This week's College: Washington College, Chestertown, Maryland
Washington College, founded in 1782 was the very first college that was chartered in the United States of America (as an independent nation, free of British Rule) so they come by their name pretty honestly, and awfully proudly. Good old George was the one who gave them 50 guineas to start the place up and even served on their initial Board of Visitors and Governors. So you know, they were pretty stoked to name the place after him. The mission of the school was the mission of the new nation: mold fine young men into new citizen leaders who would become the next wave of stewards ready to run the nation like their Revolutionary heroes had.
So flash forward a few 100 years and the mission remains the same but with a lot less racism and sexism. WAC is still dedicated to doing this, but they want to put it into your hands and give you the chance to make your own way forward and forge your own path: success on your own terms. They offer a close knit, student directed learning environment, with hands on learning and plenty of chances to determine your own course of study. Washington is small, 1400 students, with a faculty student ratio of 1:10 and an average class size of 12, so you’ll get plenty of attention here. And with a 4,700 acre campus on Maryland’s eastern shore, you will also have plenty of chances to explore their living lab and research facilities while still being just a day trip ride from Washington, DC.
Students choose Washington for the WC Standard which consists of several components. Firstly there is the concept of Learning Without Limits. At Washington, learning is not confined to the classroom by any means. Whether you are exploring ways Maryland can reduce traffic fatalities through applied GIS, discovering the truth about a family secret while working with UNESCO in Paris, or working for one of the world’s largest supply chains in China during internships, you are learning very valuable skills, information, and material. Students at Washington take advantage of that 4,700 acre River and Field campus too in the excellent Environmental Studies program. On a Chesapeake Semester, students study the ecosystem of the Chesapeake, but also the culture and history of it. Fieldwork and research done outside of the classroom, volunteering, internships, all of this is education and valuable to your growth.
The Written Word comes next with a focus on writing in every area of the curriculum. All students will have a senior capstone project, no matter what their major is. First years all have a first year seminar that focuses on writing, research, revision, and presentation. The classes will appeal to everyone: Close to the Edge: Hip Hop Turns 40, Feminism and the #MeToo Movement, Horror Films and Society, Monsters, Aliens and Superheroes: Pop Culture and Evolution, Schools on Film, Jane Austen and Fan Culture, Ethics and Profits in Globalized Medicine, Food, People, and the Planet, The Science of Reality TV, Exploration in the Age of Sail. There are prizes for writers but unlike some schools they are not limited to English majors, and the literary house on campus hosts all kinds of events on all kinds of writing, again not limited to an English department.
Environmental Action is a major underpinning of life at WAC. The campus focuses on sustainability with the guidance of their Center for Environment and Society. They are extremely supportive of student sustainability programs as well and up to now have seen things like bike sharing, back to tap, and food recovery network flourish. They also have a huge college garden that is the first certified bee campus in Maryland.
History Informing the Future is an important aspect of WAC. As a liberal arts college, and one that was founded as such, Washington takes its mission to preserve the past but use it for the future extremely seriously. Home to the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, WAC has an extensive collection of oral histories and is dedicated to preserving the past. In addition they boast a state of the art maker space with amazing digital media resources and are a leader in digital humanities.
Finally, Meaningful Connections is the thing that WAC stresses above all else, connections with your peers, your mentors, and your professors. In a school this size, it’s easy to meet people for sure, but for connections to be meaningful, you have to be seen and that is precisely what will happen here. This is why I personally love a small school. You will see faculty in the stores, coffee shops, restaurants. They will see you in the classroom, but outside too. That is also where you get to know each other. And that is how you get the best connection.
Academically there are plenty of majors to choose from since you are allowed to craft your own at any time. And there is engineering through the Columbia University exchange. There are a number of honors societies you can take advantage of and there are the Presidential Scholars who consist of the top students. There are perks that come with this like co-curricular activities, free dinners, and some scholarship opportunities.
