met a bunch of non-partying people at Friday Night Underground (an alternative to partying created by students) who still love w&l. There’s also sub-free floors, where people who maybe don’t want to party so much can live together and bond over that experience (my host lived on a sub-free floor and seems to be very close with the people in her hall). I don’t think you’d be at a loss for friends should you choose to not drink. My feeling is that people at w&l are pretty friendly and nice - I’d like to think that you wouldn’t feel as though you don’t “fit in”. If I were you, I’d maybe check out admitted students day at w&l, and if there’s a smilier event at Rutgers, go to that as well. That’d let you compare the schools within a recent time frame, and feel out which one is for you. Best of luck, and congrats! You’ve won some great scholarships.
@penguin23. Many years ago, I had the choice of Rutgers Honors with Presidential scholarship vs. a top-ranked LAC in the Northeast. I was valedictorian and NMF. The difference for me was that I did not have a named scholarship at the LAC and it would have been a stretch financially to attend. I followed the money and while finances pushed me in that direction, I have no regrets. I had access to the best professors at Rutgers, in and outside of the classroom. I made great friends and have retained many of those friendships. The Honors Program did provide a LAC type intellectual experience while also providing the benefits of a research university. I was later admitted to T-20 grad programs, fully funded, based on my Rutgers academic record. So Rutgers can be a great experience socially and academically.
It sounds like you have qualms about W&L’s student culture. As the parent of a college student at a LAC, I can tell you that the predominant vibe matters a great deal when you go to a small school. Sure, you can always find like minded people if you try hard enough. But there may be fewer of them.
I can’t speak to W&L personally. And it’s been awhile since I attended Rutgers. Revisit both to see if your qualms are confirmed or not, and pick for fit, not perceived prestige. You must be accomplished to have earned these scholarships. You will do well wherever you end up. Best of luck.
Sorry, Johnson Scholarship, not Jefferson. I will recheck W&L’s website, but I read recently that the amount of the Johnson Scholarship varies by need.
So I just did a very quick check on W&L’s website. The Johnson Scholarship has a need component to it. All award winners get at least tuition, room & board & a $7,000 summer stipend, but if there is a higher financial need then that will be considered as well.
Regardless of the details of the scholarship–which is very generous–the question of fit is very important at LACs, especially one with a fairly rural location & just 1,820 students. Based on OP’s stated concerns, it doesn’t appear to be a good fit, but that is a personal choice for the OP.
P.S. After rereading OP’s original post in this thread, W&L would be a poor choice academically & socially for OP.
Consider double majoring in math & business at Rutgers with a minor in CS for great job offers.
I am usually not a big fan of fit, but in this case, fit does matter a lot as Rutgers and W&L are so different from each other.
Wow!! Thank you so much everyone for your extremely helpful responses and the very thorough discussion! All your expertise and insights truly mean a lot to me and help me look at my decision from a broader perspective. As many of you suggested, I am now planning on visiting both W&L and Rutgers again before I decide and hopefully can I stay overnight to get a better feel. I agree with all the points that fit is especially important when considering a small LAC, so I hope my visits show me where I feel most at home.
Thank you for all the stats and references that were mentioned to compare the two schools! I never truly appreciated how prestigious Rutgers Honors College was and this thread really opened up my eyes to the great opportunities that follow those students.
I’m so grateful for all your kindness and the time you invested in me. I will be sure to let everyone know what I end up going with!
“The only factor that leans toward Wash & Lee that I see is that since the Jefferson Scholarship is largely based on financial need, it is unlikely to be lost; Rutgers Presidential Scholarship requires one to maintain a 3.5 GPA.”
Um, it is the Johnson scholarship, and it is a MERIT scholarship, and there is a minimum GPA to maintain it. When my brother did investment banking at Morgan Stanley, they recruited at W & L. Edit to say that Publisher corrected the name of the scholarship. My D got the Johnson at W &L. We qualified for no need based aid when she was awarded it last year.
Don’t choose W&L because of prestige. Rutgers is a great school and if you take advantage of opportunities, you will be most successful. It seems you like the size and atmosphere of Rutgers more. You should tour both and see which one you feel more at home at.
Personally, I would choose Rutgers, but you can’t go wrong. Good luck!
@penguin23
Don’t forget to let us know once you’ve decided, and explain why! 
Good luck on the visits.
The Johnson is not based on need. My daughter has it, and her experience has been incredible. I was a little worried that it would be too “white bread” for her (a bleeding heart liberal); however, she loves her friends and her teachers–all of whom have PhDs. Her largest class had been the intro science classes with about 35, but she gets so much individual attention. Will that be the case at Rutgers? Also, she loves the town! She has $7000 for summer studies and has some great plans lined up. All is all, it is hard to beat! I pinch myself all the time.
Washington & Lee is a terrific school, but you’ll get similar academics in the Honors College of Rutgers. It sounds like you don’t care much for W & L, which, yes, has a very conservative, very wealthy vibe. It’s an excellent school, but I’m not sure that you should go there just because it’s top ten or so in that sillly US News thingie.
