Why Washington College?
Our Location.
Among the nation's leading liberal arts institutions, we have a definite advantage. Washington College is situated in one of the most lovingly preserved communities in the United States, on the scenic Chester River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. And we're just 75 miles from the nation's capital. So when Washington's movers and shakers need a respite, they come to Chestertown—and frequently connect with Washington College. The character of the Chesapeake region not only helps define who we are, but shapes your own college experience.
Our History.
George Washington gave us his stamp of approval. An intellectual and cultural hub now in its third century, Washington College holds a significant place in the history of American higher education. Our heritage as the first college of the new nation—founded in 1782 under the patronage of our nation's first president—lives on today in our commitment to educating confident citizens and leaders capable of advancing the democratic and civic traditions of our Founding Fathers.
Our Approach to Education.
We know who you are, and can help you make the most of your time here. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 12-to-1, Washington College is passionate about providing you a truly personalized education, one that tests and stretches the limits of your talents and potential. Our intensely personal approach to undergraduate education is sufficiently distinctive to attract the notice of the national media. The editors of the Princeton Review recognized WC for great teaching and a small student-teacher ratio that fosters a close, supportive atmosphere for learning. Look for us in Princeton Review's 2008 edition of The Best 366 Colleges guidebook.
Quick Facts
Founded in 1782 under the patronage of George Washington, Washington College was the first college chartered in the new nation. Today it ranks among the nation's top 100 selective liberal arts colleges.
Students
- Approximately 1,200 undergraduates from 35 states and 40 nations attend WC. Slightly more than half are from public schools, 7% are minority students; 3% are international.
- Our student-to-faculty ratio is 12-to-1. The average class size is 17 students; only 1 in 7 classes has more than 25 students.
- Of the most recent entering class, 60% took Advanced Placement coursework, 57% played a varsity sport, 43% were members of the National Honor Society, 33% had a music background, and 31% held a leadership position during their high school careers.
Experiential Learning
- More than 50 students participate each year in the College's National Model UN and Model African Union programs.
- The Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows provides nearly $100,000 annually in grants of $500 to $3,000 to support student-designed projects and research activities.
- The Sophie Kerr Prize is the largest literary undergraduate prize in America. The 2007 winner received a check for $60,000.
- The College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience sponsors the annual George Washington Book Prize, a nationally prominent award for the year's best work on early American History.
- We offer more than 40 study abroad programs, more than any other private college in Maryland.
Our Location
- Our rural, 120-acre campus is in a residential community on Maryland's Eastern Shore, about 90 minutes from Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Centers of Excellence
What distinguishes Washington College from other great liberal arts colleges?
Three attributes particularly shape the Washington College experience:
- a history closely connected to the founding of our nation
- our water setting within an environmentally sensitive region
- our reputation as a place that fosters good writing
We have developed three co-curricular centers that amplify these attributes and that typify the standard of excellence in liberal arts education for which we strive in all disciplines.
Maryland's Eastern Shore is a tidal peninsula rich in history, traditions and natural assets, making it an attractive educational resource for exploration and integration of liberal arts studies.
The Delmarva peninsula remains one of the nation's most unspoiled areas, as well as an unusual learning laboratory. Its natural habitat is ideal for the study of archaeology, anthropology, environmental science, estuarine studies, American history, environmental economics, marine biology, land use management, nature writing, and so much more.