W&J
A Liberal Arts Education for the World
A History of Distinction One of the nation’s oldest and most distinguished four-year colleges of liberal arts and sciences, Washington & Jefferson College has spent more than two centuries educating thousands of students who have become leaders in every professional field. W&J is a modern institution with roots that extend back to the frontier days—to the days when America was fighting for independence. The College continues to be a leading national liberal arts college, and is committed to developing students one at a time through personal attention. The founders of Washington & Jefferson College were thoughtful, learned people who believed a person needed a well-rounded education to participate fully in the social, political and economic life of the country. It is a belief that W&J still holds today, and an essential component of our liberal arts tradition. Every year U.S. News and World Report ranks W&J among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. What’s more, W&J offers a first-rate education while remaining affordable, being named a “Best Buy” both by Barron’s and The Fiske Guide to College. W&J is committed to your personal, professional and academic development. Take a look. We’re sure you’ll find that Washington & Jefferson College continues to be a revolutionary place.
W&J
Campus A Community Amongst
a Metropolis
Washington & Jefferson’s campus is nestled amongst the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania in the city of Washington, a community of more than 15,000 people, 50 kilometers/30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. W&J’s campus is only a 30-minute drive from the Pittsburgh International Airport, which is within a 90-minute flight of 70 percent of North America’s population. Few cities of any size match Pittsburgh’s offerings in the performing and visual arts, world-class museums, and variety of restaurants. Students easily can travel to Pittsburgh on the Pipeline—a shuttle running directly from campus into downtown Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is the second largest city in Pennsylvania, and the 13th largest in the United States. At a recent G-20 Summit, President Obama recently described Pittsburgh as “a world-class city” that “has transformed itself...and serves as a model for turning the page to a 21st-century economy.” While the city is historically known for its steel industry, today its economy is largely based on health care, education, technology, robotics and financial services. Pittsburgh was named the “most livable city” in the United States by Rand McNally (2007), Forbes (2010) and the Economist (2011) and the 29th-most-livable city worldwide by The Economist. An alumnus of W&J, Luke Ravenstahl ’03 has served as the mayor of Pittsburgh since 2006, becoming not only the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh’s history, but also the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city.
The Liberal Arts: An American Tradition Most people think about attending a college or university to gain preparation in a specific career field. A liberal arts education prepares the student for more than a career. The benefit of attending a liberal arts college is that the student body is smaller, and therefore classes are typically much smaller than at larger universities. Perhaps the best benefit is that all courses are taught by inspiring and devoted faculty members who hold a doctorate or the highest degree in their fields. Faculty members at liberal arts colleges are scholars and recognized experts in their fields. No classes are taught by graduate students, which can be the case at larger research universities. Faculty members who teach at liberal arts colleges make a deliberate choice to place teaching as their top priority, which means you will be their top priority. Students who choose to study at liberal arts colleges do so because they value a close relationship with their professors and because they want to take an active role in their own learning. W&J faculty members won’t just be your professors; they’ll be your mentors, advising you on selecting classes, providing information about careers and graduate programs, and challenging you to reach further to discover options you never before considered and talents you never knew you had.
Robert Paul Luc ’03 Singer and Songwriter Manager of Medicare Brokerage Sales, UPMC Health Plan
“At W&J, the subjects I studied ran the gamut from art to econometrics. Because I did not limit myself, I gained a broader view of life and an understanding of how disciplines are interconnected.”
A liberal arts education prepares the student for a lifetime of learning by educating the whole student through a broad curriculum. Furthermore, a liberal arts education ensures that you develop useful skills that will benefit you as you ascend in your chosen profession. No matter what you study, your instructors will challenge you to find ways to apply the ideas and methods of inquiry you learn to the world at large. You’ll leave W&J with the skills you need to continue learning for the rest of your life.
Top-Notch Academics What do you imagine the W&J classroom experience to be? Forget about the idea of a large auditorium of students passively listening to a professor’s lecture. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1 and an average class size of 15, W&J helps you build close relationships with your professors and engage in the kind of learning that comes from real dialogue. All classes are taught by master teachers who are caring mentors and advisers, and research opportunities with faculty members abound. Learning at W&J is interactive. Many courses—whether science, humanities or social science courses—are collaborative. From lively class discussions to classes with hands-on research, close student-teacher interactions encourage creativity and exploration.
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W&J’s student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1, with 68% of classes having fewer than 20 students.
Faculty members at Washington & Jefferson College routinely receive grants from prestigious national agencies, organizations and institutions, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Fulbright Program, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the ASIANetwork-Luce Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. When professors receive prestigious grants, they rely on their students to collaborate with them for their research.
