Lewis & Clark College Top Questions

Lewis & Clark College has a great, liberal community. Its welcoming, friendly atmosphere makes it easy to meet and talk to new people.

Overall, the school has a very friendly student body with a gorgeous campus with awesome access to Portland which is one of the best cities in the country. There isn't a whole lot of school pride, this probably derives from our lack of competent sports teams. This is an okay thing. In fact, my fear right now is it seems that the administration is putting greater emphasis on our sports teams and this seems like the wrong move since it causes for a strong disdain for the athletic minority that is populating our campus. There seems to be a developing rift in the student body between athletes and intellectuals which is no good. Sports are great, but they are wasting their money trying to bolster the athletic program here; athletes come here because of scholarship and then find themselves hating it here because there's so much subtle hostility towards them. It sucks. It's a very subtle thing, nothing to worry about really, but hopefully it won't get any worse.

I definitely should have visited before I decided to commit. While the campus is stunningly beautiful, the social scene is very stifled. Groups form so quickly and it's best described as being "clique-y." I don't feel that a lot of the students are very accepting to new-comers... However, the professors are extremely knowledgable and the majority have earned the highest degree in their field. Don't be surprised to hear your professor talk about his graduate experience at Stanford or Berkeley.

I LOVE LC. There are so many good things about it! One of my favorite things is that I have such a wonderful relationship with my professors. I've been to four of my professors' houses, some more than once! Another thing is that it is so easy to form a club and get funding. I started a dance team to dance at home football and basketball games, and we got three hundred dollars for next year. LC's size is perfect because there are enough people that you can always meet someone new, but there aren't so many people that you can't find a group of your own. I spend most of my time on campus since I'm involved in so many on-campus activities, but it is easy to get off campus if I want to go somewhere. We have a free shuttle that goes every hour from campus to downtown Portland, and Portland is incredible. There are so many things to do there! I love going downtown to the Saturday Market (which is actually open Saturdays and Sundays). It's a wonderful street market with local bands playing, and sometime even juggling! One experience I'll always remember: As a prospective student, I had an interview with an Admissions Counselor. I was dead set on going to LC, and she could tell. We had a wonderful half hour talking and laughing about anything and everything. Thank goodness I got in! When I went to the New Student Orientation with my mom, I was nervous but excited at not knowing anyone and meeting new people. But when we went into the cafeteria, the Admissions Counselor hugged me and said, "Lauren Brown! I'm so glad you came here!" She proceeded to meet my mom and tell me how excited she was that I came. How amazing that she new my name, recognized my face, and sought me out! That's what LC is all about- personable faculty and staff.

The best thing about Lewis & Clark: the professors One thing I'd change: the cost of tuition is too high School: a bit small but good for student/teacher ratios Most people in the NW know Lewis & Clark, but many are unfamiliar with it. Most of my time was spent in my apartment or the library Definitely not a college town--Portland is huge The administration didn't generally impress me, especially Residence Life Controversy: the state of the International Affairs Department There doesn't seem to be much school pride; there isn't a big interest in sports

Many times I felt kind of isolated on the L&C campus. I guess it depends on the person, but I found it difficult sometimes to get off of campus. The school is located in a beautiful area, but it's kind of far from anything fun. To get downtown you either have to take a car or take the hourly shuttle or city bus. Most people don't have cars, me included, so the bus was my only option to get around. It's not THAT inconvenient but it was impossible to just run to the store or take a short trip when the minimal time you had to spend out was like 2 hours because of the bus schedule, so often I would decide not to go anywhere because of the inconvenience. The shuttle can get pretty crowded at peak times or right before breaks. I thought it was kind of inconsiderate of the administration to not increase shuttle service at break times at least. It happened every year, same as always. My first year I nearly missed my train home for Thanksgiving because there was no room left on the bus and I was left standing on the sidewalk as the bus drove off. It takes some getting used to as I was accustomed to having my own car to get around back home.

I have a lot of things I really like about Lewis and Clark. One of which is my experience with my professors (mostly from the Computer Science, Mathematics, and Economics Department). They seem to genuinely care about their students well being. I've had entire classes go to my professors house for dinners, deserts, board games, etc. They care about you outside the classroom. People on the West Coast are finally starting to hear about LC and they seem to think fairly highly of it. Rightfully so, I feel like I'm being challenged and receiving an excellent education. My economics professor even stated that the quality of students at LC seems to be growing each year, and he isn't the type of guy who would just make that crap up. I like going to a small school but the atmosphere isn't for everyone, there aren't huge social events every weekend or anything like that. Portland definitely isn't a college town, that is one of the best things about LC. You can take the free shuttle to the city almost anytime yet we are outside the city so you don't have the city noise.

