Washington University in St Louis Top Questions

Hard workers, able to balance work and social lives

Happy, fairly low-key kids that get stressed out about classes sometimes but definitely know how to have fun four nights a week!

Same as above.

My classmates are the future world leaders and I can't wait to see how they use their incredible intelligence to change the world.

My classmates are mostly upper middle class from private schools and like-minded ones tend to stick together.

WashU student body is generally very liberal. It is fairly diverse but unfortunately, I think it is self-segregated in the sense that all the African American students seem to hang together, all the Koreans hang together, etc. Of course, some people certainly mix and it seems less of a conscious decision to seperate, but nevertheless, I have noticed it. There are groups for LGBT and this year we had our 2nd annual drag show. It may not be as open as a school like Wesleyan, but I think people are aware. Financial backgrounds vary and many people do get financial aid as well as many people are very well-off.

The student body here is certainly diverse. Everyday I see several different races, and hear several different languages. Asians and Indians are the largest minorities. Wash U has a large Asian population. I don't know that statistic, but it seems like it must be like 20 to 30 percent. They tend to enjoy each others company, and there many strictly Asian groups on campus. Another prominent group, one that I did not expect, are Jewish students. Coming from Texas, it was a rarity to see a single Jew in a week. At WashU, though, Jews are an enormous portion of white students. I remember sitting at a table during orientation with nine people. Five of them were Jewish. This was unreal to me. Wash U is socioeconomically diverse. A large portion of students receive some form of financial aide. On a whole, though, the student body is wealthier than most.

people are pretty cool and really nice, there isn't too much emphasis on fraternities or sororities, you can be in them or not, it doesn't really matter. it's a really liberal campus but if you're religious you won't get made fun of or judged really, unless you start to talk about how you don't believe in evolution, then people will begin to look at you funny. people dress casual but a little preppy, but very hippie-like at all. apparently 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the population is on financial aid, but most people seem well off enough and most are looking to get in a career that will make them money, but also that they think will really fulfill them

Most students dress pretty casually on campus. Wearing a sweat shirt and jeans to class is pretty standard. But some people dress up a bit more or have their own personal style. Most WashU students are from the Midwest. There are a lot of people from Missouri and Illinois (Chicago suburbs). There are really students from all over the U.S., though. I'd say that most students are from very wealthy financial backgrounds. It can be frustrating when students have no concept of money and don't have to work. But there are definitely kids here who are on financial aid; there just aren't as many as you'd think there would be at a school that costs over $40,000/yr.

This Wash U is very open mind and accept everybody, except that I hate hate religion stuff, because they want to meddle with my life.

Wash U students are from all over the country. Most of them come from the top of their high school classes or have scored very high on the ACT/SAT. Most of the student body also loves to be involved with campus activities. Most students tend to meet their close friends through their living situations (freshman floor) or clubs and activities. Students on this campus are very open to different types of people. There is very little racial, religious, of LGBT discrimintation on this campus and everyone is accepting. Most students dress pretty casually during the week. Sweatpants and t-shirts are the most common class attire. People save their nice clothes for the weekends.

My only gripes are that everything here is very expensive; in addition to the whopping tuition, the University charges students extra money for in-room Internet service and cable TV. Food is also very expensive; you pay a premium for the good quality. Another problem is that there's so much construction. The University is bringing up two new buildings right now on main campus, and that means there's two giant holes where there were once either an old building or grass. Finally, St. Louis isn't the most hopping city. There are some good museums in Forest Park and excellent shops and ethnic food on the Delmar Loop, but besides that the city is not safe to be in by yourself. Thankfully, the University isn't located right in St. Louis city, but rather in University City and Clayton, the latter of which is a rich, up-scale suburb of St. Louis. On the whole, campus itself is very safe, and I never feel unsafe walking around campus at night.

The location of Wash U is really beautiful. Perhaps people from green areas might not find it that special, but I am from a dry area of the country and I am so excited by all the trees and the beautiful fall colors. Wash. U is right beside Forest Park which is an enormous green park full of trees, a free art museum, and the free St. Louis zoo. It's a great place to wander around in when you're sick of studying. In fact, last month, there was a big hot air balloon event and my friends and I went and saw all these huge colorful hot air balloons getting lit up.

Campus housing and food are by and far excellent. The modern dorms are especially nice--air-conditioned, carpeted, nicely furnished, laundry facilities, common rooms on each floor. By 2010, all the big dorms on the South 40 (the residential area for underclassmen) will be modern. Food is also great here; most places serve things made fresh to order, and they usually taste good. Still, it's not the same as home-cooked meals, so students here tend to get sick of the food after half a year or so. The campus is quite nice, with big green areas and flower-lined pathways and trees everywhere; the campus is sort of modeled off the quads of Cambridge and Oxford, and it works well.