All these opportunities add up to one thing—students graduate with
Dr. Roman Wong
strong skills that can be put to use
Professor of Mathematics
immediately after graduation. More than 90 percent of W&J’s
During the last two summers, Wong received grants to conduct research with several of his math students.
seniors seeking employment find work in their fields or attend
“Dr. Wong gets very involved with his students and gives them amazing opportunities to do research on campus. At the national math conference in San Francisco, we presented alongside some of the smartest mathematicians in the nation.”
graduate school upon graduation. W&J’s pre-law and pre-health programs are internationally known. W&J has been ranked first in the
country per capita for producing
— Chelsea Cerini ’11
lawyers and ranked third in the country for producing doctors and medical researchers.
{
More than 90% of W&J students who apply to law or health-related schools are accepted. That’s more than twice the national average.
}
}
Campus Life: Opportunities That Engage At W&J we also believe there’s more to the American college experience than going to class and studying. Finding a college that is a perfect fit for you is about fusing together your goals for the future with your current passions and interests.
Outside of the classroom, our students fill their days by taking advantage of the countless activities W&J offers. Do you like to write for the school newspaper? Check out the Red & Black student paper or Wooden Tooth Review literary journal. Is performing your passion? Join the W&J Student Theatre Company or one of several music ensembles. Do you play a sport? W&J offers intramural sports as well as 25 NCAA Division III teams. Our students are extremely active and creative with their use of time, and with more than 80 clubs and organizations to choose from, there is something for everyone. Another defining aspect of the liberal arts college experience is the opportunity to live, study and engage with your fellow students, 24 hours a day. More than 90 percent of students live on campus, and housing is guaranteed all four years. Your classes, the library, science labs, the Commons Dining Room, facilities for performing arts and athletics, and more are just a few minutes’ walk from your residence hall. At W&J, we believe that there’s much more to college life than just academics. It’s about making connections with other people, setting the groundwork for your future, and learning to thrive in our fast-paced world. W&J puts valuable resources at your fingertips so that you can get the most out of your education.
The Admission Process Washington & Jefferson College welcomes applications from international students and strives to make private higher education affordable by providing merit awards for outstanding international applicants. Applying to Washington & Jefferson College is simple. W&J accepts the Common Application and you may apply online at www.commonapp.org or www.washjeff.edu/apply. You also may request a print version of the application form from our Office of Admission by emailing us at admission@washjeff.edu or calling 724-223-6025. International applicants are evaluated for admission based on academic, extracurricular, and personal achievements. At W&J, we look beyond beyond test scores and grades in determining the admissibility of each student. Though standardized test scores can be a useful tool in evaluating your preparedness for college, we believe that a student is more than a set of numbers. Therefore, the submission of standardized testing is optional should you choose to present yourself in an interview. If you wish to schedule an interview instead of submit standardized testing results, you may contact the admission office to set up a Skype or on-campus interview. All non-native speakers of English are expected to submit a TOEFL or IELTS exam, sent directly from the testing service. If you are certain that Washington & Jefferson is your first choice, you may wish to apply Early Decision (ED). Applying ED is binding, which means that if admitted, you commit to enrolling at W&J. Students who wish to receive early non-binding notification may apply Early Action (EA). The EA plan permits students to be notified ahead of the regular April 1 deadline. International students are eligible to receive merit scholarships, but must be prepared to meet all college expenses through personal sources. Please note that for priority consideration for merit based scholarships, you must submit your application and all supporting credentials by January 15.
W&J Fast Facts Founded: 1781
Enrollment: 1,460
Male/Female Ratio: 50.5/49.5
Top Majors: Business/Accounting Psychology English Political Science History W&J offers more than 25 academic majors and a variety of pre-professional and special programs, including engineering, entrepreneurial studies, education, Chinese, environmental studies, law, medicine, information technology leadership and more. Tuition: $35,960
Room and Board/Dining: $9,560
- W&J consists of a 60 acre suburban campus with more than 50 academic, recreational and residential buildings - 98 percent of W&J graduates complete their degrees in four years. - W&J boasts the 26th highest study-abroad participation rate among baccalaureate institutions in the country.
Application Schedule Early Decision (binding) Application Deadline: December 1 Early Decision Notification: December 20
Regular Decision (non-binding) Application Deadline: March 1 Regular Decision Notification: April 1
Early Action (non-binding) Application Deadline: January 15 Early Action Notification: February 20
Candidates’ Reply Date: May 1
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60 South Lincoln Street • Washington, PA 15301 724-223-6025 • www.washjeff.edu/admission/international-students Scan or visit our international application page today.
www.washjeff.edu