A view of Winona State University campus from the top of Garvin Heights.
My last post focused on why I chose Winona State University to continue my education. But perhaps, my personal story about finding a home here didn’t click for you, so I asked a few of my friends and fellow students their reasons for attending WSU.
Maybe one of their stories will convince you that WSU just might be the school for you, too.
Many students I talked to were drawn to WSU’s beautiful campus and the scenic bluffs.
Allison said that she visited Winona in 9th grade with her family, and then when she was looking at colleges two years later, she still remembered the campus and how pretty the bluffs were.
ake echoed this sentiment saying, “Winona is awesome…the bluffs are sweet [and] long night walks along the lake are fun.” When I asked Brittany why she chose WSU, she replied, “I love this campus, it’s so beautiful and everyone is so nice!”
The size of the campus and Winona’s small-town atmosphere was another major draw for people.
Deanna said “I never went to a big school so I didn’t think a bigger campus would fit me well. I liked the idea of getting to wake up [late because it only takes] 5 minutes to walk to class.
Alley chose Winona State because she liked that the campus was neither too big nor too small and that “the professors could really get to know you and that you weren’t just another one of the hundreds of students in the classroom.”
That feeling of community and personal attention was also part of Abbey’s decision to attend WSU. She said, “I also saw that most people on campus knew at least one person as they walked from one class to another which describes me now. You can always find the people you need at WSU.”
Two of my friends, Eli and Hannah, cited the affordability of tuition and proximity to home as the deciding factor in their school choice.
Eli said, “Well, my first choice was St. Olaf. It looked really cool, until I saw the price. Then it was a lot less cool. Winona also, for me, has the advantage of being close to home, which allows me to easily see my family and hometown friends, while still staying somewhat on my own and meeting new people.”
Hannah said, “I kinda agree with Eli. I was going to go to [the] University of Iowa but then realized that I would pay twice the amount and live twice as far away.”
Others were attracted to Winona State by the excellent academic programs.
Sean, a sophomore computer science major, chose WSU because the Computer Science department has a 100% job placement rate. Lauren was looking for a school with a strong teaching program and had narrowed it down to Mankato or Winona but eventually chose Winona, because “everyone I talked to knew people who went to Winona and loved it [here].”
Caleb was also looking for a school with a good education program, and, though he had a few schools in mind, “it was getting down to the time when I had to make a decision… so I blindly chose Winona based on the education program and the wonderful nature in the area. Amazing choice! Granted, I was very lucky…but I still would have never chosen differently even if I had the chance to do the tour.”
The reasons that people choose to attend Winona State University are as many and varied as the students themselves.
These are just a small sample of the reasons my friends decided to continue their education at this particular college, but I do think that these represent WSU’s best features. If these stories have at all piqued your interest in touring Winona State University, I encourage you to schedule a visit and come see the campus for yourself.
I promise you, the brochures and pamphlets are not lying– WSU really is a great place to get an education, gain new connections and experiences and start that next phase of your life.
And if you don’t believe me, just ask the students.