Wash U is majority liberal/democrat, but you will find plenty of conservative/republican outlets and student groups. The campus is heavily Jewish and Catholic, so don't let that surprise you. There are many places to find part-time work on campus - look into the STaRS program. The Career Center is helpful, but more companies eye Northwestern in Chicago than Washington University in St. Louis - even though we are ranked the same.

WashU's student body is very, very diverse compared to the other schools I have visited. We have a million different students groups here that cater to racial groups, religious groups, sexuality groups, everything. WashU is a school dominated by wealthy students, but its not obvious like other schools. No one flaunts there wealth, so its hard to tell who is on financial aid or not, which is how it should be.

Lots of kids from the east coast. Biggest minority is asian. Wealthy. Unfortunately, WashU does not have a very politically active campus, although Barack Obama has inspired the biggest student following here.

Most WashU students are liberal, the young Deomcrats club definitely attracts more than republicans. There are a lot of New York/Chicago/DC kids, but the student body is very diverse on a whole. LGBT groups are active, and I have never heard of any discrimination taking place. Self-segregation between races (black and white) is common, but not restrictive.

WashU is mostly three things: a third jews, a third asian geniuses, and a third devout catholics. WashU calls itself diverse, but coming from a public school, it's pretty much a joke to consider it diverse. Asians and Indians sure, but there is a minute African American population.

Experience with racial, religious, LGBT, socio-economic and other groups on campus? Lots of Jewish people. Most groups are well accepted on campus, although some racial groups seem to group together. What kind of student would feel out of place? Anything too weird, like a cross dressing or lots of tattoos. A stupid student would feel out of place too. Most students wear to class? jeans or sweat pants. skirts a lot too. Do different types of students interact? Students from different schools do, yes. Yeah, I'd say so. Four tables of students: Blacks, Asians, Jocks, and normal people. Were are most Wash U students from? "A suburb of Chicago" What financial backgrounds are most prevalent? Upper/middle class. I think. It's kind of hard to tell. Politically aware/active? For the most part, I think. Predominantly left right or center? Center to Left. Students talk about how much they'll earn one day? No.

These groups are all great. A really conservative student would feel out of place at Wash U. Most students wear relaxed, comfortable clothing to class. Different types of student interact, although there isn't that much diversity on campus. Many Wash U students are from the Northeast, Chicago, and L.A. Most are rich. Some are politically aware/active, while others couldn't care less. Most students are too the left. Most students, other than business students, don't talk about potential salaries.

No experiences with these groups whatsoever. A racist who was also a strict conservative republican would have to go into hiding. Most students wear jeans, but now the girls are wearing tights all the time, what a mishap. Different types of students do interact. Table 1: Super preppies with their collars popped. Table 2: Girls from NYC with black hair and big noses talking loudly. Table 3: Athletes. Table 4: The rest. Most students are from New England. Financial background is predominantly wealthy upper class. Students are politically active/aware. I'd say majority of students are left of center. Students often talk about earnings, especially in the Business school, which is sad, because life isn't about paychecks.

Not the best but not bad Someone who doesn't want to make friends Tights and Uggs Not purposefully Sorority girls, black people, freshman floor, atheletes The Midwest Upper-Class Not very Left Not sure

So chill. The only thing is, too much division along racial lines - I notice it even though I'm not part of this division.

WashU is very open and liberal and tolerant of different people. this is a rule. of course unfortunately, there are some individuals who don't like certain groups but that's not open and blatant. truth is, you can't change what people think you can only penalize them for acting discriminately towards them. i think WashU can improve a whole lot especially with racial profiling of black students. i heard some police officers even approach them and harass them. i've never seen it happen though but just thinking about that is so sad. most kids here are rich and white. many are Jews. politically we're mostly democrat and liberal but there is a very big portion of conservative republicans. the kids here are very socially aware. there are ALWAYS petitions or rallies about this project or that cause. the students are involved in so many community service or political or environmental or civic justices causes its great!

Students wear alot of clothes with the names of "other, better colleges and universities." Different types of students interact, and students are from all over the country as well as from other nations. Most students are from a wealthy background. Most are politically aware. I have heard alot of people talk about what they will earn "one day."

I think that a lot of students at WashU are overly concerned about their futures, and they are only taking courses that they think will help them succeed in the future. This bothers me because it is a liberal arts school for the purpose of exposing students to lots of different subjects. The purpose of the school is not necessarily to prepare you to be on the track for a specific lucrative job.

