Wheaton College (IL) (State)

Wheaton College, located just outside of Chicago, Illinois, is a great option for students who want a school with a "phenomenal" sense of community and "exceptional liberal arts program." It's also an evangelical institution and undergrads here value "the college's commitment to providing a rigorous academic experience through a Christian worldview." As one undergrad explains, "I wanted to come to a school where my faith would be challenged and grown by those around me." Beyond religion, students love that class sizes are "relatively small," which "make it easier to develop relationships with professors and peers." The classroom experience consists of "uniformly fantastic" professors who care deeply and "genuinely want to know about their students' lives." Another incredulous undergrad shares, "They invest time and energy into their students and all are always available for office hours or meals." Wheaton professors also actively look to "involve students in research or mentoring." Just as crucial, they are "super knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject they teach." And they're "always open to questions/challenges and at the same time are willing to challenge and encourage students in a way that maximizes learning." It is truly evident that Wheaton professors "want their students to succeed."

Unsurprisingly, undergrads at Wheaton are "uniformly Christian" and "devoted to serving Christ and His Kingdom." The student body is also "predominantly white" though many individuals insist, "diversity is a big part of the campus conversation." And you will find a variety of "background[s], opinion[s], and interests around Wheaton." As one student interjects, "Wheaton gets a bad rap for being really conservative, but that doesn't mean there's not a diversity of political and theological thought." What's more, students say that their peers comprise of a "caring group of individuals who have fun while living an upright lifestyle." The vast majority are also "hardworking" and "very, very driven." And they're fairly worldly since a good number "have traveled to participate in some type of missions or humanitarian work." Wheaton undergrads are impressed by their fellow students' intellect as well, reporting that they "are exceptionally versatile, excelling in music, art, athletics, and oftentimes speaking multiple languages." Finally, another student praises, "I am consistently blown away by the high intellectual capacity the students of Wheaton College possess, as well as their resolve to live selflessly, and use their education to create a better world."

It's rather easy to lead a fun and fulfilling life at Wheaton. For starters, students have "chapel services every other day during the week, with worship and guest speakers who are simply amazing." Many people also "like to attend events put on by Wheaton's music conservatory." Additionally, the majority of students are rather "active" and a large number "participat[e] in intramural sports." Even if sports aren't your strong suit, the athletic program "encourages non-athletic people to get involved." Wheaton students are also quite adept at finding "creative ways to have fun." For example, "geocaching" is pretty popular. Once the weekend rolls around, lots of undergrads participate in "game night," "movie night," or "college events such as lip-syncing competitions or an interactive art festival." It's also rather common for people to attend both "church and brunch." Of course, when students want a break from campus life, they can easily "take the train to Chicago to enjoy the sights and the lights." A student concludes, "There is never a dull moment here on campus, whether I'm studying or having fun with friends or attending special lectures, concerts, services, or just class. I love life at Wheaton!"