Washington and Lee is a private university. Founded as a men''s academy in 1749, it adopted coeducation in 1985. It has a student-run honor system and offers a tight-knit, friendly campus. All classes are taught by professors, and the academic environment is challenging but not overly competitive or uncomfortable. Its 300-acre main campus is located in Lexington, approximately 50 miles north of Roanoke and Lynchburg.