Hello everyone! I’m happy to say that I will be attending Washington & Lee University in the fall!
First, I want to give a sincere thank you to every one that contributed to this thread. I appreciate all the time and research that you guys committed to this discussion.
I made this decision for a few reasons.
Looking at rankings alone, Niche puts W&L at 35 in Econ, 40 in Business, and 92 in Math. Niche ranks Rutgers as 146 in Econ, 82 in Business, and 75 in Math. As a hopeful quantitative analyst/financial analyst, these numbers favor W&L.
As a bunch of the members recommended, I spent a day at both Rutgers and W&L, and this really helped me come to a decision.
At Rutgers, I was surprised by a lot of things. It truly seemed like the school could offer limitless opportunities because of the sheer size. The student body was extremely diverse and there is no doubt that there is something there for everyone. The campus is nice and suburban, and there is always something going on. The small honors college community seemed fun, but my experience in classes really deterred me. When I entered class, all the students came in individually and not one student greeted me or the student ambassador that I was spending the day with. The students were definitely engaged and the class was interesting, but once class was over, the students left silently without thanking the professor or chatting with their peers. I also learned that honors+presidential scholars have the majority of their classes with non-honors students. So when comparing the academic experience, I realized I should weigh Rutgers as a whole (not honors) against W&L as a whole, which obviously favors W&L.
At W&L, I stayed overnight and spent time in classes. The first thing that struck me was the incredible admissions staff. Every time I interacted with them, they were so kind and genuinely interested in my future, whether it was at W&L or not. Spending time with my host and his friends, it was clear that nearly every student was in love with the school. I was concerned that too many students were involved in Greek Life and that there was not much to do but party. Now, I understand that lots of frats are based in bonding with friends rather than partying constantly, so that dispelled all my worries. The lack of diversity (83% white) doesn’t bother me at all because I am coming from a high school that is already 76% white. My experience in the classes was incredible. The moment I sat in class, current students introduced themselves to me, asked about how I liked the school so far, and showed genuine interest in my opinions about the school. The professors paid attention to each student and their passion for the subject they taught was clear. After sitting in on classes, I understand why Niche ranks W&L at 14th for best professors and Rutgers at 249th: the professors at W&L are able to give personal attention to every student. W&L also is a new part of the country for me, so I think it will help me appreciate the country a bit more. In short, the love for the university among students was contagious, and ultimately showed me that W&L was the school for me.
Thank you for helping me on this journey. I can’t wait for the next four years at Washington & Lee University!
Congratulations!!!
Thanks for posting your rationale. It makes perfect sense and will be very helpful to future readers!
And, yes, the level and intensity of students who choose a top LAC would differ from those attending a large flagship university.
College is also a great time to discover a new part of the country.
All in all, it sounds like you found the right college for you! 
[note: the description you were given of fraternities is at best incomplete. Keep in mind that fraternities cost a lot of money and are selective, so that if you don’t have money or aren’t selected, you can’t hang out with your ‘friends’ - when most friendships require neither stipulation. In addition, while it’s fashionable to deny that the appeal of fraternities rests with alcohol consumption, you know rationally that if it were all about friends and volunteering, people would join Habitat for Humanity and similar groups, not a fraternity. So, if you remain dubious about drinking, while you look for the fraternity for you, please consider a substance-free floor - “sub-free housing” - for your first year till you figure out whether drinking matters to you or not. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/us/education/does-it-work-substancefree-dorms-clean-living-on-campus.html ]
congrats. Op. It’s a super school. Enjoy your time there!
Congratulations @Penguin23 ! You are in for four amazing years. The greek system is nothing to fear. I was a non- and then barely-drinker who navigated it just fine, and had many friends in other fraternities and amongst those who didn’t participate at all. As an ancient but engaged alum I would be happy to answer any questions or requests for advice. Feel free to reach out any time.
Congrats! You made the right choice I think.
Purely personal preference. I have one kid who just did not like small schools. WAshLee wouldn’t even make it on his list. I’m partial to LACs, myself , but if the atmosphere at a school isn’t to one’s liking, it’s a bit more pervasive and invasive than at a large school where you can get away from a particular malaise a bit easier. There are some small schools I wouldn’t have wanted to attend for that reason.
Yes, Rutgers math department is top notch and if you think you can brush against the ceiling of WashLee’s , that is a consideration. That’s not an issue with most UG students but if it is, you could go further sooner at Rutgers. One of my friends who loved Loyola College transferred when her graphic art skills and needs outgrew the school’s resources. It can happen.
that’s so exciting! see you at w&l in august
W&L. Great reputation. Very strong alumni network. They have a pipeline to Wall Street. Example: Of nine graduating Women’s Lax players, 4-5 were headed to top firms on WS. To get that level of education for free is a great opportunity.