Washington & Lee University Reviews

Frats rule everything here at W&L,...

Frats rule everything here at W&L, and that makes for an amazing party scene with free everything. The bar scene is almost non-existent (only two in town), but who needs bars when there are four or five frat parties going on at any given time?

Freshmen can bring cars, but the...

Freshmen can bring cars, but the parking lot is very far away. Otherwise, parking is scarce.

Well, if by public transportation...

Well, if by public transportation you mean your feet, then it's great! Honestly, I don't think I've seen a public bus or a taxi cab in Lex (although cabs are available). W&L does have Traveller, which runs at night to take students to and from the major party scences, a shuttle to Wal-Mart during the weekend, and campus security, which will give rides at night from campus to dorms.

Facilities on campus used to be...

Facilities on campus used to be crappy, but this year they have completely renovated Leyburn, Wilson Field, etc. The University is excellent about updating facilities as they get out-of-date. Commons is a great place to hang out, get some food, and generally waste time.

There are no real bars or clubs....

There are no real bars or clubs. Every party here is a fraternity party, making drinks very available and very free. If you really are a bar person, and want to find one, you should not come to W&L.

Transportation at W&L is the...

Transportation at W&L is the worst. Traveler is actually useful at night, three times a week, from 10-2...but besides that? I don't think so. An all-night cab company would make millions here.

Parking is a bit tough. Freshman...

Parking is a bit tough. Freshman can bring a car, but the freshman lot is very far away.

Town is within walking distance,...

Town is within walking distance, so it's not a problem. Getting to Wal-Mart or Kroger is harder, but most students have cars, and now the university offers a weekend shuttle to Wal-Mart.

The parties are great, but they...

The parties are great, but they start and end early compared with other schools. People here go out from around 8 p.m. to 2 p.m. As a freshman, making friends with some upperclassmen who can give you a place to pre-game is a must. After pre-gaming, people normally hit whatever fraternity is hosting a DJ/band party. There are also the country houses, which are fun options when the weather is good. Also, I wish I had better equipped my wardrobe for theme parties. If I dressed up for every theme party, I'd be in a ridiculous outfit three times a week. Except for Macado's, the bar/club scene is non-existent. The fraternity dance parties and parties at off-campus houses more than make up for the lack of bars. Also, they keep the cost of a night out way down.

It is pretty easy to park around...

It is pretty easy to park around campus if you are a junior or senior because there is a parking garage right next to campus. Sophomores and freshmen live close enough to walk to campus, and freshmen can keep cars on campus, but they have to park them in a lot that is off campus.

The parking deck is short walk...

The parking deck is short walk from campus, but it's only for juniors, seniors, and sophomores living in dorms. The freshman parking lot is a five- to ten-minute walk from the main part of campus but not overly inconvenient.

Don't bring a car as a freshman....

Don't bring a car as a freshman. The parking lot is really far and you'll just end up driving everyone around if you pledge a frat.

Most parties are either in frat...

Most parties are either in frat houses or off-campus houses. They involve a lot of drinking and guys trying to pick up girls. The two main bars in Lexington are Macado's and The Palms, which both have horrible service, but Macado's has the best food, which makes up for the lack of service.

Even the ‘loser’ frats manage to...

Even the ‘loser’ frats manage to throw fun parties, albeit with a very particular audience.

There is a lot of interaction...

There is a lot of interaction between Greeks and independents, and generally everyone has both Greek and independent friends. The students are also pretty accepting. You won’t be ridiculed for deciding to be an independent. The student body is so small that it is relatively easy to interact with a great number of people, whether Greek or not.

I knew that I wanted to come to...

I knew that I wanted to come to W&L from the second I drove up, and it’s met every single expectation that I had. The Honor Code is everything I expected, and the profs were more challenging—and yet more genuine—than I expected.

W&L is not for everybody. I’ve...

W&L is not for everybody. I’ve ended up really liking it because I’ve found people who share my interests. But then there’s some people that the school’s just not suited for. Make sure you look into the school extensively—spend the night if you can. Know that it’s almost exclusively Greek—you have to be a really independent person to thrive here and enjoy it if you’re not going to get involved in the Greek system.

Local police are not at all...

Local police are not at all student-friendly. I once got a ticket for unloading my car outside the freshman dorms. However, W&L security guards are wonderful and very helpful to students. Unless you park illegally—then your car will be towed.?

I love W&L, but there are certain...

I love W&L, but there are certain things about it that you need to like if you’re going to enjoy yourself. First, you have to be cool about being at a really small school. You have to be comfortable enough with yourself if you’re not from the South. Second, you should probably be okay with being in the Greek scene. Also, we don’t inflate grades here. Yeah, you might be really smart, but it won’t be easy. It’s well known that certain teachers hate on freshmen.

I know that a W&L education means...

I know that a W&L education means a lot—the alumni network is ridiculously good. The fact that you survived is cool enough. Let’s not talk about graduating, because I love it so much. I’m actually contemplating going into law school here because I love it so much.

Several of my sorority sisters did...

Several of my sorority sisters did not drink at the beginning of the year, some of them for moral reasons. Now I am the only member of my pledge class who does not drink. While I have never felt directly pressured to drink, W&L’s social scene largely revolves around alcohol. I think that many students are indirectly pressured to drink.

The police are pretty strict and...

The police are pretty strict and are looking to give W&L students tickets; students learn quickly to drive the speed limit through VMI and to never walk outside a party where cops have congregated unless you are walking to the Traveler vans.

Townies aren’t big fans of...

Townies aren’t big fans of students, but they sometimes have the right to be annoyed with us because we tend to forget that there is more to Lexington than W&L.

Students naturally tend to...

Students naturally tend to segregate themselves, mainly because of the Greek system. ‘I’m an SAE’ or ‘I’m a Chi-O’ is almost always attached to somebody’s identity, whether it’s good or bad. Don’t get me wrong, the Greek system is great, and I really enjoy it. But it certainly has its stereotypes.

Lexington police hate us. Our...

Lexington police hate us. Our security tries to scoop us up before the real cops can throw us in jail—they like to try.