Wittenberg University Top Questions

Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

Amanda

A lot of kids are from Ohio, yes, and we do have a lot of student athletes, but SO many of the students wouldn't be able to be here if it weren't for some sort of aid. There's a good racial mix. Witt has a lot to do once you stop hitting the books, other than drinking, if you know where to look.

Amy

Yes

Regan

The stereotype may be accurate, but through scholarship funds and broadened admissions practices the stereotype is slowly being dismantled.

Jesse

They are not, seeing that Wittenberg is a top-ranked, liberal arts institution at which students succeed and strive to do their best.

Alex

We are a small school but not as small as people say. We have a spread out campus over a beautiful piece of land. Also you can go to class and know one or two people and come out knowing everyone in the class.

Brendan

The truth of the matter is Wittenberg has plenty of academic and social opportunities for students. Recently, Wittenberg was voted by the Princeton Review for having the best professors who care about their students and the in class experience. Each year Wittenberg graduates are accepted into top graduate/medical schools, professional jobs or enter into volunteer organizations. On the other side of things, Wittenberg has over 85 student organizations. From Union Board to Student Senate or Athletes for Christ to Astronomy Club, Witt has it all. Also known for their “Witt Wednesdays,” a comedian, musical artist or trivia night are offered as activities for students. With top tier sports teams, a student can always find something fun and exciting to attend.

Lauren

Absolutely false. Yes, Wittenberg’s ticket price is pretty expensive, but many do not pay near that amount. The financial aid office will work with you to help find every option possible to help you afford Wittenberg.

Jesse

ABSOLUTELY NOT! There are tons of people from tons of backgrounds at Witt, which is part of why Wittenberg is so awesome.

John

No, I know at least 75{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the students at wittneberg and all of them are amazing. Of course, you will not like everyone you meet, but the majority of people will love you and want to hang out with you any chance they get

Jordan

In my opinion, the stereotype is accurate. Since Wittenberg is a smaller school, a lot of people know each other and are involved in a variety of extra curricular activities.

Mary

No! While we do have a very strong athletic program, it does not define out student body by any means. Wittenberg has a great community and we love to support each other; whether its on the field, on stage, in the classroom, or whatever :)

Jordan

No.Of course, some students will fit the stereotype, and maybe even perpetuate it, but in general I think these stereotypes are wrong.

Adam

Not at all! I do not come from a "rich" family, so affordability was key. Through scholarships, grants, and loans, I was easily able to pay for it without much worry.

Rebecca

NOT AT ALL!!! Witt is full of people who have money, true, but everyone is SO NICE! People that are in classes with you suddenly become your best friends and can't pass you by without a nice "hello" or a ten minute conversation, it's such an awesome place

Aubrey

Some. There are many wealthy students who go to Wittenberg, but many are not stuck up and extremely nice. Students come from all over the United States, not just the east coast.

shelby

i dont know yet. i'm an incoming freshman

Blake

These stereotypes aren't accurate, Witt students are very hard working and have high standards to follow.

Jordan

Some stereotypes are true, but not many.

Andy

Yes- I am super busy all the time.

Emily

While we may be a campus that does tend more toward the prep and sporty sides because we love to be active and social, there are students from all walks of life here, and as long as you are looking, you will find a niche to fall into.

Will

Not at all. Wittenberg is such a diverse school with kids from every backround. You have a great community and students are really proud of everything we do here. Not to many kids think they are better than everyone else. You WILL walk across our beautiful campus and be greeted with several smiles. There is a lot of Spirit and Excitement.

Bryan

Sure, to an extent--while Wittenberg may not always be the fantasy land we might make it sound like, it's a place where I always feel welcome. It is refreshing to know that I can talk to just about anyone I see on my way to class in the morning.

Erin

Yes, actually even more than I expected. I remember in high school hearing about how easy it was to get involved on our campus, and thinking that it was something I probably wouldn't do, being an athlete. Now I am an officer for two different major campus organizations and have met so many people outside of my athletic realm, which is different from high school. Whats also great about the involvement is that people blend well. Different sports teams support each other, as well as greek organizations, and people from all different backgrounds and interests can become the best of friends here at witt.

Jennifer

Yes, for the most part

Brian

These stereotypes are true.

Nicole

Not really, yeah sure there are some people who fit the description, but isn't there some at every school. The overwhelming majority of Witt students are nice and kind. We have a tradition of always opening doors for others and saying "Hi" to everyone. We are a community, a family, not stuck up rich kids.

Alex

Not at all. My closest friends represent Catholicism, Judaism, and Christianity (Lutheran), in addition to other religions. The majority of Wittenberg students are on some type of financial aid, often employed the university and rarely present themselves as being "privileged."

Andrea

for the most part, yes. but they can be taken in different ways. to me being preppy isn't a bad thing, but to someone else it could be.

Madison

No way. There is a number of well-off students, but that myth was debunked in a poll last semester.

Chris

Nope. 1. A lot students here are broke and most of the students that are well off, are not flashy or arrogant 2. Many students are, especially if you're from where I'm from, but being friendly is a good thing!!

Amy

To some degrees they are accurate and for other studetns they are not.

lauren

yes! it's why i came to witt--because every time i visited campus, everyone was so friendly.