LC doesn't have a huge sports following. We don't have a good dating scene. Sometimes working with the administration is difficult and frustrating, but there are a lot of resources on campus that students and apply to use. There are many different kinds of clubs, and when an enthusiastic group of students come together, then the clubs can be fun to participate in. Portland is an amazing town to live near, the LC shuttle runs every hour between campus and downtown, so getting around without a car is easy... a lot of students and Portlanders ride bikes.

The campus is really beautiful, but isolated. Freshman can't have cars on campus, so one must take the bus everywhere. This is easy in theory, but it was way more time consuming and exhausting in practice. And I felt like there wasn't much to do on campus. I took a lot of walks around the campus and no one was hanging out in the fall, I guess because of the weather. Lewis & Clark is very small. I didn't like the size as much as I thought I would. And the student body was not as diverse as I imagined. They have a lot of foreign exchange students but it seemed like they mostly kept to themselves. When I started telling people I was going to LC, everyone was very impressed. Apparently, it has become very prestigious over the past couple of years. Someone even referred to it as second tier ivy league. I spent a lot of time walking around the South part of campus where the chapel is. It is practically abandoned because the one classes taken over there are education degree classes. It was very nice. There is no town connected to LC. Don't be fooled. The Fred Meyer's area is not that accessible, nor is it any fun. The administration is awful for the most part. I realized pretty earlier on in the second semester that I really didn't want to continue at LC. So, I went to the registrar's office to ask about how to take a leave of absence, and they treated me really badly. They told me that I was lucky to be going to their fine institution and that if I was unhappy then that was my own fault for not studying at coffee shops downtown, or not wanting to pay $45 buck to take a snow boarding class so I could break my neck on mount hood. They told me to join clubs or do community service, but I just didn't see anything worth while. So I left. Now it's June 13, 2008, and the school just accepted my withdrawal. I've been trying to withdraw since January. I've been e-mail everyone I could think of that could help me complete the withdrawal and one would respond. It was such a nightmare. Then I got an email that said I had re-registered for classes for the fall. I wrote back to the person who had sent the email explaining all the trouble I had been having, and they finally accepted with my withdrawal. It has been really frustrating dealing with the Administration. I guess everyone has school pride but everyone laughs about how the football team hasn't won in decades. There are a lot of unusual things about LC. It's a really strange place. In some ways, it's a good thing and in other ways, this place is just weird. I'll always remember going ESCAPE which is a gay all ages club my friends and I went to once early in the semester. It was the only club we could get into in Portland, but I had a lot of fun. Also we took a road trip to the beach with my roommate's aunt. The coast is beautiful. A lot of students complain about THE BON, which is the dining hall. It is gourmet cooking about sometimes, it's really bad food. But I got used to the bon. At least you have options in there. I think most people just resent that everyone must have a meal plan with the bon for the first two years.

The students at Lewis & Clark are some of the most eccentric, beautiful, intelligent and interesting people you will ever meet. There are a million things to do in and around Portland, Oregon and on campus as well. The administration is cracking down on the party stereotype which is really unnecessary. For the most part everyone is extremely respectful and just looking for a good time. The administration has recently been putting a lot of money into varsity sports that are notoriously bad. The 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} female student body is the best thing that has ever happened to a Lewis & Clark male student. The school newspaper is hilarious. Dorm food always gets old but ours is bearable. Mt. Hood is an hour away and the Oregon coast is an hour the other direction.

I don't know, Lewis & Clark is a pretty neat place so long as you're not coming here for sports or fraternity/sorority-type things. If you come to Lewis & Clark expecting mad huge parties and pep rallies/school pride/etc. , you're going to be disappointed, but everyone is very nice. The number of students is pretty small, so everyone more or less knows each other or knows of each other. The campus is absolutely GORGEOUS; the property used to be part of this manor's estate, so the manor house and a lot of the surrounding buildings are just beautiful. The gardens are gorgeous as well; I'm fairly certain (as are many students) that most of our tuition goes towards grounds keeping. Portland is an awesome city though, so having the small campus isn't too limiting or whatever. The one complaint I have is about the food; Lewis & Clark has a two-year campus living requirement, and students that live on campus are required to have food plans. The Bon (the cafeteria) is open at inconvenient hours (it closes at 7 P.M.), and the other options available (Maggie's and the Trail Room) don't count as part of your meal plan and are fairly expensive (especially Maggie's). The Bon's food itself is really lacking in interesting fare; at the beginning of the year they were extremely good, but as the year went on they got worse and worse. I ended up eating cereal every night for dinner.

