All of my professors, past and present, know more than just my name… they know what activities I’m involved in and genuinely care about how I’m doing. It’s not uncommon to call your professor at home for homework help or to go to their house for dinner. The student and faculty relationships at Wooster are fostered in the small class sizes, where individualized attention is given to each and every student. It's my favorite part about the college!
If I could change one thing about Wooster, it would be the long winter we have here, just south and west of Cleveland, OH. It gets to be very cold, and we always have snow in the winter months. You become accustomed to it though - after all, we wouldn't be able to attempt to fill The Arch every winter without all the snow!
Wooster is the ideal size for a student who enjoys seeing new faces everyday, but is also likely to see at least five familiar ones on the way to class. At about 2,000 students, Wooster is just big enough that you don't have to feel "trapped", yet small enough that you will know or at least recognize at least one other person in every one of your classes.
Back home in the MD/DC area, when I tell people I go to Wooster, I get one of three reactions.
1) "Wow, I know someone who goes there! It's kind of a small school... but he/she loves it there."
2) "Wait, is that the college in Massachusetts?"
3) "Huh, I've never heard of that."
I guarantee that anyone who has read "40 Colleges that Change Lives" or has a relative or friend that attended Wooster will know about the college. I like to think we're a well-kept secret.
Wooster is a small town in Ohio, but only an hour away from Cleveland and 40-45 minutes away from Akron. So if you want to go to a large shopping mall, professional sporting event, or concert venue, it isn't too far away. The Wooster Activities Crew (WAC) provides ample opportunities to get off campus to go on a ski trip, to go to Cedar Point, or even to see a Cavaliers/Indians game. The town of Wooster itself is really great for exploring the plethora of mom-and-pop shops. In the North End (away from downtown), you've got more commercialized options including Chipotle, Panera, Kohl's, Best Buy, and of course Walmart.
I have been extremely impressed with the administration at Wooster. Everything seems to run pretty smoothly, and they ask for student input on practically everything that affects us. There are also many opportunities to interact with the deans and members of the administration by being a part of student/faculty committees, Campus Council, and Student Government.
For a Division III school, Wooster's got a ton of school spirit! We always get a great turnout for sporting events as well as theater performances and dance concerts. Because it is a small school, it isn't unlikely that the starting quarterback or female lead in the play will be in your class.
Overall, I've got nothing but great things to say about Wooster. If it's on your list of schools you're applying to, I'd highly encourage you to take the time to come and visit campus. Seeing the students and observing a class here made my decision to come here a no-brainer.