<p>I'm from the East Coast and therefore need a little more help in scoping things out. I am interested in International Relations/Foreign Affairs, Foreign Language (romance), English lit, writing, and social sciences. Pretty much your typical LAC load. But I also want to be in a city and surrounded by diversity, not only racial but of thought and background. I want an intellectually stimulating environment but also went to a very small high school, achievement oriented high school and am looking for a different experience.</p>
<p>Willamette is strong in international relations/foreign affairs. The state capitol is right across the street, and students can obtain internships there. Also, the school has an official relationship with Tokyo University, right next door. The percentage of students who study abroad is similar to that of schools like Middlebury, Whitman, etc. My son is an English major, and the classes are small (15 students) and intense. He loves the program.</p>
<p>Still, Willamette is small, with around 2,000 undergraduate students. For my son, who attended a large (2,250) suburban high school in Silicon Valley, CA, it has been a completely different experience. Salem is a small city, which means you can walk right off campus to restaurants, cafes, the local movie theatre, the riverfront, and so on. </p>
<p>You might check out some of the older threads, especially:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/willamette-university/1318225-willamette.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/willamette-university/1318225-willamette.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/willamette-university/1034638-willamette-vs-lewis-clark.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/willamette-university/1034638-willamette-vs-lewis-clark.html</a></p>