Lewis and Clark sucks. Its pretty much just a resort for a bunch of rich hippie who never pick up a text book but in four years will somehow manage to obtain their secret dream job in corporate america working for daddy's business upon graduation as they have given up on the socialist ambitions they never had in the first place. Its too small. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone is judgemental. I spent most of my time running as far away from campus as possible. Students tend the mistake of associating Lewis and Clark with Portland, but they should know that just as Portland is a heaven, and Lewis and Clark is a hell. The teachers are fantastic, but the other administrators are not. They are small minded and keep the school from becoming what it has potential to be by imposing conservative academics to a generally liberal student body. There's a huge problem with rape on campus. Lots of Lewis and Clark girls seem to be getting raped, and boys seem to be getting off with nothing but a small slap on the wrist. The most frequent complaints are probably about how the school is not as progressive or liberal as students expected.

The "big picture" is one that can only be painted by the individual. I cannot begin to tell you how you will perceive the school and all it entails. I can, however, tell you what have come to love and dislike about it. The very two things that led me to make the decision to attend Lewis & Clark this past year still stand as the two things that i love the most about L&C. The first of which are the people. Some say there's something in the water and some say we're all crazy, but whatever it may be, the people are remarkable. From the Professors, to the students, to the admissions staff, to the maintenance crew, the people are just good hearted people that are really down to earth. I can honestly say that i have found everyone to be welcoming, honest, and warm hearted. Beyond their personalities, i have met tons of incredible individuals at L&C. Most people are very much involved with what is going on in todays world and are trying to help the world with their talents. The second thing that attracted me to, and is keeping me at, Lewis & Clark is what i call the "mutual benefits." I chose to go to Lewis & Clark because out of the 9 Colleges and Universities i was looking at, L&C stood out as a school i could give the most to and in return gain a lot from as well. That being said, some find it too small, it is only 2000 students. I however, find it to be just right. I don't feel like another face in the crowd, but i don't feel like i see the same people all the time. Along with that, i am fond of the beautiful campus. All my friends who visit who would never go to the school always say the campus is gorgeous. Because it is situated in a quiet neighborhood, you truly feel like you're there to go to school. The nice thing is that there is free transportation to downtown Portland, which is a cool place to explore and hang out. But then again, no school is for everyone.

The best thing at LC is the crowd. It sucks you in, pleasantly, with organic and herbal everything and a comfortable college life. Weekends are social but casual, parties themed or with keggers, always weed, but heavier drugs are avoidable, which is nice. All students are extremely intelligent and well informed, a lot of times in specialty interest areas- people here are multi-faceted and complex in ways that pop out talented and heartfelt individuals. If I had to change something, it would be the guy to girl ratio. Guys are outnumbered, not by much, but I'm used to living with three brothers! The college size is just right, I love it. Not too big to lose yourself, not invasively small, but just right for being able to choose between a night of partying or studying. I spend a lot of my time outside, at people's houses, in the Co-op, at my place, or in the library. The College town is small: the neighbors of the campus, residences and little schools mostly. The area is very nice, with beautiful wildlife and Tryon Park nearby, as well as a crazy-beautiful graveyard that stretches miles. The admin-- a little ridiculous and unnecessarily rude, but I've had many good experiences, too. Unusual parts of Lewis and Clark would be the drug use I think. Not Reed-Style heavy drugs, but just a lot of weed. I've been places where its just alcohol so I have noticed the difference. Its nice though, not an abusive off-putting way, its somewhat of a thinking hobby. Frequent student complaints: too much vegetarian food in the cafeteria, some lame teachers, outrageously rigorous teachers, not enough snow days!

I like that it's a small size because I personally enjoy seeing someone I know wherever I go on campus and I'll always have a friend in class. Plus, if planned right, you'll never eat alone at a meal. When I tell people I go to LC, I pause and then say it's in Portland, OR and they then nod in understandment. I really like when someone has heard of it and they definitely therefore go up a knotch in my book. Portland is an amazing city with a lot to do. It's gorgeous, just like our happy little hill, with a great mixture of city life and lots of opportunities for the outdoorsy types. I wish there was a little more school pride and spirit at sporting events because an empty stadium is discouraging to the athletes and friends of the athletes. I had a ton of school spirit in high school and showed up to the first football game with a poster and hand-decorated t-shirt to find myself among 10 other fans. It was disappointing.

