The following reviews are the views of students or alumni at this school and are unrelated to the school data and other editorial content on usnews.com. These reviews neither reflect nor impact a school's position within the Best Colleges rankings.
I dont know that I could pick one thing as the best thing about Western. I would probably change some of the building they all look the same and its pretty boring. I would say the school is just right size, it is big enough to get the university feeling but you can still walk pretty much anywhere on campus in 15 minutes. Some people react by saying something about all the parties but others just say that its a good school. When I'm not in my dorm I spend most of my time on campus at the college of business or the Bernhard center in one of the computer labs. Kalamazoo is a great college town, the downtown area is really sweet and there are tons of places to eat and several movie theaters close by. Our new president is really cool he walked up to me one day in the lunch line and just started talking to me, he is really down to earth. The biggest recent controversy was that the university spend a ton of money on a dumb little parking lot thing with tables and plants in it and it never gets used. I would say that people are pretty proud to be a bronco. I will always remember sledding on lunch trays down the massive hill behind East Hall. The most frequent complaints are that there isn't enough parking on campus.
Brad Sophomore
I love the campus, but the one thing i would change is the bus route. it'd be nice to have it really planned out. I think the size of western is perfect, it's a little big college with the perks of a big and little university. people tell me i go to wastern when i tell them where i go and it's irritating. I spend most of my time on campus because i live and work in the dorms and have friends who live here with me. There is NO COLLEGE TOWN things are very widely spaced here and it is irritating and difficult to not have a car. The administration here is good. I love the psych department and they always do they're best to help me when i have questions. I think there is moderate pride-it won't be out and out but people like this school. WMU is a typical college but i love it. I think it's irritating just how spread out things are. but that's about it
lydie Sophomore
The best thing about WMU is that there are things to do that are relatively close to the campus. No one feels that they are in the boonies, and just have dirt to play with. I would change WMU's parking stickers. I think that anyone that has a sticker can park anywhere on campus. It sometimes is difficult to find a parking spot. The school's size is just right. Most of my town goes to WMU, so they really don't 'raise an eyebrow' when I tell them where I go. Kalamazoo is defintely a college town. I really don't have an opinion about the administration. Controversy? @ WMU? Where? I think there is a lot of school pride at times. I think Lawson Lunatics show a lot of love for the hockey team. The Lunatics stick by the team through thick and thin. There is nothing about WMU that is unusual. The one experience I will remember is picking up my books for the first time. What a hectic experience. The most frequent student complaint is about the parking, or lack there of on campus.
For me, Western was the only place I ever wanted to go. When people ask me why I chose it though? I can't ever find the right words to explain it. From the first time I stepped on campus, I felt like this was my home. There's so much school spirit, especially at hockey games, and there's always something to do. The surrouding Kalamazoo area is an integral part of the Western experience as well. It's a great college town, but there are also places you can go where you forget that Kzoo is home to three colleges. The entire atmosphere at Western is charged with this energy, I feel it everywhere I go. I feel proud to call Western my home.
Kaelyn Sophomore
The best thing about WMU is the people. They're all so friendly and willing to help out. Incredible friendships are easy to come by. Also, the size of the school is perfect; it's neither too big nor too small. Everything on campus is within ten or fifteen minutes walking distance. Western students are definitely filled with pride. While most students usually show their pride by wearing Bronco apparel like sweatshirts, t-shirts, and beanies, on game days, students step it up a notch. Whenever there is a sports event, students paint their bodies brown and gold, they slap temporary Bronco tattoos to their faces, and theyÕll walk around as Western superheroes with a Western flag tied around their neck as though it were a cape. When I'm hanging out on campus, I can usually be found in the dormitory lounges-- usually the Draper lounge. My friends and I get together and have movie marathons, or we'll play pool or ping pong. However, if I'm not on campus, I can be found in Downtown Kalamazoo. There are several businesses and restaurants that offer discount prices for WMU students. Also, students don't have to pay bus fares which makes traveling easy and affordable.
Jackie Sophomore
In my opinion, the best thing about WMU is the fact that it is a liberal school. Most of the students are easy going and get a long well with others. Fellow students generally don't look down upon one another based on their areas of studies or financial status. The one thing that I would change about WMU is the number of people who are on campus handing bibles and other religious literature. Its not that they shouldn't be there, it is that they should respect fellow students who do not believe in the same things that they do. The students (or elders) who pass out the informational literature can be quite pushy from time-to-time. WMU is just right in size. It is not too big or too small, which really shows in the classroom. Often times, you have a class of 30 or so students which really allows you to interact with your classmates and professor, to get the most out of the class. The only classes that consist of about 300 students are general education classes which are required by all students in order to graduate. I have never had a negative reaction when I tell people that I attend WMU. I spend most of my time on campus either in the arts & sciences buildings (Sangren, Sprau, Moore, Dunbar, and Brown [when it opens back up from construction]), but I also spend a large part of my time in Waldo Library and Bernhard Center, which is where the 24 hour computer lab is and the area where and the on-campus bookstore. Kalamazoo is definitely a college town. Kalamazoo College (which is a private university) is also in town, so there are lots of bars and other activities to participate in. We have lots of cultural and arts festivals throughout the summer and a very large art community. Also, there is a area known in town by campus called the student ghetto, which is where most students who live off campus reside. In that area there are houses and apartments to rent in abundance, most within walking distance to campus. From my experience, WMU's administration is adequate. The financial aid department is a little rough to deal with sometimes, because of all the issues they are always having with getting loans disbursed on time, other than that, everything is okay. The last controversy I can recall on campus was when WMU's President Judith I. Bailey was fired, I believe it was the fall of 2006, maybe 2007. I believe that there is a decent amount of school pride. Many students attend football games and wear WMU clothing around campus, it just depends on whether or not they show it.
Andrea Senior
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