Uni in the USA: A British Guide to American Universities and Colleges > All New: Colleges and Universities Added in 2009 > Lewis and Clark College (new review!)
Portland, Oregon
Undergraduate School of Arts and Sciences: 1,964
Law School & Graduate School of Education and Counseling: 1,598
How many LC students does it take to change a light bulb?
8 - two to organise a cake-bake fundraiser, 5 to write a song about it, and one to change it.
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Lewis and Clark is a hidden gem of a Liberal Arts College. With a beautiful campus and small but friendly and diverse student body, this is an option seriously worth considering for those who like their education broad and on their own terms. Much is achievable here, and the experience is guaranteed to be a happy and fulfilling one.
The Campus
The campus at LC is small and green (in both senses of the word), thirty minutes south of the centre of Portland on the “Pioneer Shuttle” that runs every hour. The buildings are pleasantly spaced across the 130-odd acres, with neatly defined areas for classes, residence and sports. The architecture and setting is vaguely reminiscent of a leafy French chateau, set on a wooded hill above the city with views over the sweeping landscape of Oregon and the spectacular volcanoes Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood. The gardens and trees are delightful, with a beautiful terraced garden for strolling and pensive moments on the east side of campus.
The campus does not feel squashed, but it is small enough for everything to be on hand and easily navigable. It’s size, together with the university’s requirement that students spend at least their first two years living on site (unless they are already residents of Portland), foster an unusual degree of community and cohesion among the students. Dorms are arranged in themed blocks, including a fantastic international house, and are allocated according to questionnaires completed before starting at the college, meaning that in theory you share with people with similar lifestyles – a system that apparently works very well.
Students complain about the food options available, but there are a number of collegiate cafes on campus, as well as the dining hall in the main student building, with a good range of meals available. Sports facilities are not bad for a small college, with a gym, swimming pool and tennis courts all available.
The Lewis and Clark student
LC has a west-coast hippy reputation, but with its own flavour, different from the student demonstrations of Berkeley or the modern counter-culture of Seattle. Students at LC like to do cake-bakes in aid of Darfur, rather than shout their demands for human rights from the roofs of police cars. What is typical of the LC student body is a warm friendliness and a willingness to open themselves to new experiences and people.
The large chunk of international students (including more than 120 “Third Culture Kids”) influences the general mood of the college. Among the Americans, a large proportion hail from California and the North West, most of them straight from high school. When asked what their favourite aspect of the school is, LC students frequently say things like “the international atmosphere” or – touchingly - “that everyone is so friendly”.
Even so, some students grumble that LC can be a bit “cliquey”. This is not a reflection of elitism or overly-wealthy students (it is more common for rich kids at LC to fake poverty than vice versa), but more an indication of the tight social groups that form in most universities. Athletes keep to themselves for example, and though students are what can be called individualistic, they are often so in groups – as seen most famously in “the gang that decided it was never going to shower”. Of course, in their case a lack of social interaction was no shocker.
Hitting the Books
LC is often stereotyped as the laid-back younger-brother to nearby Reed College’s (over)work ethic, but students at LC still do plenty of work. The work load varies by subject, but you give as good as you get – students who are naturally hard-working will not find it difficult to work to their potential, but those who favour a less rigorous approach to their studies may not be pushed to do more than the minimum. “Standards of academic exertion,” said a relaxed LC student we spoke to, are “in general kind of low”.
Students extol the helpfulness of the teaching faculty, saying that professors are “high quality, friendly and always available”. Class sizes are small (average 19) and the student:faculty ratio is 12:1, meaning lots of individual attention for those that seek it.
LC is an excellent place to study certain subjects; its programs in International Affairs, Environmental Studies, Psychology and Biology have won national reputations, and Political Scientists are increasingly high-flying, with several winning impressive awards. Foreign Languages are also popular and well taught, enriched by the high number of international students.
Important symposia are held at LC in fields including Gender Studies, Environmental Studies and International Affairs, attended by some of the highest-ranking practitioners of those fields. Study-abroad opportunities are a big draw, with about half the students taking semesters in countries across the world. LC has one of the top debating teams in the country.
As might be expected, creative arts are big here, with several professional writers and poets on the staff, a famous classical music department and two prestigious art galleries on site. The college has held two worldwide symphonic festivals in the past five years and professional-level performances in Dublin and the Greek islands.
Social Life
Students here mention a “bubble” when talking about LC’s social life. Although there are ample opportunities for hitting the pretty funky town, social activities are generally contained within the campus, which doesn’t feel part of Portland at all. If you hate the idea of being adrift in a big city, or being a small fish in a big pond, the LC “bubble” – with its friendly parties, communal music-making and hippy-flavoured activities – may provide the perfect security blanket.
Sports do not dominate (or even factor in) the average LC student’s free time, and Greek Life is non-existent (students don’t miss it!).
Outside Those Ivory Walls
Portland blends the modern west-coast metropolis with rough-and-tumble pioneering attitudes. So there is liberal politics, but no sales tax. Like its northwestern neighbours, Seattle and San Francisco, Portland is accomplished in the arts, and brims with alternative culture outlets and micro-breweries. It is not far from several natural gems (to which LC organises regular excursions) and enjoys a temperate West Coast climate.
Getting In
Not hard, but getting tougher, with the application success rate now under 60%. Interviews are optional. LC is not cheap, but happily (and very unusually) financial aid is available to international students as well as locals as part of the effort to maintain diversity in the student body. About 15% receive aid on a needs-based basis, with the average aid package covering about half the tuition costs. Scholarships are also available for the brightest and best.
Famous grads
Becca Bernstein – artist
Earl Blumenauer – successful politician and congressman
Monica Lewinsky – notorious White House intern and intimate associate of Bill Clinton