Evaluating Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri has long been known to guidance counselors and people in the know scholastically, as an excellent academic school. On a more commercial level, U. S. News has listed Washington University as one of the top 20 schools among U. S. Colleges and Universities. Amazingly enough tucked between two Ivy League schools , Dartmouth at #11 and Cornell at #13 , Washington University in St. Louis appears on the list at #12. Students considering Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri can easily discover why this school has risen steadily to near the top of the academic pile.

Goal Oriented. When our daughter entertained the possibility of applying to Washington University we thought she was talking about going out to the West Coast to, obviously the state of Washington. Not so, she informed us. There was another Washington University. Oh we thought its another one of those University of Miami in Ohio tricks. What we quickly learned about Washington University, besides the fact that it was located in St. Louis, Missouri, was what a goal oriented school this truly is.

As a family we attended a regionally presented orientation to Wash -U and all it has to offer, which we determined after the fact to be quite considerable. Naturally at such a presentation one expects the presenter to do all in his or her power to put the most enticing image of the university before students and their parents. And this he did, but with a difference. The film and discussion was clearly aimed at attracting students, but a certain kinds of students. There was nothing in the presentation that said "lots of parties" or "great social life". There was no come on based on outstanding sports teams or national sports championships.