A few impressive things about LC: 1. Promotion of LC overseas programs: Of course, this is partially done out of financial gain for this private school. Even so, I think the wide variety of overseas programs (during the school year and in the summer) offered by LC could provide students a global perspective, practical experiences outside the classroom, and enhanced competitiveness in an increasingly interconnected world. Well over half the student body have either lived abroad or have participated in an overseas program at some point. The administration also tries very hard to attract overseas and minority students to the school. 2. Natural environment: You simply have to see it for yourself. Overall its a great campus. However, there are some complaints about the archaic and inconvenient architecture of the Templeton Student Center. 3. Relatively easy access to downtown Portland: The free bus going between campus and downtown Portland everyday is a HUGE convenience to students who want to hang out or work downtown. Areas in need of improvement: 1. Lack of school spirit: I found very few students who are proud of their school, and who will actively work to preserve and enhance the image of our school. The general lack of successful sports teams is a contributer to this trend. 2. Food monopoly by Bon apetit: I feel that the overall quality of food has decreased year by year while I was there, while prices have slightly increased. This could be the result of the exclusive provider contract between LC and Bon Apetit.

One thing about which I wish the Lewis & Clark College administration cared more is the relationship between our campus and the greater Portland community. Yes, we are geographically on the outskirts of Portland, but that does not mean that we should not interact with the city more. The worst thing is the orange bus that announces to the rest of the city that this school is private and wealthy. It is embarrassing getting on that bus downtown. Last summer when I was working in downtown Portland, I wore my college t-shirt to my first day of work. I never wore it again. People from the Portland community asked me throughout the day: "So, you're really rich, huh?" "So your school is full of hippie rich hypocrites, right?" "Oh...you're the school that has that free bus." The administration, despite their rhetoric, does not care about our reputation in Portland and even does things, like painting the bus an unavoidable unsightly orange color that announces to the entire city that we get free transportation. They do not like us and the administration does not want to do anything about it.

It is a nice college campus. There are very exceptional proffesors, but many unqualified ones as well. Advisors don't have the time or desire to handle both classes and students. This college costs way too much. They do not provide the services they promise. They tell you what you want to hear and then tell you to deal with the situation when they don't come through with their promises. The college is too far away from downtown and their are not enough bus routes, which run after 8 pm. The college is too expensive. They don't give you what you pay for.

I think the best thing about this school is probably the campus aesthetics and the location. Disregarding November - February, L&C is gorgeous and seems like a summer camp type atmosphere. Otherwise it is extremely wet, rainy, and cold all winter. I would say if you don't like rain this place is not for you. Portland is a great city and there are several free school shuttles that run every hour. It is a school that is a bit "different" for me at least but I am from the midwest, so it may be completely normal here. One of the great things is that everyone here is very "real," none of the superficial types I had in high school. There is a hippie presence that can be a bit weird at first but you get used to it. I think that a lot of students aren't happy with the administration... I personally don't pay attention to it and haven't anything really to fight with them about. Sports are almost non existent here, although there are a lot of teams just not any spirit to go with it. I think that the school is a great place to learn if you are interested in being well rounded and have a variety of things you want to learn. Personally, I am not so much one of these people which is one of the reasons I detested my freshmen course schedule.

The campus is amazingly beautiful and with each season it changes. The people are friendly, and the teachers are dedicated to their students growth and development.

The campus is beautiful and whenever it's sunny (which is very very rare) everyone goes to a grassy area to play. There's a bus that goes to Portland every hour and it takes 30 minutes to get downtown. Portland is amazing! I'm almost going here just for the amazing vintage stores. There's so many awesome vintage and thrift stores and great restaraunts. The biggest recent controversy recently was a junior male was suspended because he sexually assaulted a sophmore at the school. The attitude on campus was that the girl deserved it because she was drunk, which made me really angry. There's a Womyn's Center that does events like "Take Back the Night", but I still feel there's a slightly misogynistic attitude here. But this probably true for most colleges. My biggest complaint is everyone smokes cigarettes. You can't go anywhere without running into a cloud of smoke. Another complaint is that there's really only two kinds of people here: indie and hippie. I really can't relate to either groups, and it's hard to find people who don't listen to weird indie bands. There are cool people here though, you just have to find them. I personally like the people in the substance free dorm because they don't smoke all the time and they're quirky. I think it's harder to find the type of people you like at small schools in general, and at bigger school's there will always be a group of people you fit with. But, it's nice to be familiar with a lot of people.

