WUSTL Class of 2017 Questions Thread

<p>If I wait until late April to submit my deposit, will I get screwed over on housing? Could I submit my deposit now just in case I do end up going to WashU?</p>

<p>Is work-study hard to accomplish during freshman year? Where is the best place to work? On another note: how are the weight rooms and the pool? How is the swim team?</p>

<p>@ Matty, as long a you turn in deposits before deadline you are fine. Housing is only done in the summer. Turning your application in early has no bearing whatsoever. Order of preferences are randomized.</p>

<p>Wustl is looking very attractive to my daughter right now. Their offer will be very difficult to refuse. Very good package and an excellent education. We are playing the waiting game come end of this month. It was her top choice so we will see how she decides when all her decisions come in.</p>

<p>@Jignitron
Work studies are reasonable, from what I’ve heard. Best place to work (obviously) depends somewhat on what your child finds bearable. Exercise facilities are sufficient, not the worst I’ve seen. The swim team is pretty good - usually ranked top 25 in DIII.</p>

<p>my financial aid package includes the eliot scholarship, as well as a stafford loan and a federal work study.</p>

<p>if my family situation remains the same, is it likely that when i reapply for financial aid, i will get a similar package? was really hoping that the eliot scholarship is something that would carry over all four years.</p>

<p>my parents’ fear is that they only offer it the first year to convince students to attend, and then decrease the amount of aid in subsequent years</p>

<p>The financial package is renewable for 4 years as long as your financial situation stays relatively the same. It will carry over. But you have to submit FAFSA every year. Also, Washu does not extend the aid for a fifth year. So you have to graduate on time or save up for extra years.</p>

<p>When you accept your package, you will also submit your work study application. You will indicate what kind of job you want. At the beginning of the school year, they will provide you a contact information to call and interview for the position. Washu almost guarantees a job if you were offered work study. You are limited to work around 10 hours a week only.</p>

<p>Hello!
I got accepted at Olin a week ago. I was just wondering how I should respond to the acceptance before I make the final decision in about a month. An e-mail thanking them or what?
Help please.
P.S. I am an international student</p>

<p>does every accepted student get an invite to multicultural weekend?</p>

<p>@Maaz
You don’t need to do anything. They aren’t going to take your acceptance away. You can send an email letting them now you are very excited about the opportunity. </p>

<p>@sjong
No, every accepted student doesn’t get an invite to multicultural week.</p>

<p>One thing to note for all engineers, is the BS/MS program. You get a masters in anywhere from no extra time to one or two extra semesters. You get a merit scholarship for your fifth year based on your gpa that is automatic and up to 50%. A 3.0 plus gpa is basically guaranteed admission.</p>

<p>Four years may seem like a long time away, but this program is great.</p>

<p>For students in the arts and sciences, how common/possible is a double major/dual degree? (I’m specifically thinking of Urban Studies and Mathematics, but any insight would be appreciated).</p>

<p>Double majors and dual degrees are both very possible and quite common at wustl. I am double majoring in biology and mathematics myself, and it has been very manageable so far.</p>

<p>Note that its a double major. You can’t get a dual degree for two majors in arts and sciences.</p>

<p>I finished a triple major of Comp Sci, Math, and Econ in four years. And I’m now doing a triple masters in engineering this year and next year. </p>

<p>Multiple majors and/or degrees is really easy at Wash U. In fact, I’ve completed enough credits for two math majors (if it were possible to receive two. I arguably could have done a quadruple major and triple masters in six years).</p>

<p>Thanks. As I was typing, I wasn’t quite sure of the BA/BS breakdown (if there was one). How big are freshman level intro courses? Are discussion sections usually taught bt professors/TAs?</p>

<p>Freshman level intro courses are big. Typically between 100-300 people. Recitations are usually taught by TAs but all lectures are taught by professors.</p>

<p>Damn marc, that’s very impressive.</p>

<p>Obviously class size depends on the class in question, but ravnzcroft has the gist of it.</p>

<p>Ryan and Marc -
My son is planning to major in math. Do you have any insights into WUSTL math, besides, “Yeah, it’s math.”</p>

<p>My thought is that washu’s math program, while good, is not quite to the level of its pre-med, business, or BME courses. You will get a quality education - better than the “average” school - but it’s not a focus of the university, like it is at schools such as UChicago. While most of my math professors have been good, I’ve taken a course or two where I was less than impressed with the teaching.</p>

<p>There’s a decently sized course selection, as well as 5 different specializations of the major: traditional, or “pure/theoretical”; probability and statistics; applied (physics/comp sci); math for secondary education; and math with an economic emphasis. For the most part, Arts and Sciences math is separate from Engineering math.</p>

<p>Homework is usually assigned on a weekly basis, either online problems or questions out of the book. Usually 2-3 tests a semester; fairly easy multiple choice for intro classes (Calculus, Statistics, and a couple others), “free response” for higher level courses.</p>

<p>What is the social life like for a freshman in Olin? Are you doing homework and extracurrics all the time or is there some decent down-time during the week? Also, how are intramural sports? I would like to do soccer, basketball, and flag football, but are they popular to do and would it be easy to join/make a team?</p>