火爆社区

Westmont College is a small 鈥淐hrist-centered鈥� bastion of the liberal arts in sunny Southern California that 鈥減rovides a phenomenal education鈥� and 鈥渁 spiritually nurturing environment.鈥� Highlights include small classes, more than 80 majors and pre-professional programs, and a 鈥淢ayterm鈥� that affords opportunities to study around the world. There is 鈥渁 lot of homework,鈥� and 鈥渘o matter what the class, the professors involve God in some way.鈥� 鈥淭he administration gets the job done,鈥� and while bad teachers 鈥渄o exist鈥� here, the 鈥渧ery personable鈥� faculty members 鈥渢ake a genuine interest not only in the academic well-being of their students, but also their personal, relational, and spiritual lives.鈥� Professors are 鈥渇un to hang out with,鈥� too. 鈥淎 group of us regularly watches cheesy old movies at one prof鈥檚 house over homemade dinner,鈥� reports a senior. 鈥淲estmont feels very sheltered from some of the harsh realities of the outside world. It has an unrealistic cozy feeling to it,鈥� admits a junior. 鈥淗owever, it is also an environment which is especially proficient at fostering educational growth.鈥�

Westmont students are 鈥淐hristians who want to help the world be a better place.鈥� Most grew up 鈥渟urrounded by church and church members for the majority of their lives.鈥� Not everyone is 鈥渢he sold-out Christian who is seeking God in everything鈥� but just about everyone is 鈥渋nterested in a personal relationship with God.鈥� 鈥淭here is a remarkable sense of community here.鈥� 鈥淭he weirdest of us all have people who truly care about them,鈥� asserts one student. Westmonters are 鈥渦sually healthy-looking鈥� and 鈥済enuinely nice.鈥� They are 鈥渟erving, caring,鈥� and 鈥渃reative.鈥� 鈥淢ost are fairly wealthy.鈥� For whatever reason, a whole lot of guys play the guitar. Politically, 鈥渢he largest on-campus political group is conservative鈥� but there are 鈥渆nough lefties and righties to keep hot topics hot.鈥� 鈥淢issionary kids who have grown up all over the world鈥� add some variety, but many students lament an overall lack of ethnic diversity.

This 鈥渂eautiful and peaceful鈥� campus boasts 鈥渂reathtaking views of the mountains and the ocean.鈥� 鈥淒orm life is very communal鈥� and the campus is generally buzzing with intramural sports, theater productions, concerts, and activities galore. 鈥淧eople take advantage of the gorgeous Santa Barbara weather,鈥� too. 鈥淏onfires at the beach鈥� are commonplace and Westmont could well be the Christian surfer capital of the world. Fun is often 鈥渧ery G-rated.鈥� 鈥淒rinking happens鈥� but it鈥檚 鈥渁n underground thing鈥� that occurs off campus, mostly when students 鈥渉it up clubs on State Street.鈥� Rules concerning alcohol and much else here are 鈥渁 little strict.鈥� 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 have the door closed鈥� when a person of a different gender is in your room, just for example. Many students call Westmont鈥檚 mandatory 鈥渢ri-weekly chapel鈥� 鈥渁 blessing.鈥� Others call it 鈥渘ap time.鈥� Also, 鈥渙nly juniors and seniors can have cars鈥� and Westmont鈥檚 grub could improve. 鈥淭he food is perhaps some of the worst that I have ever eaten (except when I try to cook for myself),鈥� says a freshman.