The best thing about LC is the campus. It is incredibly beautiful and well kept. There are views of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. Although it rains a lot of the school year, when it is a nice and sunny day outside everyone is outside enjoying it. The school is very small, and by the end of the year people start complaining that they always see the same people but it isn't a problem for me. Although there are 1800ish people at LC, about 1000 really exist, through living on campus etc. The others I rarely see. Unfortunately, the school is in a lot of debt and is cutting student oriented stuff and is taking away important things which is really unfortunate. They are also planning on building a new student center so in the upcoming years there might be a whole lot of construction. There is no school pride really, our football team is terrible, losing every game by 30ish points. The only school pride is on 420 when everyone gathers at the flagpole and smokes huge bowls. Apparently LC administration wants to be more prestigious and is starting to accept more preppy students who don't fit the old LC category, which makes older students mad!

If you're looking for sports teams and for school spirit and pride, you'd better go somewhere else. The students here are not interested in sports in the least, and the losing record of almost all of the teams does not help that fact. The campus also has a lock of spaces to go to get away. There's an on-campus cafe, and the library, and that's about it. To get to a coffee shop or other study area is at least a 15-30 minute bus ride away, not too idea for an extremely small campus where many of the students live all four years in the dorms or apartments. When I tell someone that I go to Lewis and Clark, at first they look at me funny (probably because they've never heard of it before), and then say something like, "Oh yeah, I've heard that's a good school."

I love the people at Lewis and Clark. Almost every person I've met, I've liked and wanted to get to know better. I'm surprised at how helpful people are. I wish the school were a little bit bigger at times; it's really hard to avoid someone on this campus. But at the same time, that sense of community is part of its appeal. I really like that they make it so easy to go downtown (there's a free shuttle every hour) because it's easy to get off campus when you need a breath of fresh air.

LC is a great small school. I find it hard to go anywhere without seeing my friends. Its a great close-knit community filled with friendly people. You'll never ever feel lost in the crowd. You get to call your professors by their first name and they treat you as an adult.

I happen to like the size of the school, but there are a lot of complaints about it being too small. It can be very clique-y and can leave certain people feeling left out. The athletics could definitely use some work, though it's still fun going out there and trying to cheer for the teams because you can know most of the players. The big controversy in the athletics department right now is the new mascot, which most people think looks pretty dumb. School pride is pretty much nonexistent. Having Portland so close to the campus and accessible by a free shuttle is a huge plus for our school. I think most people tend to go downtown a few times a week, and popular places to go include Anna Banana's and 23rd Avenue.

I think at some point everybody I know has had an existential crisis about attending Lewis and Clark. We often wonder if we are doing the right thing by attending a small, expensive college that nobody has ever heard of, but at the end of the day, I think that the fact that everybody I know thinks enough to find themselves in an existential crisis says something in itself.

I love LC. It is the purfect fit for me. It's small, you know your professors, they know you. People are supper chill. But, the guy to girl ratio is not in our favor ladies: 40/60. And of those here, many are gay or already taken.

One of the best things about LC is the fact that the classes are quite small. You can actually interact with your teachers, which is very helpful. If I had to change one thing, it would definitely be the tuition. LC is expensive, and while I know a lot of the money goes to good things, some of it is pissed away on things like homecoming. Like the classes, the entire LC population is small. I personally find this to be great, but I came from a high school of 45. As someone from a large school, you might feel a little claustrophobic. When I tell people I go to LC they either say, "What? Is that a real school?", "Oh, I've heard thats a good school", or "Oh, so you're just some hippie then?" I spend most of my time in my dorm building, which is a good place to be if you make friends with the other people in it early on. There are also lots of places to spend time outside if it isn't raining. Portland is great if you're over 21, and LC is only about 20 minutes away. The admin is good overall, but like any group of old people lording over young people. they can be pretty clueless as to what you really want. Controversy usually stems from misunderstanding. I will always remember living with 3 other guys in a shoe box sized room. Complaints are usually about the food, which is actually pretty good.

