Western Michigan University - WMU

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Western Michigan University Summary

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Punsters know Western Michigan University as “Wastern,” but students insist that the school offers a lot more than its party scene.

The opportunities to get to know professors and become involved in student groups are there, but it’s up to students to take advantage of them. The Haworth College of Business is well regarded, and business is one of the most popular majors, along with education and communications. Theater and music programs also enjoy national recognition and the school’s College of Aviation has one of the largest programs in the country. It’s possible to party your way through Western—but students who are in it for the education resent the alcohol-obsessed portion of the student body as well as the party school reputation. Most students—over 90 percent—are from Michigan, and the percentage of white students is only slightly lower. Many undergraduates describe a politically liberal student body and strong LGBT community—as well as a subset of religious Christians. Sports events draw huge crowds of Bronco fans, who augment the usual school paraphernalia (sweatshirts, t-shirts and beanies) with brown and gold paint, temporary face tattoos, and capes made out of Western flags.

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Western Michigan University Review

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Western Michigan University, a large school of almost 20,000 undergrads, is stereotyped as a party school—but though most students admit there’s always a party going on, they stress that WMU has much more to offer. “I had always heard that Western was this school where the only thing students did was party. And I'll admit, Western has a party atmosphere like no other college, but that's not all WMU has. A lot of people either forget or don't realize that Western is consistently named one of the top 100 colleges in the nation. We've got a theatre program that's by far one of the best in the country, our aviation program is world renowned, and our education program is well respected. Western has a lot more going for it than just its parties, and I think a lot of people don't take that into consideration,” writes a sophomore. As far as the party scene goes, though, students report an emphasis on fraternities and sororities. “Greek life is pretty big at WMU,” writes a sophomore. “Sorority- and fraternity-organized charity events are frequent on campus. Always, during the warm months, a myriad of chalking can be found on the WMU sidewalks advertising the different groups.”

Students wish that undergrads had more school spirit and enthusiasm for athletics. “Sports aren't a huge deal for most people. I know a lot of people who love to go to hockey games and football is popular with some but I think the overall temperature towards sports is lukewarm at best,” writes a senior. Another senior adds, “No, I do not believe there is a lot of school pride at all. Most of my friends don't even know the fight song.”

WMU’s academics are career-oriented, and relationships with professors are largely class-dependent. “The education at WMU seems to be more geared towards getting a job than just learning for learning sake,” one student observes. Others emphasize that the practical bent of a WMU education helps students network in their fields: “In my program, advertising and promotion, education is very geared toward getting a job. Teachers are very helpful in terms of networking with you and helping you in any way that you need,” writes a senior. Professors often learn students’ names in small courses, but rarely do in larger, required classes: it is students’ responsibility to seek out attention. “A few of my professors know my name. Mainly in the smaller classes. I have never had a bad experience with a professor. They have always been there to help in any way they could,” writes a freshman majoring in education.

The student body is largely in-state and white, vocally supports its LGBT community, and while harboring a religious Christian subgroup. “Our student body, as well as our surrounding community, is very open. I think that is the best way to put it. We have several large organizations dedicated to the LGBT community, as well as religious events on campus open to all students and a growing international student population,” writes a junior. Other students report that the religious undergrads sometimes go overboard in their missionary efforts. “The one thing that I would change about WMU is the number of people who are on campus handing bibles and other religious literature. It’s not that they shouldn't be there, it is that they should respect fellow students who do not believe in the same things that they do. The students (or elders) who pass out the informational literature can be quite pushy from time-to-time,” writes a senior. In other realms, though, the catchphrase is tolerance: acceptance of LGBT students is a high priority, and people are aware of the socioeconomic diversity on campus. “Most people rely on financial aid, but the ones who have their parents’ money are noticed,” one student reports.

Students’ criticisms concern WMU’s insufficient parking, the high cost of books, and outdated infrastructure. “The most frequent student complaint is about the parking, or lack thereof on campus,” one student reports. Books are too expensive and there usually aren’t used textbooks for sale, since the university tends not to buy back students’ old texts. Some of WMU’s buildings, students write, need maintenance: “My opinion of the WMU administration is that they need to make moves to get more money to continue updating some of the buildings on campus. Most of the buildings are updated but there are still some that could use some refurnishing,” writes a sophomore. Students bemoan, too, the nickname “Wastern:” WMU is more than its social scene.

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WMU Quotes

Brad
Business
Sophomore

I would say the school is just right size, it is big enough to get the university feeling but you can still walk pretty much anywhere on campus in 15 minutes.

Christopher
Business
Senior

The best thing about WMU is that there are over 230 majors to choose from, over 300 registered student organizations and a process to create your own group, and we really are a world-class public research institution.

Stephanie
Communications
Junior

I think the "party" reputation really stems from the fact that all you need to do is replace one letter and you spell "Wastern." Honestly, every college is a party school, and there are always going to be students that want to brag about that. At WMU, there is so much more than that going on with over 200 student groups to get involved in and the campus feels much more like a community, than a large college with over 23,000 students.