As far as athletics go, WAC is a DIII school and does not have football. It does have women’s DII Crew though and plenty of Intercollegiate Crew for all. It has baseball and basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer and swimming. In the unusual sports category is skeet shooting, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. There is club equestrian, sailing (multiple kinds), some rugby, and fencing. About 30% of students on campus are engaged in sports of some kind.
It’s a healthy place to be, even if you’re not an athlete. Folks get out here. They’re on the water so there is a lot to do there. Use it as a study space, hang out with friends, or grab a kayak or a paddle board. Students are engaged here in community service doing everything from working with local children tutoring in the schools, working with programs that help with food insecurity, helping with the elderly, and working to preserve the Chesapeake. About 20-30% of campus is Greek so for those who want to have a fraternity/sorority life there is one. It’s not overwhelming but it’s hearty. There are plenty of clubs to participate in: Musicians’ union, Computer, Poetry, Relay for Life, Future Animal Professionals, Writer’s Union, S.H.I.E.L.D. (a student wellness club), Knitting, International Relations, Encouraging Respect for Sexuality, College Republicans, College Democrats, Photography, Amnesty International, and plenty more, including arts, acapella, and organic gardening along with club sports.
First year students live together, with first year STEM students having the option to be together in a dorm separately from other first years for additional support and in kind interest. You will likely be in doubles and will have a roommate. There are several dorms you could live in, so you do get some choice in the matter. Fridge and microwaves are allowed, but think about if you really need them. This is a sustainable campus. They are serious about that.
Is Washington College for you? This is a school full of some very bright students with a lot of drive. It is an ideal school for those of you who want to try something different or who are very self directed. For folks who want a strong Environmental Studies and Sciences there is a lot to offer here. The best part about it is that it’s not a school that has a lot of applicants. While a school of a similar calibre has 8,000 applicants for 325 spots, WAC does not. And that means that you have a shot at some scholarship money. Getting a private college education for a public school price is always an excellent option in my book.
Pros:
Cons:
Washington College, founded in 1782 was the very first college that was chartered in the United States of America (as an independent nation, free of British Rule) so they come by their name pretty honestly, and awfully proudly. Good old George was the one who gave them 50 guineas to start the place up and even served on their initial Board of Visitors and Governors. So you know, they were pretty stoked to name the place after him. The mission of the school was the mission of the new nation: mold fine young men into new citizen leaders who would become the next wave of stewards ready to run the nation like their Revolutionary heroes had.
So flash forward a few 100 years and the mission remains the same but with a lot less racism and sexism. WAC is still dedicated to doing this, but they want to put it into your hands and give you the chance to make your own way forward and forge your own path: success on your own terms. They offer a close knit, student directed learning environment, with hands on learning and plenty of chances to determine your own course of study. Washington is small, 1400 students, with a faculty student ratio of 1:10 and an average class size of 12, so you’ll get plenty of attention here. And with a 4,700 acre campus on Maryland’s eastern shore, you will also have plenty of chances to explore their living lab and research facilities while still being just a day trip ride from Washington, DC.
Students choose Washington for the WC Standard which consists of several components. Firstly there is the concept of Learning Without Limits. At Washington, learning is not confined to the classroom by any means. Whether you are exploring ways Maryland can reduce traffic fatalities through applied GIS, discovering the truth about a family secret while working with UNESCO in Paris, or working for one of the world’s largest supply chains in China during internships, you are learning very valuable skills, information, and material. Students at Washington take advantage of that 4,700 acre River and Field campus too in the excellent Environmental Studies program. On a Chesapeake Semester, students study the ecosystem of the Chesapeake, but also the culture and history of it. Fieldwork and research done outside of the classroom, volunteering, internships, all of this is education and valuable to your growth.
