Top 3 Questions About Life at Whitman

We asked students and their families what they most wanted to know about attending Whitman College.

Here are the questions that were at the top of the list — and answers from those who have been in your college-decision shoes: current Whitman students.

1. What’s it like living on campus and what are some activities you can participate in to get involved?

“I've been involved with intramural sports, study abroad, Residence Life, Greek life and more! Students are also quite politically active on campus and there is an abundance of opportunities to get involved in any sort of activism you want. If there isn't a group for your purpose already, you can also create one.”  — Whitman senior

“Campus is beautiful — we definitely get all four seasons. We have a very welcoming, supportive community. There are many activities to do in Walla Walla, but there are also a TON of activities/events on campus (like concerts, speakers, intramural sports).” — Whitman senior

“My favorite thing about Whitman is going sound pretty cheesy and broad, but I like the culture. It feels like a safe space for students to really try new things and become passionate in all sorts of different things. There is definitely a level of competition because it's a very good school, but there's also, everywhere you go, just a culture of support and really helping each other which I think is probably pretty unique to Whitman.”  — Whitman first-year

“When I visited Whitman, it was one of the prettiest campuses I had ever seen. Seeing everyone hanging out outside, being a big community, and not just being in their own little friend groups, was really cool. So I felt like even with such a small school you’re able to become part of a huge community, which was really awesome.”  — Whitman sophomore

2. What's it like to live in Walla Walla?

“The town of Walla Walla is small but not tiny, and the downtown area has a lot of really cool shops and restaurants that help it feel less ‘middle of nowhere.’ One of the things I'd really recommend is exploring the area. It gives you a totally different sense of place. There are so many hidden gems in Walla Walla that it never really gets boring!” — Whitman senior

“I think in general life at Whitman can look whatever like you want it to be. There are so many different opportunities to have fun when you do have free time — that's I think one of the biggest myths is that there's nothing to do in Walla Walla, which is false. There are things to do and there are always people to learn from and get to know in the community.” — Whitman junior

A few favorite Whittie spots around town: Colville Street Patisserie, Graze, Sweet Basil Pizzeria, and we can’t forget burritos! Stop by Taqueria Mi Pueblito — eating Taq burritos with friends in the wheat fields outside Walla Walla is a Whittie tradition.

“I'm from Wisconsin where we don't have mountains. But I really wanted to learn how to telemark ski. So I actually took a class through the Outdoor Program that was just a day trip, and I was terrible at it, but it was super fun. I got to go out with my friends. And there are also opportunities for students that are really, really experienced in certain things. So backpacking, rafting, skiing, I mean, like you name it, they have it in the Outdoor Program. A lot of students get involved. But there's also a lot of students who choose not to. So it really is there if you want it. And if you don't, it's all good.”  — Whitman sophmore

Let the adventures begin!  Whitman’s Outdoor Program  has you covered. You’ll find the space and opportunities to explore your passions, amazing places and new skills.

3. Will it be easy to get into classes I want?

“I can honestly say that I got into exactly the classes I wanted both semesters of my first year! It’s good to have backups because that doesn't happen to everybody, but a lot of classes leave room specifically for first-years to join. I managed to get into a few closed classes by talking to professors. For example, I got into Intro to Environmental Studies, my favorite class, by talking to the professor and indicating my strong interest even after the class was full.”  — Whitman first-year

From a history major:

“I have never had an issue getting a spot in history courses.”  — Whitman junior

From a sociology major on class size:

“I would say that an introductory class is about 40 students, which is the largest you'll find at Whitman. The upper level classes get smaller, especially your 300-level classes. My smallest sociology class was only five people! I would say that all classes manage not to exceed 15-20 students at most.” — Whitman senior

From an English major on all the variety:

“I really like the variety of classes offered — there are classes from various time periods and areas, not only British and American literature, but also postcolonial, African American, and Native American literatures, so there's a lot to choose from! The department offers creative writing classes in fiction, nonfiction and poetry, and each of these genres has classes in the beginning, intermediate and advanced level. These classes are a lot of fun, and themes and reading lists will change. You could take an advanced creative writing class more than once, and produce two very different bodies of work.” — Whitman senior