The retailer most recently opened a location on Georgia Tech's campus in August, joining the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and Arizona State University.
Ivy League students interviewed for this story overwhelmingly opposed the idea of a Walmart opening up at their schools.
Most said they do not think the lower prices and conveniences of a Walmart would be worth the potential harm to local businesses in their college towns.
Expressing fears that the chain would change her community of Cambridge, Mass. for the worse, Diana Chen, a sophomore at Harvard, said "My personal opinion would be a 'no way' on our campus."
Like Chen, Oliver Kim, a junior at Harvard, said he worries that local businesses — unable to stay competitive with Walmart's prices — could suffer if the company were to open up shop at Harvard.
"Harvard Square has a nice, bohemian, historic feel that would be ruined by a big Walmart," he said. "The convenience and low prices might be nice, but I don't think the cost to the Harvard community would be worth it."
Beyond considering the impact Walmart might have on local businesses, Jessica Solis, a sophomore at Brown, said she would not welcome a Walmart on campus because "its presence would really detract from the homey, domestic feel that Brown offers."
Alex Schindele, a sophomore at Princeton, echoed Solis' sentiments, saying he thinks a Walmart on Princeton's campus would hurt the community's "small-town feel."
In Manhattan, Dan Schlosser, a sophomore at Columbia, agreed.
A big part of what makes New York special, he said, is "the rich, cultural history of the shops and restaurants."
Although he thought the opening of a Walmart could give college students access to low-cost, discounted items, it would not be worth "the inevitable damage to local, small! businesses."
Others said they simply could not imagine what a Walmart on campus would look like.
At Cornell, Benny Carriel, a senior, said a Walmart store would seem "extremely out of place" with Cornell's Gothic towers and Victorian buildings.
Yet not all students expressed distaste at the idea of a Walmart opening up near them.
Sean Haufler, a senior at Yale, said that while he believes that Walmart is generally harmful to local economies — citing its potential to "kill small businesses and drive down wages" — New Haven's economy could actually benefit from a Walmart.
"Downtown New Haven doesn't have any grocery stores. There are convenient shops and delis, but there are scant options nearby for healthy, affordable groceries," Haufler said. "Connecticut has a huge wealth gap, and I believe the gap is perpetuated by the lack of grocery options for low-income households. Since no local businesses have provided a viable solution, I think a Walmart could be a net good for New Haven."
The addition of a Walmart on campus would help with the frequent need for school supplies, according to Kevin Kim, a sophomore at Dartmouth.
"In the beginning of every term, I see students — especially international students and incoming freshmen — [struggling] to get their college supplies from local stores. Opening a Walmart on campus would definitely make this process much easier and faster," said Kevin Kim, a sophomore at Dartmouth.
A University of Pennsylvania student was ambivalent.
"I do a lot of shopping online — as do other college students — because you can shop at any time of the day and because very few kids here have cars," said Aaron Lidawer, a sophomore at UPenn.
Would he visit a Walmart if it were on his campus?
"Maybe," Lidawer said. "But you wouldn't be able to buy big things there anyway, since you'd have to walk with them [to bring them back to your dorm]."
Akane Otani is a senior at Cornell University
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