<p>Madtravs…so interesting, I am at W&L, and I actually have a best friend at Davidson who is an academic superstar and a great guy friend at Wake Forest, and comparing these three schools, you are right on the money. This is my perception as well. These schools are perfect fits for my friends, however, and they are very happy there.</p>
<p>While I agree that the academic opportunities at Davidson and W & L are similar, it is my firm opinion that on balance, the student body at W & L is a little bit better from top to bottom. This is based on sat/act range scores and spending a fair amount of time on both campuses. Our daughter chose Washington and Lee last year, class of 2014. I understand it is difficult to quantify and qualify these sorts of discussion points. Also, I think what is rarely mentioned about W & L is the emotional and social intelligence levels of the student body, again hard to put a number or value on, but this impressed our daughter and us, her parents. Visiting a LOT of very fine universities where the student bodies in general, seemed quite focused (remembering of course this is college!), W & L struck us as quite similar, as opposed to some very fine LACS where the students, albeit quite intelligent, seemed less mature (as a group). Again, impossible to prove, but I sincerely believe is , on balance, accurate. For us, Washington and Lee is a bit of a hybrid, Some of the positives of both a larger university and lac rolled into one. Not a perfect school, but in our daughters case, compelling! Not trying to be controversial.</p>
<p>very well said lexlee!</p>
<p>After reading various posts, I still need some exact suggestions of clothing/accessories for girls. My son graduated from w&l, but anything goes for boys: cords, khakis, button-downs, vv ties, blazers, pullover sweaters, casual loafers (polo), llbean boots and casual, Barbour waxed jacket, North Face…some guys appear a little more put together than others and it’s okay. But girls are very different, so any help would be great!</p>
<p>@Plainsman: I would just like to say, as a student FROM a region of the US not normally represented at W&L, a family with low socio-economic status, and a mindset (clearly, like yours) that orginally thought that Going Greek was synonymous with a “conformist” mindset, that you are being overly critical and are–well, to put it bluntly, WRONG in many of your conclusions. The Greek system here on campus is UNIQUE in the fact that it is extremely inclusive. It’s not that 80% of students here fit a nice little upper-middle class, perky/jock-like, “conformist” stereotype of what you would “normally” consider Greek participants to be. It’s that 80% of students WANT that type of experience and create it within their own friend groups. We have a deferred rush here, which allows all students to get their academic and dorm life under control here and make their OWN circle of friends well before entering into the Greek system, which is WHY so many people see that they have a lot of friends already in respective fraternities and sororities and choose to participate. Also, so many people decide to participate in the Greek system here because virtually 100% of students who wish to rush are matched to a house. So, Mr. Anti-Conformity/Elitism/Stereotypes, you’d learn from speaking to an actual student who attends the university that the way our Greek system is set up actually REJECTS conformist and elitist sentiments and allows everyone who wants to have a Greek experience the opportunity. Also, “independent” students are defined as those not affiliated with the Greek system; the phrase is not short for “independent thinkers.” Clearly that is a stereotype that you, yourself, have projected onto my fellow students. Sidenote: All events, philanthropic, social, or otherwise, are open to all students; furthermore, you will not find an event of any kind that does not have a mixture of students in several different Greek organizations as well as a mixture of Greek and non-Greek students.</p>
<p>So the Johnson has turned more into a financial aid package for poor kids?</p>
<p>I was told it was one of the last true merit schlorships left in the country, but that was 4 years ago.</p>
<p>Sounds like you won’t get it unless you need FA,sad really</p>
<p>This place sells one story and delivers something else.</p>
<p>Lazy unmotivated Ad coms, police state, and can only get a merit schlorship if you qualify for finanical aid,</p>