The best thing about Lewis and Clark, is the genuine care that the professors have for the students. Each student is in their best interest, and almost every professor is willing to go the extra mile to make sure you learn and do well. The worst thing about the school is the lack of class variety and availability. There are classes that you will never get to take because they fill up so quickly, yet only one section is offered every year. Many classes that are offered at bigger schools are not available at LC. LC is a good size, and feels small at times, but it is nice to have mostly familiar faces with strange ones here and there. When the sun comes out, LC is like a dream campus. Everyone is outside, playing frisbee, laying in the grass, and loving life. Otherwise, the rain is a bummer and keeps everyone inside or at the gym. There is not a ton of school pride in terms of athletics, but D3 is not necessarily about that. Rather than new uniforms for the whole basketball team, our cafeteria is trying to go all organic. Lewis and Clark is a progressive, "green" school, making every effort to be sustainable.

Lewis and Clark is a SMALL school, which prospies should keep in mind. The size is great for class discussions, but for the social aspect it can suck. Expect to see a lot of the same people at parties, and don't do anything stupid when you are drunk because you will run into them the next morning at brunch! Most parties are either small gatherings in dorms or big events at the sports houses, but it can still tend to feel like you see the same people over and over. The guy to girl ratio can get frustrating for girls, especially when there are no other colleges or places to hang out within walking distance of campus. If you don't have a car, you are stuck with the same people or forced to take the Raz. If you don't have a car you tend to feel trapped on campus, because there is nothing within walking distance. Portland is an awesome city to hang out in on weekends, but there is nothing close to campus that is oriented towards LC students. There is no "college town" vibe, because LC is surrounded by neighborhoods and you must drive at least 10 minutes to get back into civilization.

Over all the best way i heard Lewis and Clark and its student body described is "Its a school full of people who didn't reall try too hard in high school, yet still got really good grades". The school has a really good sense of community. Between the size and its setting(just outside of PDX) theres an almost camp-like experience. The teachers and student body both fit really well together, many of the views and opinions are similiar and allows for a really exciting learning enviroment. One problem is the administration. All that you read in all the other books about the school and what you hear about Lewis and Clark is exactly what the administration is against. There is a big divide there

The most frequent complaint about Lewis and Clark is the high cost of tuition and the continual increase of tuition. The cost has gone up about 15{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} in the last two years and it is expected to continue. Scholarships are also being cut and not given in the same amount either. The education gained at Lewis and Clark is amazing, but there is no doubt all the students will be broke as a joke coming out of school.

Lewis and Clark is just the right size...if you like this crowd. People are friendly and outgoing, but are usually somewhat awkward and nerdy. Many people don't know what Lewis and Clark is when you tell them, but those who do respect you for one of two reasons: 1. You are a seasoned pot head, 2. You are a good student and member of society. LC administraters listen to the students, but often do not resolve issues in an effective manner. Portland is a great city, but Lewis and Clark is very removed from the Portland Community. The biggest controversy right now is the new logo. We have adopted an old, ratty looking dog as our logo. Students are rejecting it because they do not understand how a dog represents our school. Administraters are pushing the new logo because it is "gender neutral." Lewis and Clark isn't for everyone, but if you value a great education and meaningful relationships with a variety of people, you will appreciate what Lewis and Clark has to offer. LC can be limited at times as far as academic and social opportunities, but Portland has everything that it lacks.

LC is great because it has small classes, great professors, and a very intimate feel. I think it's just the right size. People are usually really impressed that I got into LC or are really skeptical and sniff the air to see if I shower. When I'm on campus I usually go to Maggie's, the gym, the Trail room, the library, or my friends' rooms. The administration seems to have our best interests in mind and does a good job of keeping things running smoothly. The biggest controversy on campus was regarding an alleged rape. People most often complain about the food and the rain!

At LC people are very politically engaged. If you are a Republican however, you will be a ver small minority here. LC is very small with intimate classes. The faculty is by far my favorite part of LC. They are extremely dedicated and smart. The entire history department got their Ph Ds at an Ivy League or equivalent school. The one think I would change is the amount of school pride. Since most students are more focused on academics than sports our teams aren't quite top notch. Our frisbee, debate, and basketball teams are all first in their conference though.

