For those students looking for a challenging undergraduate experience with the right balance of work and play, you’d do well to consider Wash U in St. Louis.

When I was choosing schools, I learned pretty quickly the kind of place where I wanted to be. UChicago: too much working. Dartmouth: too much partying. These are both important parts of the college experience, but I think they need to be in balance. WashU for me struck this perfect balance in its academics, students, and campus life.

A mid-size school in a mid-size Midwestern city, WashU offers all the activity of a city with all the peacefulness of the suburbs. Its mid-size student body (about 7,000 undergrads) also means that you have a wide range of choices for extracurricular activities. WashU students tend to be very involved outside of their classes. StudLife, the student newspaper, volunteering, a cappella groups—if you’re interested in it, chances are there are twenty other people who are too.

WashU students are a high-achieving bunch who know how to buckle down in the library during the week (expect to spend more than 20 hours a week there—at least the chairs are comfy!), but who also know how to have loosen up on the weekends. And being in a city like St. Louis, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and have fun. Delmar Avenue, named one of the “10 Greatest Streets in America,” is literally a 5 minute walk from campus; this is one of the most popular destinations for people taking a break from studying to go get Korean food or Bubble Tea, or for those who are more interested in bars and concerts on the weekend. Delmar is one of the cultural centers of campus, and everyone learns to spend lots of time there.

Meanwhile, the city of St. Louis has a lot to offer students looking to get out and explore. Right across the street from WashU is Forest Park, a famous park complete with a zoo (and it’s free!), hiking/jogging trails, and an art museum, among other attractions. I got used to spending a lot of time here after class, especially in the fall and spring.

Walking around campus, it’s easy to tell the students’ laid-back attitudes. At the first hint of spring, people are lounging around in front of the library with books, friends, and picnic blankets. Unlike a lot of other top universities, the academic environment is very non-competitive. The kind of cutthroat antics you hear about--like students sabotaging others’ projects so that they can get a higher grade—simply doesn’t exist here. Professors put a huge emphasis on group projects and presentations, and collaborative papers, so as to reduce this kind of zero-sum mentality. You’re here to learn from your fellow students, not to conquer them.

For those who want the academic, professional, and extracurricular variety of a big school, with the small class sizes and tight-knit community of a small school, you should definitely consider putting WashU on your list.