There are over 290 groups on campus so there is something for everyone. Most of my experiences with various groups have been very positive as I've learned so much from a different perspective. I don't think any student would feel out of place at Wash. U. because people come from so many places and from so many different backgrounds. I see a lot of North Face on campus as well as Wash. U. apparel. Jeans and shirts seem to be the order of the day. Some students are very open minded and mingle with other groups freely. Others are more close minded and will stick with people like them. It all depends. Many Wash. U. students are from the Chicago and New York area. A lot of the students would be from upper middle class or rich backgrounds. Students are politically aware and somewhat active. Former US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales spoke on campus while Chelsea Clinton made an appearance at our nearby coffee place. Lots of students went to Barack Obama's rally. We're a pretty Democratic leaning campus. There are few Republicans.

The students at WashU are great. While I would argue there is probably a lack of socioeconomic diversity, there is certainly diversity in interests and opinions. For example, Alberto Gonzales was brought to campus and students quickly rallied both in support and in protest of his politics-- students at WashU are not afraid to get involved in causes or say what they mean. There is a huge variety of student organizations you can get involved in on campus ranging from greek life to community service to politics to environmentalism. Students on campus tend to be predominantly to the left, huge support of Barack Obama currently. Everyone on campus is really friendly and basically anyone you know will say hi to you on campus or give you a hug.

Four tables: Involved kids:Student Union, school newspaper, non-traditional fraternity types, RA's, Black Students Association, Indian kids (Divali) Morgan Street regulars: popular downtown bar frequented by those who like to have fun (25 percent of the population). Largely Greek, athlete, affluent. Randos: completely random kids who do not partake in any school activities. Often Asians who stick with one another. Art-school: Hipsters, electics, drug users, occasional crossover with Morgan street crowd.

What I like most about Washington University are the students. Every student is extremely talented, motivated, and outgoing. I learn something new from everyone I meet. Last year, I learned guitar from three friends on my freshman floor. Now my roommate is teaching me to sing. I’ve finally found an environment where people are just as open-minded, creative, and ambitious as I am, and I’ve made friends that I will have for the rest of my life.

no student would feel out place here. students dress very casually and comfortably: jeans and a tshirt is commonplace. all types of students interact. while there is some self-segregation it is rare. most students are financially pretty well off but don't flaunt their wealth. students are relatively politcally active and pretty liberal students strive to be the best that they can.

Students don't wear pajamas to class, but they also don't spend an entire morning getting ready for class. WU students have a good perspective on taking class seriously, while still enjoying being students not yet in the working world. Some stereotypical WU student groups are the sorority girls who do care more about what they look like and often where spandex pants. There are self-admitted "dorky" engineers who are often really fun to talk to. There are students who live for the weekends and parties. And there are plenty of students who don't like to party hard but still have a great time with friends on the weekends. Many students are very politically active, with the entire campus leaning very left. Most people don't talk about future salaries.

While WashU is not a Christian school, there are lots of opportunities for Christian fellowship. Several Christian groups have large group meetings, small group Bible study opportunities, a system set up to get to a church on Sunday, etc.

I notice a lot of racial isolation. I think LGBTQIA students, regardless of the amount of resources available, would be most likely to feel out of place (for example, gender-neutral housing was only recently introduced, and only in two residential areas, but I don't recall any prohibition of mixed- or same-race/religion/socio-economic status cohabitation). Most students wear to class whatever they please. Different "types" of students do interact, although many ethnic groups seem to keep to themselves. When I go to the main dining location on main campus, I usually notice that there is one large table (or two tables pushed together) of black students, and most of the other tables are just a few students, regardless of ethnicity. I have no idea from where most Wash U students come (I really don't care about where "most students" come from--I'd rather know from where the handful of people with whom I regularly interact come). I'm not very interested in any student's financial background either. I hear people say occasionally that without their scholarships, they wouldn't be there, but that doesn't mean they're more prevalent. Some students are politically engaged one way or another. Most students don't talk about future potential salaries.

Political conservatives may feel out of place at WashU on occasion. The student body is very liberal (granted there are some conservatives, too). Students don't typically dress up for class, but few wear pajamas, either. There aren't really cliques at WashU, but rather small groups of friends not segregated based on some certain shared quality or activity (except maybe sports teams). Many WashU students are from the midwest (especially Chicago). But there are students from all over the US and the world. Most WashU students are fairly rich, but I don't think the poorer students feel particularly left out. Many get scholarships.

Wash U students come from all over. Yes there is a large population of students from St. Louis and the Chicago area, but generally Wash U is pretty diverse. However despite the racial diversity, there are still the stereotypical racial cliques on campus and it does take a little extra effort to diversify your group of friends. Cause face it, if you are an engineer and taking all engineering classes you are going to have a lot of engineering friends. But freshman year and meeting people on your freshman floor definitely helps diversity. Many students at Wash U also come from very wealthy families and have a hard time understanding what "financial need" is. But this is usually not a big concern, you just see the financial needy kids with a work/study job in place of an extracurricular so they can make their spending money rather than having it handed to them.

