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Washington & Jefferson College
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Washington & Jefferson College - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler1.93

Diversity

C-
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 3%
Asian American 1%
Hispanic 1%
International 0%
Native American 0%
White 84%
Unknown 10%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 30%
Common States of Residence
  • Maryland
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 1%
18-19: 47%
20-21: 47%
22-24: 5%
25+: 0%
Female Faculty 41%
Male Faculty 59%
Faculty Diversity African American: 1%
Asian American: 6%
Hispanic: 2%
International: 3%
Native American: 1%
White: 87%
Unknown: 0%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Traditionally speaking, W&J is not very diverse. With all of the scholarships the College awards, economic differences vary more than anything else. However, even after taking scholarships into account, most students tend to come from well-off families and have some money to burn. As far as racial and ethnic diversity, the Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs, often in conjunction with minority groups like the Asian Student Association or the Black Student Union, helps bring tastes of other cultures onto campus, providing more representation than the student body itself provides. We’re not entirely white-bread here at W&J, but a cursory glance makes us look pretty close. Unless you take the time and effort and really probe another person about what makes them themselves, you just won’t find any significant diversity at W&J. Here, it’s more about the diversity of thought and mind rather than skin and bank accounts. You’ll get to know frighteningly intelligent students as well as those who are just good old-fashioned stupid. You’ll meet staunch orthodox believers living down the hall from strict atheists. You’ll see an overly-caffeinated bio student working on cancer research sharing a table with the spacey philosopher caught up on the definition of “is.” You may go semesters at a time without having a class with an international student, or more than one or two students of a different race, but after you graduate, you’ll carry with you the thoughts you exchanged, if not the races and citizenships of the people you came to know.

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Washington & Jefferson Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Washington & Jefferson College

danicbri

'15

Business Administration and Management

3.8
B+

Diversity on Campus

I feel that most people on campus are accepted despite various diversities they may possess. There are people of various races represented here, but the vast majority of the student population is white. Many of the students come from similar economic backgrounds i feel, coming from families of stronger economic standings. Various political beliefs are represented throughout campus. I have not seen much public display of a wide variety of religions. The only religious groups I have encountered are Christian. As for sexual orientation, I feel that the campus as a whole is rather accepting of people despite any variations in sexual orientation.

Nov 14, 2011

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Diversity at Washington & Jefferson College

kermit567

'15

Political Science and Government

3.5
B

Not Bad

Diversity is what you make of it. Find it and it will reward you. Avoid it and it will avoid you. My suggestion, meet some international kids, they're cool.

Nov 13, 2011

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Diversity at Washington & Jefferson College

Jordy224

'15

Pre-Medicine Studies

4.2
A-

People Don't Seem to Judge

My experience here so far has shown that unlike high school, groups here seem to mix more, and people are a lot more accepting. One example that I have seen is that a straight male student is very good friends with a gay male student. It does not seem to bother them that they have different sexual preferences.

Oct 10, 2011

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Page 1 of 7

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

The vaguely left-leaning tendencies of the student body do not hinder openly gay students, though there is some degree of social conservatism among the students that does not particularly encourage them. The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) is the major player on the scene for gay and lesbian awareness and the promotion of understanding among the College population. A considerable number of professors display the “Safe Zone” sticker on their office doors, showing their openness to discuss issues of intolerance and lend whatever help they can to gay and lesbian students.

Political Activity

There is a constant undercurrent of political activism on campus, but it does not typically bring itself to the forefront of student life. There is no clear-cut political leaning of the student body as a whole, though the most politically charged groups tend to have a liberal slant to them. A recent visit by vice president Dick Cheney brought most of the student body to the streets, more to protest than to support, but strong scenes like that are rare to say the least. Protesting is not a favorite pastime for students here, and tempers rarely flare in public displays. The most political-minded students tend to find their way up to rallies and events on the University of Pittsburgh campus.

Economic Status

W&J has mostly upper-middle class kids, though nearly a quarter of students here are first-generation college students.

Most Common Religions

Still somewhat true to its origins, W&J has something of a Presbyterian population, though it is by no means the majority. Alongside that stands a mix of Christian denominations and a considerably smaller Jewish population. The Newman Club offers Catholic students a place to talk and attend mass just off campus, across from Old Main on College Street. The Hillel Society serves as its Jewish equivalent, though without the nearby accommodations. In the spirit of balance, or perhaps rebellion, the student body has a healthy vein of atheists, not surprisingly less organized than their faithful counterparts, who can occasionally be spotted in the library behind a copy of Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra. A rough majority of students fall somewhere around agnosticism, and religion is rarely a major issue on campus.

Minority Clubs on Campus

Though W&J may keep small enrollment numbers, it also hosts a bevy of minority clubs. Groups like the Gay-Straight Alliance are active throughout the year, sponsoring the occasional speaker and holding meetings, while other groups like the Asian Student Association (which holds Asian-cuisine dinners) and the Black Student Union (which throws occasional mixers) tend to stir into activity a few times a semester. Religious groups like the Hillel Society, the Newman Club, and the Orthodox Christian Fellowship keep mostly to themselves, convening and operating at their leisure, mostly under the radars of most students.

Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at W&J

Name: Dylan Jesse

Major: English/Philosophy

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