The Written Word comes next with a focus on writing in every area of the curriculum. All students will have a senior capstone project, no matter what their major is. First years all have a first year seminar that focuses on writing, research, revision, and presentation. The classes will appeal to everyone: Close to the Edge: Hip Hop Turns 40, Feminism and the #MeToo Movement, Horror Films and Society, Monsters, Aliens and Superheroes: Pop Culture and Evolution, Schools on Film, Jane Austen and Fan Culture, Ethics and Profits in Globalized Medicine, Food, People, and the Planet, The Science of Reality TV, Exploration in the Age of Sail. There are prizes for writers but unlike some schools they are not limited to English majors, and the literary house on campus hosts all kinds of events on all kinds of writing, again not limited to an English department.
Environmental Action is a major underpinning of life at WAC. The campus focuses on sustainability with the guidance of their Center for Environment and Society. They are extremely supportive of student sustainability programs as well and up to now have seen things like bike sharing, back to tap, and food recovery network flourish. They also have a huge college garden that is the first certified bee campus in Maryland.
History Informing the Future is an important aspect of WAC. As a liberal arts college, and one that was founded as such, Washington takes its mission to preserve the past but use it for the future extremely seriously. Home to the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, WAC has an extensive collection of oral histories and is dedicated to preserving the past. In addition they boast a state of the art maker space with amazing digital media resources and are a leader in digital humanities.
Finally, Meaningful Connections is the thing that WAC stresses above all else, connections with your peers, your mentors, and your professors. In a school this size, it’s easy to meet people for sure, but for connections to be meaningful, you have to be seen and that is precisely what will happen here. This is why I personally love a small school. You will see faculty in the stores, coffee shops, restaurants. They will see you in the classroom, but outside too. That is also where you get to know each other. And that is how you get the best connection.
Academically there are plenty of majors to choose from since you are allowed to craft your own at any time. And there is engineering through the Columbia University exchange. There are a number of honors societies you can take advantage of and there are the Presidential Scholars who consist of the top students. There are perks that come with this like co-curricular activities, free dinners, and some scholarship opportunities.
As far as athletics go, WAC is a DIII school and does not have football. It does have women’s DII Crew though and plenty of Intercollegiate Crew for all. It has baseball and basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer and swimming. In the unusual sports category is skeet shooting, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. There is club equestrian, sailing (multiple kinds), some rugby, and fencing. About 30% of students on campus are engaged in sports of some kind.
It’s a healthy place to be, even if you’re not an athlete. Folks get out here. They’re on the water so there is a lot to do there. Use it as a study space, hang out with friends, or grab a kayak or a paddle board. Students are engaged here in community service doing everything from working with local children tutoring in the schools, working with programs that help with food insecurity, helping with the elderly, and working to preserve the Chesapeake. About 20-30% of campus is Greek so for those who want to have a fraternity/sorority life there is one. It’s not overwhelming but it’s hearty. There are plenty of clubs to participate in: Musicians’ union, Computer, Poetry, Relay for Life, Future Animal Professionals, Writer’s Union, S.H.I.E.L.D. (a student wellness club), Knitting, International Relations, Encouraging Respect for Sexuality, College Republicans, College Democrats, Photography, Amnesty International, and plenty more, including arts, acapella, and organic gardening along with club sports.
First year students live together, with first year STEM students having the option to be together in a dorm separately from other first years for additional support and in kind interest. You will likely be in doubles and will have a roommate. There are several dorms you could live in, so you do get some choice in the matter. Fridge and microwaves are allowed, but think about if you really need them. This is a sustainable campus. They are serious about that.
Is Washington College for you? This is a school full of some very bright students with a lot of drive. It is an ideal school for those of you who want to try something different or who are very self directed. For folks who want a strong Environmental Studies and Sciences there is a lot to offer here. The best part about it is that it’s not a school that has a lot of applicants. While a school of a similar calibre has 8,000 applicants for 325 spots, WAC does not. And that means that you have a shot at some scholarship money. Getting a private college education for a public school price is always an excellent option in my book.
Pros:
- 4,700 acre living campus
- Small size
- Experiential learning
- Close to home
- Lots of choice
Cons:
- High acceptance rate
- 35 majors (not 135)
- Small size
- No football
- 60% women 40% men