<p>Can anyone help out with a picture of WU life? What are professors like generally? Are they as interesting and accessible as the books say? What about campus life? How often and hard do people party? What kinds of speakers/entertainment does the school bring in and how regularly? What's school spirit like...do sports teams get good crowd support? What's life like after WU? How deep/tight is the alumni network? What is WU's reputation out there in the world? And why doesn't WU make it into some of the top 100 books? Have visited the campus and the students all seem very relaxed and happy and the place is beautiful. Anything more would be really helpful.</p>
<p>I, too, am curious about why Willamette does not show up on every top 100 college list. It’s No. 60 in US News rankings but does not always appear in some of the popular "top . . . " college guide books. My D has decided to attend WU after having a terrific visit in February and receiving a very generous merit/need financial aid package (which we were able to “bargain” up a bit). She also was admitted to Earlham, Beloit, Lewis & Clark, UNC-Asheville, and Western Washington University (a hidden gem), none of are ranked as high as WU in U.S. News except Beloit, with which it is tied. She also loved UNCA, which is far less expensive, but WU’s good financial aid, combined with its extraordinarily friendly and engaged WU students and faculty, won her over. Yet few at her high school (and among our acquaintances) have heard of Willamette while Earlham, Beloit, and L&C are quite well known (as is U. of Puget Sound, which a friend of hers will attend). We communicated in person or by email with several current students at WU and L&C (the most visually stunning of these colleges); the five WU students were thrilled with their choice while three out of four L&C students were thinking of transferring.</p>
<p>HI–My S will attend WU this fall–it is #63 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the USNews 2008 . I guess I have not looked anywhere else so cannot say why it is still undiscovered. Whitman is still a little like that at #37. There are some unfound gems still but they are being found by these large classes of 2009 and 2010. I also think that more people are going to look closer to home due to the recession and flying issues–which will bring more students from CA. I am not being very helpful with the question. I can tell you that I have only heard positive things about WU. I know one 2005 grad who loved it. Basically the word is that the students, facaulty and the admin are just happy and friendly. If you follow their website–which they do a great job of changing frequently–you will see that there are some fabulous speakers and events. Sports–I only know that they have a top track team. I do not know the stats but the grad I know went to the Peacecorps and is now in grad school at BU.</p>