The Webb Schools - Review #18

Every year we had an outdoor camping trip to bond with our classmates. These trips fostered an appreciation for nature, strong friendships, and personal development. Against the backdrop of a warm fire and towering trees, we also discussed moral character and The Webb Honor Code. These trips and discussions are still relevant in my personal life and remain a guiding force in my decision-making.

I learned to appreciate the process more than the results. Webb champions on discipline, integrity, and leadership. Over the years, I learned that these characteristics must be developed on a daily basis.

Nothing. It's easy to second-guess decisions in hindsight but I tried to make the best decisions with the information I had at the time.

Webb is very small so graduating from The Webb Schools is a very collective experience. My graduating class only had 44 people. Therefore, Webb has a very strong alumni network and most almuni respond to emails. Going through these shared experiences and inside references-- whether it's the Honor Code or a psychology experiment at the dinner table-- has helped me build relationships with my classmates.

Try to learn more about professional sports (NFL, NBA, etc) if you don't have that knowledge. If it's not interesting to you, a cursory knowledge still helps with breaking the ice. It may seem stereotypical, but I've spent so much time arguing and debating professional sports at Webb and in college.

Webb gave me a toolkit that I can use in a variety of situations. It's not about studying one certain type of problem, memorizing the steps, and trying to apply it to everything else. Instead, I was presented with a certain problem or text, carefully analyzed it to develop a solution or argument, and defended my positions in a round-table discussion with my peers. The process matters far more than the solution. My peers and I were also able to self-select classes based on difficulty and were not penalized for taking less rigorous classes. There can be diminishing returns to studying excessively so Webb tries to strike a healthy balance between academics, extracurricular activities, and social life.

Everybody is required to play a sport and there are plenty of spots available for less talented athletes. My friends would call me a below-average athlete if they were being generous. Even with my athletic limitations, I was able to play basketball on the freshman team. I had a good time playing my favorite sport and bonding with classmates on the court. Everybody has an opportunity to participate in sports and live a healthy lifestyle.

I'm not too familiar with the visual arts or theatre program, but I played the clarinet in orchestra for three years and also took a music theory class with Dr. Nelson. Dr. Nelson and mentoring students in music (and life) go together as well as peanut butter and jelly, or hamburgers and hamburger buns. Dr. Nelson introduced us to a variety of musical styles and his passion for mentoring young musicians manifested itself in every class or conversation I had with him. He possesses knowledge on almost every topic and music is only a small part of his academic repertoire. I enjoyed my time in the music program and highly recommend a class with Dr. Nelson for those who don't play an instrument.

There are around thirty clubs on campus which can be grouped by academic interest, sports, and leisure. In addition, there are many opportunities to volunteer through the community service council. My one compliant is that most clubs don't meet very frequently and don't do very much on campus. However, the lack of activity within the club system provides an opportunity for future students to start a club, distinguish themselves, and gain valuable leadership experience.

I was a day student but had plenty of opportunities to hang out with friends in the dormitories. I also could eat dinner after sports practice and use the library at night. Day students felt welcomed by the boarding community and had access to all of the resources at Webb.

All of the meals were buffet-style with the exception of a formal dinner two times a week. The kitchen staff was very friendly and it always felt like you were getting a home-style meal.

Claremont is a college town known as the city of trees and PhDs. The movie theatre and great restaurants are only about a 5-minute drive away from campus; Webb had shuttles over the weekends. In addition, Los Angeles is only about 45 minutes away so there are plenty of options available to students.

Most of my friends excelled in certain field such as academics, sports, or social life. I had the fortune of associating with motivated and accomplished individuals that pushed me everyday to get better. At the same time, we pushed each other in a collaborative and friendly--rather than competitive or cutthroat-- fashion.