Is Whittier College actually good, or is it just known because Nixon went there?

[AnneG]

Every time I mention Whittier College, someone says: "Oh, isn't that where Nixon went?" Yes. That was 80 years ago.

What about now? I've looked at rankings. Whittier is fine. Not top tier. Not bottom tier. Middle. But I visited last spring, and something felt different. The students were engaged. Like, really engaged. Arguing about ideas in the dining hall. Working on projects together in the library. A current student told me: "Whittier isn't famous. But the education is solid. And the professors actually care." But is solid worth $50,000 a year? I found a review on Niche that said Whittier is "a hidden gem for students who want small classes." Hidden gem or overpriced secret? I still can't tell

 

[Anne]

I almost went to Whittier. Chose a UC instead. Sometimes I wonder.

Here's what I learned from my visit: the students there are weird in the best way. They're not pre-professional. They're not grinding for Wall Street. They're reading philosophy and arguing about ethics and doing theater and writing poetry. That's rare.

If you want a career-focused school with name recognition, Whittier isn't it. If you want a liberal arts education where you actually think about ideas? It might be perfect.

The Nixon thing is a trivia fact. Ignore it. The real question is: do you want a small, discussion-based, intellectually intense environment? That's what Whittier offers. Whether that's worth $50k depends on what you value.