The best thing about LC is the grounds. Very pretty, very expensive. I would change the people. Our school is too white, straight and rich. People generally think i am loaded when i tell them i go to LC. I don't spend any time on campous outside of class anymore. Portland is amazing. i love it. i get the impression that the admin is more focused on making parents happy than us. i was treated like a 5 year old when i lived on campus. One of the students leaving for sexual misconduct is the most recent controversies. There isn't a lot of school pride. LC is a bubble, i guess that is pretty unusual in real-world terms. studying abroad is one expierience i will always remember. Most people complain about the diversity, campus policies on drinking, and ability to get into courses.

it's the ideal size, big enough for newness, and small enough for a serious sense of community.

My favorite part about LC and why I had a great four years are by far the people. I made friendships through LC with all kinds of people and got to know such a variety of individuals that made college such an awesome time for me. Not only fellow students, but the vast majority of administration/faculty are great people as well. Since graduation I have had the chance to have lunch and visit with multiple people at LC and all of them have been very encouraging in helping me with the future. I wish students at LC had more of a sense of school pride, that is definitely something that is missing. Our endowment is awful, which is a reflection on that graduates do not feel connected to the school. I think that is the biggest challenge facing LC, how to get students during their four years to feel a part of a community and proud of the fact that they attend LC?? I think a lot of students do not feel that way.

I have really enjoyed my time here at Lewis & Clark. Due to the small size of our school professors are really able to take the time to get to know their students. The biggest problems I have seen at LC in recent years are a lack of community due to the devision experienced between on and off campus students and a lack of interest on the part of Student Life staff to listen to student concerns and make adjustments. Another on-going problem is the fact that the athletic department is very separate from the rest of the institution. This is due to the attitudes of both the people in the athletic department and others on campus. It is evidenced by the lack of attendance at sporting events and a lack of understanding of what it means to be a student athlete here.

the classes and professors are great here. they are by far the best part of school. if i could change one thing i would give the school a huge amount of money because currently it feels that so much of the administrations efforts are in making money and less on the best interests of the students. lewis and clark is a small school and i like it that way. sometimes i wish we had the resources of a large university but i like knowing my teachers. i feel having a personal relationship with my professors makes for better discussion and more full engagement with the material resulting in a better education. in terms of campus, campus life is pretty cool. there are a lot of good speakers and such but it gets a bit claustrophobic sometimes. but there is a school sponsored bus that goes down town every hour so that is vary vary useful. it makes the city much more accessible.

The best thing about Lewis and Clark are the class choices. I would change the professor's attitudes, they sometimes don't feel that the students are worth teaching. The school size is perfect, big enough so that you get the college experience but small enough so you know most people. People are impressed when I tell them I go to Lewis and Clark. I spend most of my time at Lewis and Clark doing school work, hanging out with friends, and wandering around Portland. The Lewis and Clark administration sometimes is distant from the student body and the students feel at times that the administration is trying to change the image of the school. The biggest controversy on campus was when some students were caught with drugs and the situation was not handled well or when a girl was raped but didn't file a report until the end of the semester, but some students felt the need to out the person responsible on facebook. There is school pride but not school spirit.

The best thing about Lewis & Clark is that if you were "normal" in high school, you are the exception here. At least for me, being from a small town. If I could change one thing it would be the ability to get into classes, but the small classes make them more interesting. It is just right for me, but if you are looking for a huge social scene, I would look somewhere else. Some people think I'm a hippie when I tell them, others are rather impressed (if they know the reputation of the college). The administration is a little sketchy just because they like to be quiet, but they aren't out to get us by any means. Maybe changing the reputation of the school is going a little to far because this school is exceptional that what makes it so appealing. There is a minimal amount of school pride, when it comes to sports, but I think most people like it here.

I think the best thing about Lewis and Clark would be its openness. To me, the size is just right so you can have small class sizes but still be able to meet new people frequently. When I tell people in the Pacific Northwest that I go to Lewis and Clark, the general reaction tends towards comments like, "Oh, that's a good school." Elsewhere though, nobody has really heard of it. On campus, I spend most of my time in the dorms but that's just because I don't really like working in the library. Lewis and Clark doesn't really need a college town because its so close to Portland, a very cool town. I think that the administration generally tries very hard to keep the student body satisfied. The biggest recent controversy on campus was a rape charge. I don't really feel like there is much school pride because many people here don't like to affiliate themselves with specific institutions.

