Webb : The Big Picture
Webb is a specialized engineering school, one of three American institutions that offers an undergraduate degree in naval architecture (proper ship design). Webb is regarded as both the finest and the most selective of the three—and it is free. This reputation is well earned: young Webbies prove themselves immediately valuable in the workplace, and older Webbies either rise to high ranks or start their own firms. Many Webbies pursue graduate degrees; some enter civil or military service. Regardless of what Webbies do for a living, their alma mater gives them the tools and perspective to be a responsible, mature, and productive adult.
Webb Academic Life
First and foremost, Webb is rigorous. Students must juggle seven challenging, fast-paced courses every semester. There are only four classrooms: one for each year of study. Students remain in their classrooms and the professors rotate. With class sizes around twenty, there is nowhere to hide. Webbies necessarily have very personal relationships with professors—and in fact each student is assigned one professor in particular as an advisor. All students are on a full-tuition scholarship; as such, there are strings attached. Attendance is controlled. Webb’s academic standards exceed most other colleges’ criteria—the minimum grade is 70—and failures must be promptly remediated. The curriculum is almost entirely fixed; difficult classes cannot be avoided. There is usually one laboratory-based course each term, where students get hands-on exposure to engineering concepts. All seniors must prepare a thesis: this might involve design, research, testing in the model tank, foreign travel, or the construction of scientific apparatus. Winter internships are integral to Webb’s curriculum: freshmen work in shipyards, sophomores crew on merchant ships, and juniors and seniors work in design firms. The library, parenthetically, is well appointed for a school of Webb’s size.
Webb 's Student Body
Students choose Webb for different reasons: some come for the boats; others choose Webb for the size or the charm; still others are swayed by Webb’s reputation for a superb education at an unbeatable cost. As with many engineering colleges in the United States, the majority of students is white and male. Students come to Webb from all over the U.S., though a significant minority of Webbies comes from within 200 miles of the school. Despite their homogeneity, Webbies readily accept those who are different; the student body is very much like a family. Since all students operate on scholarships, socioeconomic diversity exists but is irrelevant. Webbies tend to be indifferent to current events, in part because they have too much work to concern themselves with the news.
Webb Student Activities + Social Life
Webb is uniquely challenged: this college of 90 very busy students is located at the end of a suburban dead-end street. Webbies compensate with a high rate of participation in clubs and sports. A student group organizes on-campus parties and off-campus trips. The main building was once a mansion, so there are plenty of comfortable spaces for work and play. The waterfront campus is ideally suited to all kinds of outdoor activities, from soccer to fishing to tennis to basketball (there is a gym). Whatever cannot be brought to Webb is just a short train ride away in New York City, the cultural capital of America.
Webb Naked Truth
Webb might seem like a rather easygoing place. It is, but with two important exceptions. All Webbies are bound by a sacrosanct moral code that prohibits lying, cheating, and stealing. Webbies take this vow very seriously, which creates an atmosphere of complete trust that is, in its own way, quite liberating. Webb’s alcohol policy is also very strict, and this is not liberating. If your vision of college includes nightly dorm parties and coasting through classes, then you should probably look elsewhere.
