<p>I know that Washington Lee is a lovely, idyllic college. My daughter is accepted there. My impression is that she would be very happy. The alums I have met adore the school and seem to have a tight network after college. My impression is that it would launch her into a beautiful, "high society" world. However, there is an obscene price tag to that. Is it worth it? I'm willing to pay for it IF it's worth it. It's the only private school she's accepted to- she's waitlisted at many and has acceptances to good public universities.</p>
<p>What does she plan to major in and what are her career plans? What state is home for you, and do you think she’d like to stay in the same state or region? I ask because one concern we had about it is name recognition where we live (not the South).</p>
<p>Washington & Lee is an excellent school. We looked at it for a kid very interested in political science, and for that field and economics I think it’s very good. They have some neat model election stuff and several years ago Goldman Sachs hired more kids from W & L than from any other school. I don’t know that it’s worth more than places like UVA or William & Mary if those are at a much lower price tag for you. What would be her alternatives?</p>
<p>Her alternatives are UNC Chapel Hill, GA Tech Honors, and UGA Honors</p>
<p>Are you a GA resident? If so, and I presume she has the Zell Miller, her costs at Tech or UGA are less than 12000 a year, correct?</p>
<p>I know several top GA students who turned down WL for UGA.</p>
<p>Has she visited Tech and UGA? What did she think?</p>
<p>In regards to Washington & Lee, I think it’s very important to also consider the extreme dominance of Greek Life there, including the high-intensity sorority rushing. There’s plenty of info online and here on CC. Not getting tapped by a sorority or fraternity can ruin the social experience. How would your daughter fit into this social climate? </p>
<p>I also found it curious that Princeton Review apparently excluded Washington & Lee from its “Best 376 Colleges” (at least my 2012 edition) and I wonder whether the Greek Life predominance was a factor because it’s a great school academically-speaking.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say any obscene price tag is worth it IMO. Other parents might say an Ivy would be, but not to me. YMMV</p>
<p>It’s not worth the price difference if the reason to go there is to be launched into society. The difference is only worth it if the academics are a better (a much better) fit.</p>
<p>I like W&L for it’s education. I’ve known a lot of grads who worked in Ibanking and they are sharp. If it were in the Northeast it would be ranked with the top NESCAC school, imho.</p>
<p>That said, your kiddo has some great public options, all top choices, and I would go with one of them if money is even slightly an issue.</p>
<p>good luck to you.</p>
<p>Whether it is worth it or not is a matter for the buyer. Clearly, you think you have the $240k to send her there. But are the advantages worth the $120k plus premium? If you were buying education, bought UGA, what other alternative education uses would you have for $120k plus? Three trips around the world, a post-grad year learning to paint in Italy, five years working for free on public health initiatives in Africa, three summers of unpaid internships, two years of medical school or law school or MBA, etc. </p>
<p>Assuming you have the money, is WL worth more than UGA plus the above?</p>
<p>My d turned down the Johnson scholarship at W and L for the Foundation Fellowship at UGA. If you are a GA resident think long and hard about those Hope $'s.</p>
<p>W and L is a great school, but it needs to be the right fit for your child. I loved the campus and the town. There have been some other threads about the pros and cons of this school. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1412869-so-tell-me-about-washington-lee-university.html?highlight=washington+and+lee[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1412869-so-tell-me-about-washington-lee-university.html?highlight=washington+and+lee</a></p>
<p>Your d had the same choices as my d, pm me if you would like some more insight into to her rational.</p>
<p>W&L requested to be removed from The Princeton Review’s Best 376 Colleges. I’m not sure exactly when (5-6 yrs ago?) this occurred, but W&L was among their top colleges, but they were also listed as one of the top party schools as well. W&L did not want that reputation associated with their school and The Princeton Review wouldn’t just remove them from one list and maintain them on another list. W&L then requested to be removed from the entirety of The Princeton Review.</p>
<p>Applicants not from southern states need to visit “dubya and el” to get the best if brief, feel for the place. As noted, the academics are very sound and in fact, excellent in most regards. The campus life can be a bit of adjustment, pro and con, for a Connecticut Yankee or a Seattle Scandinavian or California Nisei, LOL. That being said, there are more than a few W&L alumni from the northeast and they rave about their days at Lee Chapel.</p>
<p>I knew a young woman who graduated from W&L and was quite unhappy there. Academically, she thought it was very good, but she felt that women were not being respected or treated well there by the male students, and she was very uncomfortable socially even though she came from a conservative, religious midwestern family. This was perhaps 15 years ago, and maybe things have changed.</p>
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<p>A woman alumnae from 15 years ago would have been among the first female classes admitted to W&L undergrad. I imagine that some of them had a hard time during that period. I’ve met some fellows from that time who were very opposed to co-education. I gather that the attitudes of the males today have changed for the better.</p>
<p>We have known a dozen+ people who have attended W&L, from people in their 70’s now, all the way down to a current sophomore. Every single one has enjoyed it, had a great experience and received a solid education.</p>
<p>Everyone I know chose it because it was a good fit and they loved the school. I’m not sure what you mean by launching into “high society world”? Is it exposure to wealthy kids? If so, you will find that at most private schools and certainly many publics. </p>
<p>The only “negative” I ever heard, was the size can get a bit stifling at times. S2’s best friend is the current sophomore and he already feels like he has already met all the people he is going to meet. Other than that, he likes it a lot.</p>
<p>Start new threads rather than resurrecting old ones.</p>