Lewis & Clark is like year-long summer camp with classes. It's relatively small with a scenic campus. When it's warm, people chill on the lawns. When it snows, they have hella snowball fights. I can't imagine going to a school any other way. No one seems to ever have heard of Lewis & Clark where I used to live, but I don't really care since I came here to escape from there. Portland fucking rocks, so that's always nice. The focus here is academics and community, definitely not athletics. I wish it would stay that way, but the administration seems to be bent on bringing in athletes and buffing up the athletic department. It's so fucking weird seeing a bunch of kids in earth tones and hemp materials in the cafeteria and then just two tables of eight foot tall muscular dudes decked out in L&C basketball gear.

What I like best about LC is how passionate everyone is. Even though everyone has different interests, students are genuinely passionate about what they do. It's almost too easy to get involved in student clubs and organizations. It's hard for me to balance schoolwork (which isn't exactly light) with all of the amazing things I could be spending my time doing. There's always something going on around campus, from blacklight dance parties with free donuts to lectures, films, meetings, and community art projects. Being so close to Portland is a big draw, too. I go downtown about once a week. Portland is full of things to do -- a few weeks ago I went black-light mini-golfing at a place decorated entirely in a pirate theme and then went to Voodoo Donuts at midnight. Portland is very bike-friendly, and small enough that you won't feel swallowed by buildings, but big enough to be a constant source of exploration.

One thing I would change- we need better communication between the students and the administration. There are tons of students that have great ideas for the school and how to improve it, but getting to the administration seems to be hard. The school size is perfect. I love it- just enough people to not feel overwhelmed but still develop your own group of friends and still see new faces every day. And the size allows students to have a relationship with their teachers and get to know them on a personal level. The size of the campus is great too- large enough to find your own space away from people but there are also central areas of congregation- the different cafes, areas of grass... the campus comes alive when the sun comes out- students bring out blankets, frisbees, soccer balls, and on every area of grass (and there's a lot of it) there will be students soaking up the sun. Portland is amazing and I think, one of the best cities to be in as a college student. It's a smaller city, but that allows students that don't have cards to take advantage of the public transportation system and walking around. And we have the best book store in the world- Powells.

For me, it has been impossible to describe to anyone outside of the Lewis & Clark community exactly why I dislike it. Even within LC there have been few who I have connected with on this subject. LC is terribly awkward. I think it has to do with its size but more to do with the people who are drawn to it. In my opinion, LC falls just shy of being what it pretends to be. And I think stereotypically the student body falls just short of what they pretend to be. Because to me, that is what LC is, a congregation of people who want to be something. Some of them are really amazing down to earth people. But most of them are not. I love a lot of what Lewis & Clark has to offer, but I have realized that it works for very specific people. And unfortunately I am not one of them. I sometimes refer to my time at LC as the high school experience I never had. It can be suffocating.

The best thing about LC is the academics. This is also helped by the small size of the school. I think it is just the right size to foster the kind of intimate learning environment I really enjoy. When people hear I go to LC, half of them say "What's that?" and the other half say "I heard that's a really good school." I spend a lot of time in my room (I don't like studying in the library) or in the Pioneer Log office/lab where we layout our pages. The Bon (cafeteria) is also a popular spot but I try to spend less time there than I did last year because it sort of sucks the life out of people. Portland is not exclusively a college town but it is great for college students. There are lots of universities around here, so there are a lot of young people hanging around. However, there are lots of young people NOT involved in any school too just because of how cool, artsy, environmental and active Portland is. I think that the administration has changed bit since the stereotypes about the school were formed. The administration does not foster the "counter-culture" it once did, however it still supports individualism and learning. They are trying to change our image and become more prestigious, which is okay with me because then my degree will be worth more in the future. The biggest controversy on campus recently was actually a controversy that made it first from the Pioneer Log, then to Willamette Week, and then actually to Newsweek. There was a girl (a staff member of the Piolog) who was sexually assaulted by a male student here...Anyway it was a big deal, read about it. People made a lot of noise and are still making noise. This has basically been going on since at least November I think. School pride is different here than it is at other schools. Lots of people have a lot of bad things to say about the administration so they don't wear LC sweatshirts and sweatpants, but many people are still likely prideful and proud of Portland and what they do at LC. Students complain a lot about rules here. They hate being written up for drinking because they think our school doesn't care because Reed's administration doesn't care. People complain (and rightly so) because they think the clothing and products sold in the bookstore (which is unfortunately owned by Barnes and Noble) is a result of sweatshop labor. There is little resolve about this. Some people complain about particular departments, I've heard that the environmental studies major is "bullshit." Otherwise though, they are regular college kid complaints like too much homework and not enough money for beer.