<p>I have narrowed my colleges down to two wonderful options of schools to choose between. But I only have 3 days to decide and I still have no idea of what to do!
I am a current Senior at Garfield High School, a large intercity public high school in Seattle, WA
Both are within a few hundred dollars of eachother financially each year, so that does not really sway anything.
Both are small liberal arts schools (Whitman is a bit smaller than Mac)
Both seem to have fabulous people though I know more people at Whitman and they are really happy
Academically they both have great professors, small classes and everything that a good liberal arts college has.
Mac is more "globally" focused- not quite sure how this translates at the school
Technically Mac is ranked higher, lower acceptance rate than Whitman- but this is not that different a margin and is not that important to me
Whitman would be a safer bet as I am almost positive I would be really happy there (again- I have a few friends who go there from highschool and love it) but I think Mac would be more of mysterious option that could be a hit or a miss</p>
<p>Can current students please illuminate on the school vibe/culture at each school? In terms of stats and academics they seem pretty equal. But it is hard to get an idea of the type of students/level of happiness at each. Thanks I really appreciate the help!</p>
<p>One thing that might help sway you towards one school over the other is getting very specific information about the number adjunct professors who teach classes vs tenure track professors. When the professors are not on tenure track they are unlikely to be teaching at the school entire time you are there, which makes it hard to develop any kind of working relationship with them. Professors who are associated but not on tenure track will also be leaving to interview at other universities/colleges during the semester. That will affect your experience as well. With small schools it can be very difficult to get into classes you need This will be particularly the case where there are rotating sabbaticals and schedules for teaching classes such as being required to teach two classes one year and 3 classes the next. If you miss getting into a section the first time it is offered, you may not have the opportunity again until 2 or 3 years later. If it is a prerequisite, you may have to go to school over the summer. This is not really responsive to the “vibe” or “culture” issue you asked about but remember your main reason for going to either school is to get an education and hopefully a degree in your chosen field of study.</p>
<p>While mommymommy makes a good point, her observations don’t apply to Whitman. In the smaller majors you will find that some classes may be offered one semester a year, but never could you possibly go 2 or 3 years without it being offered again. The only one I can think of is Semester in the West offered in the Fall every other year, and that’s because the students and faculty are on the road for the entire semester, a major logistical feat. The larger majors generally offer requisite classes each semester.</p>
<p>There has been a capital campaign in progress for a number of years that has raised money to fund the expansion of tenure track positions, as well as other initiatives to improve the educational experience at Whitman. President George Bridges has been a forward thinking leader, here are some of the things going on at Whitman under his direction:</p>
<p>"Whitman has significantly increased the number of tenure track faculty positions and the racial and ethnic diversity of the student body, launched the Global Studies Initiative, created programs to advance innovation in teaching and learning, dramatically increased student involvement in faculty research, and begun planning a new major in computer science. To support students’ experiences in service and aid them in transitioning to the workforce upon graduation, Whitman also created the Student Engagement Center under Bridges’ leadership. The Center is dedicated to providing students with active career counseling, access to funded internships and opportunities to network with employers and Whitman alumni in major metropolitan areas across the country. "</p>
<p>Believe me, Whitties are dedicated to giving each other a helping hand, alumni are a small but fervent group. </p>