<p>When I do a CC search for more "liberal" colleges, Whittier comes up. However, my daughter and I visited the campus this past April and it appeared more mainstream. My daughter is looking at some very liberal schools (Warren Wilson, Hampshire, Skidmore) but I just don't get the sense that Whittier really is that liberal of a student body. She still really loved Whittier, and it remains on her list (offers Art major and Japanese minor), but just wondering if someone can clarify?</p>
<p>I think it’s ‘liberal’ in the sense that students can basically create their own major with the Whittier Scholars Program. There’s also the Liberal Education Program, which is explained more via their website. My sister’s currently a freshman at Whittier and some subjects, such as sociology, biology, psychology, etc. must be taken with a writing course that revolves around issues concerning that field. My sister decided to take biology, so her writing seminar class has an emphasis on the medical industry and healthcare. </p>
<p>Liberal schools just mean students don’t just focus on their major alone, but rather they’re well-rounded throughout various fields, due to programs similar to Whittier’s “writing seminars”, which promote the importance of thinking creatively and critically in many fields as opposed to one.</p>
<p>Hope that helped a bit!</p>
@jkiwmom - which college did your daughter end up choosing? It’s 5 years later and my son is trying to decide about Whittier. I thought the kids looked really mainstream too. Our overall impression of the college was good but there seemed to be something a little bland about it. I guess I expected to see more vibrant art, funky looking kids, etc. but we didn’t see any of that.