Webb

Does anyone here have any previous experience with Webb instetute? If so how hard is it to get in?

 

I went to Webb for a semester....Getting in is fairly difficult. You have to have good grades, a good attitude and good study habits.

What is more important though is that it is harder to stay there than just to get in. Take a look at their website and notice the size of the graduating class as opposed to the size of the freshman class. They try to admit the same numbers every year. Yet the graduating class is rather small. Also remember that they only admit 20-30 students a year.

Webb is a great school, academically. If you are looking for a college experience make sure you look at every aspect of the college you pick.

 

As an ex-Webbie (x'82), there are two things about getting in. First you have to meet the basics, and second you have to pass the interview. The basics are things such as citizenship, age, matrial status, previous GPAs, SAT scores. Anyone in the upper 5% of their highschool class or with a 3.7+ technical college GPA should be able make the basics. The interview is more abstract (at least when I had mine). They are looking to weed people who don't really want to be a Naval Architect or who they think can't or won't apply themselves to the coursework, or those who will not be able to fit into the tight knit student society. You pass or fail at Webb depending on your ability to get along with your classmates because the course load is so heavy. A loner who gets ostracized has a much harder time getting everything done.

Once you get in, it's sink or swim. There is no grading curve, there is very little ability to go back if you get sick or injured (what happened to me). Most of the class weeding occurs in the first two years in the math and marine engineering (i.e. practical math) courses. Even after that you will not be learning how to build boats or yachts, but will be learning Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, keel to truck, cutwater to dunce cap. Course load is about 150% of a "normal" engineering school and there is no "5-year" option.

If you survive all four years, you will come out kinda warped and twisted (at least all the Webbies I know from my class and others ). When I was there and we did the alumni survey, the next highest professions after NAME were clergy and lawyers in that order. Additionally, do not expect to be handed a job upon graduation. The years of winter work is where you should be lining up up your first job out of school, and how you do during that time will shape your future options.

But in the final analysis, after having work with graduates from all the major NAME/OE schools (Webb, MIT, Michigan, Berkley, Texas, UNO, FAU, FIT, USMMA, USNA, SUNY MAC, Maine Mar, CMA, etc.) a Webb education is probably the most rounded and least limited, with Michigan as distant second. Some schools focus too much on certian "scholastic" subjects and not enough on practical work and applications, making you have to spend two or more years to re-train the person to "real-life" engineering work.

Hope this helps.

 

I am a UC grad (and have had my share of summer wombats over the years) and would concur re the quality of Webb grads, though the much greater breadth of a large university afforded opportunities for learning outside of NA subjects (UC has a forestry school for instance, so I also audited some wood science courses).

However, the most important aspect of an engineering education is always the student, not the school.

 

"a Webb education is probably the most rounded and least limited, with Michigan as distant second."

I take great exception to that statement, being a University of Michigan grad. I know a lot of Webb grads, and engineering wise, we all have the greatest depth of engineering experience. But at Michigan you are exposed to much much more in the way of a liberal arts education. Some of my favorite non-engineering courses were: History of Art, Public Speaking for stage and television, English and American Literature, Liturature of the Sea, to name a few. The other big benefit is going to all those Michigan football, basketball, and hockey games. And there are the campus productions that come to town, Like Simon and Garfunkel, The Birds, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, The 5th Dimension, just to name a few! Give me a break--I'll take Michigan any day!

Unbiased in Florida,

Eric

 

That was also the point I wanted to make. I'm not sure graduate courses in Anthropology of Folklore made me a better naval architect, but they were fun, as was Stage Combat (I was on the fencing team, we had to take a course to get a locker, and it was the only one that fit in my schedule). And I think the course in flight dynamics was probably useful for actual NA practice, as were NROTC courses in systems.

However, the depth of both practical and theoretical knowledge of Webbies in NA and marine engineering always impressed me.

 

I see my statement on Webb being the most well rounded drew some flack. Perhaps I should have clarified myself. After having attended both Webb and Michigan, attending the Navy graduate courses at MIT during the Navy's Summer design programs, and worked at Norfolk, Mare Island, Puget Sound and NAVSEA with a lot of grads from all over; I was just trying to say that Webb produces the most well rounded engineering capabilities for a Naval Architect/Marine Engineer.

I coasted at Michigan after Webb (and my grades reflect it) all the while telling my parents that I was going to school to get an education not a degree , and I think that the ability to produce a "well rounded" individual is more a function of the individual today than the school. Unlike the old days, very few schools have "knife and fork" classes anymore. When I was at Webb they had just started importing profs from Hofstra to do the humanities, and while the selection was less than Michigan, the quality was not. I think both schools had enough social activities to cause a student to fail if they were not focused enough. In my experience any school is capable of producing "flat" or "well rounded" individuals.

But, getting back to the Anonymous poster's question; talking with some people who have info a little more recent than mine, it appears that getting into Webb today may be a little easier, not because of lowered standards, but because of fewer applicants (I believe in my class there were ~240 for 26 selectees and a friends son looked into it a few years ago and there were about 70).

PS to Chris: Dave Mancebo works in the next cubby over and wants to know if you've talked to Max and Lee recently. And what weapons do you fence? I perfer saber, but I also do living history with rapier and backsword.

John Hardiman, P.E.
Naval Architect & Marine Engineer
Michigan, '84 (after a two year convalescence, from Webb ex '82)
Ocean Engineering
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

 

I've been talking to our friend from MGA several times a week. We are supposed to be working on a CSYS paper together. Give Dave my regards - how time has flown. I saw Alan this fall - he is on the Albany city council, and was mayor - I also contact John Seward frequently - Incidentally, Morris passed away last March, I don't know if Dave had heard.

I fenced sabre, since I had no point control, and did kendo.

 

Well, its me again, i checked Webb and their reqairements did go down so more hope for me to go there, but now that you mention michigan im going to look in to it too, frankly im a michigan resident so that might be a little of an advantage but yeah for now im continuing on my autocad degree and raising up my grades

thank you for your feedback.

P.S. Fencing sounds great i want to look in to that too.. because here in michigan you have to find something else to do in a winter besides sailing, unless you have an ice boat.

 

Dear Guest,

The University of Michigan used to have a fencing club, and hopefully it still exists. Be sure to check it out.

Eric

 

The Sailing Club at Michigan also had some DN's when I was there. So you can do both.

As a Michigan resident, UofM, will be silghtly more costly than Webb (18k-20K/yr vice 11-13K/yr). But you won't have to buy a prof a car like I did Both have student aid if you qualify.

 

I tried to get into Webb this year as a matter of fact. I had a sat score of 1310 and a gpa of 3.7 but was not accepted. I even went down to look at the school and took a tour, (a 7 hour car ride) I did like the school, but it did not give the college experience in my mind. I ended up at the University Of Rhode Island which is where I am writing this from right now, so far classes have been great and they have a marine engineering program which is very good. I would say to look at URI as it is not much money but definetly a good education

 

Actually, Webb is less than $7000/year for room and board. Tuition is free.

 

Yes, but there's books/materials (about 2K).... and beer, pogy bait, and pocket money.

 

I also am looking into webb. I'm a girl and am wondering if anyone knows much about the girls that attend or if they fit in well with such a large ratio of guys to girls?
-michelle