Cassidy

No, not necessarily. Most students are on some form of financial aid.

Jordan

Not entirely. One of Wittenberg's greatest strengths is its people. They are some of the most down-to-earth, unique, caring, and fun individuals I have ever met. Although overall Wittenberg students are not poor--I would say the average student is middle to upper-middle class--there are still a number of students who are supported entirely by mom and dad. With that being said you would never know it. most everyone here is hard-working and real.

Allison

I wouldn’t characterize Witt students as poor, but to say all students are extraordinarily wealthy is inaccurate. Witt is extremely generous with its aid packages. Most students will be the first to admit that without their scholarship, they couldn’t afford to come to Witt, and the package is a big part of why they’re here. I have friends who have taken out significant loans to come to Witt, whose parents aren’t paying for any or much of their education. Witt is lacking in racial diversity as well as having a high number of international students. Yet this is also something that the institution recognizes and is working on increasing. Hopefully it should be changing in the next few years. In general, there are a lot of students from Ohio at Witt, but the number of Ohio graduating seniors is on the decline, forcing Witt to look to other geographic areas to recruit students. The class of 2012 had a closer to 60/40 split in terms of Ohio/out of state. The “Witt Bubble” is what students make of it. Wittenberg requires students participate in community service to graduate (27 hours + time for reflection), which forces students to get off campus and into the community. It makes students aware of the issues faced in the Springfield community. Witt also subscribes to the New York Times, with copies available in academic buildings, dorms, and the student center. This helps expose students to what is going on off campus at a national and international level as well Finally, while it may feel like everyone is Greek during recruitment or Bid Day, in reality, only 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the campus is part of Greek life.

Betty

Wittenberg doesn't have to be a bubble if you're willing to explore the Springfield area. There are many service and social related opportunities to interact with members of the Springfield community in a positive way.

Lauren

Wittenberg, although it may not appear diverse at first glance really is. We have people from all walks of life—from minority students, to international students and a handful of “Ohio Kids.” Diversity at Witt is definitely growing. To say that we’re all rich too is definitely false. I can tell you personally that I would not be here if it weren’t for my financial aid package. We have students from either end of the political spectrum here at Wittenberg. Although sometimes it does seem more left-winged, Wittenberg definitely has its people that lean in the opposite direction. During the elections this year, yes you did come across those people who were clearly supporting one candidate over the other, but at the end of the day it really didn’t matter. Everyone here is accepted, regardless of who you voted for. Yes. We are affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. No. We’re not all super religious. Your faith is your choice here at Wittenberg. We do have activities and outlets for students to practice their faith, however no extracurricular faith involvement is required. Whatever faith you practice, or don’t you can come to Wittenberg and feel as a part of the community, and there are probably people here just like you too. We have all sorts of faith here, from Lutherans, Catholics, to Non-denominational Christians, and Jewish. Really our affiliation with the church gives us our philosophies and values behind education. I think the “Witt Bubble” is a choice. Wittenberg really encourages students to break the boundaries of campus and get out and involved in the community. If students take this advice, and venture into the community they will realize it has a cool history, a great community arts program, tons of things to do, places to visit (or eat) and some really interesting people. Go out, get involved, burst the bubble! Is there partying at Wittenberg…yes, but it is not the only source of “fun” around here. If a student wants to party they can, however there is so much more to Wittenberg. If you don’t party, you don’t have to, and you’re always welcome to come out and just hang with your friends. Witt has a ton of activities and organizations for students to get involved in. There’s Post-it, a student talent show on Friday nights, concerts, a newly renovated (and sweet) game room in the student center. There are theater performances, athletic competitions, intramurals, concerts, movies, Frisbee golf, and so much more to do here!

Ben

There are some students that do have money to toss around, but for the most part I think the stereotype is false. Also there are very few pretentious students here.

Alex

Every campus is different, but Witt has a great deal of diversity. There are your jocks and the girls who think the world of themselves, but you will also see international students walking around campus. I feel that Witt's diversity creates a closeness on campus.

Meredith

Yes, to some extent. But I really like the bubble!

Ted

-Not everyone is an athlete, we have a storied Athletic tradition here and around 600 of the 2,000 students here are athletes. Our Basketball and Football Teams are the "Most Winning" teams in all of Division III, so with 21 varsity sports there is always a great sporting event to go watch. Wittenberg is also ranked as being one of the top liberal arts schools in terms of extra curricular activities offered. Therefore, there is plenty to do other than play sports, and it certainly isnt true that everyone plays sports -Not everyone at Wittenberg is a rich white kid, altough current demographics may reflect such we have alot of minorities and international students at the school who are active and contributing members to the university. We have a number of school organizations that cater to the needs of all the diverse ethnicities here on campus. -Wittenberg has a phenomenal party scene for being a small school. With Juniors and Seniors living in houses owned by the university that snug right up to campus there is never a lack of a good house party to attend. There are also a few local bars that depending on your age may or may not let you in to enjoy the fun they have to offer. -Although Wittenberg is located in Ohio there are people from all across the nation, including lots of people from the east coast and Chicagoland areas.