The average Wash U guy is white, charmingly awkward, listens to Guster and wears sweatshirts and jeans everywhere. Girls are approachable, social, and either wear North Face and Uggs or jeans and a sweater around campus. These are huge generalizations, of course; Wash U students come from all walks of life, from socioeconmic backgrounds, blah blah blah. The reality is that the student body is a lot more homogenous than it should be. The Class of 2010 had the most African-Americans in school history, which seems impressive until you read that a total of 91 black students enrolled in my class (although that is a huge improvement over the previous years’ 76). There are almost no Hispanic students on campus either. Even if you take off the racial lens, it doesn’t take long to realize that Wash U students are almost all middle or upper class, left-leaning but politically apathetic pre-professionals. This is not to say that everyone comes from the same background or that there aren’t thousands of unique students with their own stories to tell. It’s just that you can only complain so much about the speed of internet or the lack of a good on-campus franchise eatery before the word “sheltered” crops up. I think what is really missing is some spontaneity in campus life. Sometimes I feel that students have micromanaged their lives to the point that, say, an impromptu trip to Chicago or even getting painted up for a basketball game are out of the question. All the same, the students are this school’s biggest asset. It’s just as easy to talk to Coach-handbaged sorority girls as KWUR New Wave DJ’s. There is a surprising amount of cross-pollination; the point guard of the basketball team might be the most insightful guy in your Shakespeare class and could sing in acappella on weekends. Most people here are at least a little bit awkward and almost everyone is outgoing and social, to the point that privacy becomes an issue; people hang out going to class, at the library, at the gym, doing homework, and partying. Still, if you’re shy, you should know that the best thing you can do at Wash U is to make yourself vulnerable: join a new club, act in a play, rush a sorority or fraternity, or play a club sport. Despite Wash U’s relatively homogenous racial make-up, the various cultural groups on campus are particularly strong. Most put on cultural shows that are pretty popular such as Ashoka or the Lunar New Year Festival. Some of these groups, particularly ones with lots of international students, can be really cliquey.

For the most part, WashU's student body represents a wide range of political views, socio-economic and racial background, and geographic origin. The campus can appear homogeneous at first glance, but with a deeper look into the thousands of students who fill the campus, it can be promised that no two students will turn out alike. The social scene is not broken up into high-school like cliques, comprised of jocks and cheerleaders, nerds and the popular kids. Rather, WashU leaves room for many different niches, that provide outlets for students with broader interests. At the end of the day, students will of course migrate towards other students who are like them, however, this does not create an exclusive environment, but rather a cohesive student body where everyone fits in across a wide spectrum.

There are many groups related to those issues, but I am not a part in any. No kind of student would feel out of place at Wash U, anybody could fit in. Most students wear jeans and a T-shirt to class. Students interact but a lot of the time different races stick together. Four tables at the dining hall (Bear's Den aka BD) one table is filled with a groups of decent looking guys just finished with baseball practices, The next group is primarily of giggle asians speaking in a foreign language. At three in the morning you can find a group of hungry drunk white girls. Finally, a group of typical nerdy guys. But everybody gets along and probably everyone knows each other. WashU students are from all over the world. There is a wide range of financial backgrounds but there is a slight majority in the upper brackets. There is a lot of political activism on campus. Mostly liberal, but conservatives have a good place. Students joking talk about how they will be rich, but almost never seriously. Most students come to learn not to make money, but coming to WashU you can do both.

There are many different groups of people on campus. While most are white, there is a large black community and a large international community. There are some very wealthy people on campus, but generally they do not flaunt it. It is always going to be hard when people come together with different financial backgrounds. Sometimes somebody will want to go out to eat while other friends say they cannot afford it. There is a large liberal portion of the student body and that is reflected by the massive amount of campus events including sex week and LGBT week. Students are also politically involved around campus, with a recent large protest surrounding Alberto Gonzales on campus. If I would walk into Bears Den and see four different tables of people, one table would be guys and girls discussing politics, one table would be a group sitting silently with books open, one group would be discussing how wasted they were the night before, and one group would be speaking a foreign language. Remember that scene in Legally Blonde where she goes to Harvard for the first time and meets other students? And they all look at her funny and don’t understand her? Yeah that exact scene would happen at WashU if someone like that came to school here. But the student body is genuinely nice and welcoming, so I am sure that after a couple days, she would feel right at home. No students dress up for classes. Jeans are the usual with lots of layers in the winter, but you can definitely wear whatever is lying on the floor of your room as well.