Washington College

Date: Apr 20 2017
Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)
I highly discourage minorities from attending. I'm black and I visited the school overnight. They had us stay with students involved with the office of multicultural affairs (black and white females). Once I actually started attending, the director of the program (he's gone now) was cold to me when I tried to introduce him to my dad, and the buddies who I had stayed with either unfriended me on Facebook or just straight up ignored me in person. I feel tricked. Also, it's much harder to make friends here as a minority, I think. It seems a lot of the minority students transfer out freshman year. That happened with all my friends (minorities) and I had a tough time making new ones (they ended up being minorities too). This school isn't exactly "racist," but black/Latinx people aren't approached in the same way. Once during an meet and greet for international and local students, the one African exchange student was left alone. The town is racist. If you're used to being the token colored friend you'll be just fine. Very few teachers of color, too.

Drinking during the weekend, but good luck finding a party if you don't know the right person. Even at the bars people cluster together in groups, so making new friends can be hard. Don't date townies. Just don't. Don't come unless you have a car, but don't drive everywhere or you'll gain weight because food choices past 7:30 are unhealthy. Check the plates in the dining hall before you use them because they are poorly washed and may still have wet, old food on them.

Mental health services aren't great. A friend of mine binge drank and sent suicidal texts, and when I went with him to therapy they just gave him a brochure on the dangers of drinking. I go for my own issues, but often get the feeling that they just want you to power through instead of actually addressing your issues. Suicidal kids often have to take medical leave, so I think many people stay tight lipped. There's been one suicide per year since I've been here.

If it weren't for the fact that I studied abroad for a year, I think I would have transferred as a sophomore. Now, as a senior, I wish I had gone to American University instead. I don't know why I thought this would be a better choice.