College of Wooster

Academics

The College of Wooster in Ohio is a small, personable “tight-knit community” that offers “a truly stellar education” to those who attend. Mentoring is a huge focal point of Wooster’s academics, and the “resources are endless” for those looking to take advantage of things like “numerous opportunities for research and internships.” Independent study is a highlight of the undergraduate experience, and the school “teaches research and how to apply skills learned to the outside world.” This “very open school” challenges its students to succeed both in and out of the classroom, and “the staff pushes [the college] to change with the times in the classroom and around the campus.”

Professors at Wooster are “hidden gems” who are all “very passionate about their subjects” and their goal “to shape their students into lifelong learners.” “It’s as if your professor is your colleague on your quest for eternal knowledge,” says a freshman. These intimate ties between student and professor are “what makes Wooster such an incredible place.” “My professors, both past and present, know more than just my name,” says a student. “My success is a product of my professors’ enthusiasm toward their subject matter and our futures,” says another. The work may be “challenging,” but it “teaches students how to write exceptionally,” and there is “plenty of help from professors, TAs, [and] peer tutoring.” “Collaborative work and experience” are stressed, and classes are set up “in a way that allows people to learn from their peers as well as their professors.”

Research plays a “huge” role at Wooster, especially with senior year Independent Study, when students are given the opportunity to work with a faculty mentor on a project in any topic they are passionate about—and “they can do so much with it.” The institution is also aware of the effort that students must put in to have success and “is realistic in its expectations for students’ learning.” As one student best sums it up, “Wooster is a community of learners working together to help one another reach their full potential and goals.”

Student Body

“The life force of this school is really our fantastic student body,” says a student. This “unparalleled” community is made up of “quite a range of people,” but most are “quirky,” “friendly,” “open-minded,” and “liberal.” It’s also a “very involved” student body (“school spirit is huge at Wooster”), so a typical COW kid “tends to be in a hodgepodge of sports, clubs, music groups, etc. that suit their fancy.” There are “very few social cliques” and everyone is friendly and “willing to interact with one another.” Students here are “very accepting of different personalities, beliefs, and ways of life.”

Campus Life

“The character of the campus community is friendly beyond measure” at this “dazzling” campus. People are usually “busy in the library doing homework or working on their Independent Studies,” but everyone finds time for (typically multiple) extracurriculars, which “run the gamut of recreational pastimes.” “We have just as many students in our music ensembles as we do that play sports,” says a student. People enjoy using the weekends to relieve the stress of a rigorous academic schedule, and the majority enjoy “socializing” at the fraternity or program houses, or going to the on-campus club called “the Underground” on Friday nights.

For those who choose not to party, there are “many other recreational activities for those who are not in sports or who do not enjoy drinking,” and the college “is very good at bringing in entertainment,” such as “comedians, professional music artists, and forum speakers which are all free to students.” A student run weekly flyer, The Pot, helps “keep students up to date on all of the campus events happening.” A lot of the time, though, “students will just hang out together and relax.”