Going to a liberal arts college provides a different curriculum and experience in general, but Wabash offers an entirely new environment. Why do you ask? Well, Wabash happens to be one of the last two all-male colleges in America. Yup, I’m surrounded by dudes, all day, every day. Although it may seem odd at first, the all-male atmosphere fosters a unique competitive spirit among students without the testosterone-fueled fights one might expect. The rules of the college are simple. There’s actually only one: The Gentleman’s Rule. This states that every Wabash man will act as a gentleman on and off campus at all times. Sounds kind of cheesy, I know, but trust me when I say it works. Every Wabash Man is held up to a certain standard that they continue to strive for after they leave the college.
Since we claim the title of an all-male liberal arts college, our academic and social experiences are drastically different from state colleges or other private institutions. Probably the best aspect of private liberal arts colleges is the opportunity for every student to build lasting relationships with professors and other students, as the classes are much smaller and more personable. Class size ranges from Physics 111 with 40+ students to English 260 with four people, including the professor. I mean the entire approach to teaching for our professors is different, as they are getting up in front of a room filled with angsty college guys. Being able to control and maintain an educational environment in a classroom like that requires special skills on its own.
So yeah, being at an all-male college might seem a little odd at first glance, but when you get down to it, it provides a unique experience for young men who want to do great things in life. In preparing to be a senior and looking back on the past three years at Wabash, I wouldn’t change a thing. I made some great friends and connections that will stick with me for the rest of my life, and that is just an added perk alongside the education I gained. Now I’m not trying to say that Wabash is the best--although it definitely is--I’m just expressing how proud I am to call myself a Wabash Man and say I am a part of such an amazingly different school.
In saying all of this, my goal is not to make other private liberal arts colleges seem worse than Wabash, but rather, the exact opposite. I am attempting to promote Wabash to those who may have questions or concerns about attending a similar college or Wabash themselves. My experiences that I have mentioned above are to inform those on what life is like at my small all-male college. If this article helps incoming students, educators, or those wondering about the college experience at Wabash, my goal will be accomplished. Wabash is a place that fosters growth and turns boys into men. I ask those who are deciding on colleges now or in the near future, why be a boy among men when you have the opportunity to be the man?
