Warren Wilson College

The academics here are definitely good (especially in environmental studies) but not top of the line. However, I have already learned a ton in my classes and expect that to continue throughout my time here. Aside from what I've learned in my classes, Warren Wilson teaches more than just academics. I have learned a lot about bicycle mechanics, being a janitor, how to live positively in a close community, what kinds of work go into making every aspect of college life possible, and even a little bit of blacksmithing, just to name a few things from outside the classroom. So I would say that even if the academics alone are not on par with the Ivy League, the overall learning experience can not be beat.

Warren Wilson has saved my life. It is at once the worse and best thing that could have ever happened to me in my life. This school has opened so many doors for me and I still have a year to go.

Warren Wilson College is built on the triad system which consists of work, community service, and academics. Every student is required to complete one hundred hours of community service before graduation. Every student is also required to work at least fifteen hours a week.

One very significant draw of the school for me was its small size (the student body rarely exceeds 900), which creates a sense of community for me; I almost always see friends when I walk between classes, and most of the freshman are housed in one building. Any student who lives on the campus has a job within the school, which helps students pay for the room and board costs, but also creates a more complicated balancing act between classwork, the work program, and daily life. The school, while verbally committed to social justice, has some ineffective practices in that regard (for example, a protest march that didn't leave campus), and I have heard from the students of color I have talked to that there are a lot of implicitly racist attitudes present among the (majority white) students and faculty (I am white too, and by no means above this).

This college has offered my so many opportunities in education that I wouldn't find in many other places. The people here will give me connections to communities that will help me get a job out of college. The Triad program gives me plenty of work experience and volunteer experience.

Warren Wilson is a tight-knit community of thoughtful and dedicated students, staff, and faculty who possess a thorough work ethic, a deep love of service, and a broad range of academic interests. Though a chunk of the week is taken up by work on a specific crew, Wilson students still manage to spend time working in the local gardens, children's programs, and a plethora of other meaningful service projects. Because of the smaller size of the school, there is more time dedicated to each student (whether by fellow students, teachers, or staff) and so students feel a sense of significance and are encouraged to grow in knowledge, experience, and heart.

Warren Wilson is Awesome. It has great opportunities in career experience, academic study abroad, and life experience. It is very diverse culturally, academically and religiously.