According to our survey of over 122,000 students at 376 colleges, Wheaton College in Illinois serves the best on-campus food.
Wheaton tops the “Best Campus Food” ranking list in The Princeton Review’s Best 376 Colleges guidebook. The list was based on student ratings of the food on their campus.
To find out what students at Wheaton have to say about the school’s academics, social life, and student body, read below!
Academics
Wheaton College strives to cultivate students’ knowledge and to “prepare them to enter the world as strong and capable individuals who serve Christ and His Kingdom.” This “academically rigorous” and deeply religious liberal arts school is equally as interested in the character of each student, with a focus on “developing yourself in ways [that] will affect you long after you’ve left the school campus.” Professors here are “the heart and soul of this campus,” and they’re “exceptional teachers who genuinely care for the academic and spiritual well-being of their students.” They “attempt to connect with students in ways other than the material they are told to teach,” and it’s “not unusual to meet professors outside of class, whether that be for a meal, coffee, or fun activities.” That’s not to say that there aren’t a few bad apples or that the grading isn’t tough; professors “rarely curve,” but they do provide “many mentoring and tutoring sessions” to those in need. There’s a “serious integration of faith and learning” that “places a high emphasis on opening up our eyes to serious issues going on around the world.” “When you see other people using their gifts for God and hear them encouraging you to do the same, it’s inspiring,” says one student. Class sizes at Wheaton are pleasantly small, and one- on-one interaction is very common through “internships, teaching assistants, research opportunities, and the ‘Dine with a Mind’ program.” This student body that’s truly “sincere about learning” goes on to form a “very close-knit network of graduates” that’s easily accessible after graduation. Other than that, students laud the “successful career placement, top-notch music conservatory, [and] excellent science facilities.”
Life
All Wheaton students adhere to a community covenant, which is a set of rules and regulations governing students that forbids things, such as drinking, smoking, and “spontaneous” dancing. While several students wish that the school was “more lenient in their punishment system,” most are happy to comply and even claim that it “forces us to come up with super-creative ways to have fun.” “Everyone has at least one costume—bring one if you come here because you will need it,” says a mysterious student. Drink-wise, “Wheaton students don’t need alcohol to have an awesome time,” and food-wise, the school has what some students call the “greatest college food in the country.” The train station is a few minutes’ walk from campus, which can bring you to nearby Chicago, but most students “just find fun activities to do on campus . . . like bond with [students who live on their housing] floor or play campus-wide Sardines.” The college offers lots of activities during the weekend and has tons of “random traditions,” such as a “student ‘Iron Chef’ competition in the dining hall.” Students here are very passionate about social justice issues and “just as likely to be found discussing theology or philosophy as the latest sports game.” ESL tutoring, mentoring, and serving on spring break service trips are also popular extracurricular activities for Wheaties.
Student Body
Pretty much the entirety of Wheaton is composed of “academically strong, driven, and Christian students,” and the phrase “type-A personality” is oft used. The school draws students from all over the country, including “quite a lot of homeschooled and international students.” The diversity isn’t as strong as some students would like, though “they are making a lot of efforts to change that in the admissions office.” Students at Wheaton “take their studies extremely seriously and work very hard to keep high grades,” but most still get involved with student activities, ministries, and sports, and enjoy the groups of friends that form when people share a “common identity.” In their downtime, people “have a respectful and creative sense of fun and do not waste their time.” All in all, “Most students find some way to fit in.”
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