Davidson College Top Questions

Academics at Davidson is one of it's distinguishing characteristics. Class sizes are limited to 16 or 30 people, but it's not uncommon to have a class with just 4 or 5 students. The professors care about your opinions and since there are no grad students around, you aren't fighting for the professors attention. You also won't have classes taught by TA's, which is a plus.

Classes are always small, and professors take the time to get to know their students.

Academics are great here. All my teachers know me and I've been to professor's houses for many occasions. Everyone studies super intensely. All nighters and caffeine are common. But there isn't a sense of cutthroat competition. The biology major is fantastic. I've done research since sophomore year and there are many opportunities to do so. The hands on experience is really valuable and unique.

At Davidson, academics is at the heart of the community. If you came to college to receive a stellar education, you came to the right place.

You really will work harder than anywhere else, thats not a joke; however, the lessons I have learned from this kind of discipline will follow me wherever I go. Its not unmanagable, you just have to be responsible. Its a pretty unique place, a lot of your classes will be around 10-15 people and you spend you class listening or picking the brains of some of the most intelligent, accomplished and caring professors in the country. I know each one of mine very well and feel comfortable going to talk to them about anything, most professors also invite you over for dinner and introduce you to their family. All in all, its a unique place that will challenge you and show you the kind of person you are.

Students study a lot here...like maybe all the time. It's almost unheard of to have a "day of rest" when it comes to hitting the books. But really, studying is a personal choice. You really have to learn what work is necessary (writing a paper, for instance) and what can be pushed to the back burner or ignored completely (like that reading you're not going to be tested on). Despite the work, students don't compete with each other, which is really nice. The person talking about their GPA at dinner basically gets eternally shunned from the conversation. Competition exists on much more of a personal level. People here are highly self-motivated, and push themselves to excel.

Extremely rigorous and rewarding, professors are the best, not only do they know you by name but they attend your plays, recitals, and sports games

Academics at Davidson are very demanding, but in a good way. Your professors really care and take time to help you and to get to know you. I know all of my professors really well. There is a lot of work assigned, but since everyone has it, it is easier to be motivated to get your work done. Classes are very small with anywhere from 10-25 people. Although a few intro classes might have 30-40 people. Some classes are strictly lecture, but class participation is also a big part of some classes. The teachers really want to hear what the students have to say and so they work hard to include everyone in conversations. Students aren't too competitive. No one seems to talk about grades and share grades like they did in high school. I am a Spanish major and so I have gotten to take a lot of Spanish literature classes. The Spanish department is really nice and very helpful in assuring you get all the classes you need, etc. I do go visit my professors during office hours to ask questions or even just to chat. They are always available and helpful. I think the requirements to graduate are very managable. You basically need one class in every department including a lab science. In your major, you will most likely have to take 10 courses that fall into specific categories. By taking a class in every department, you are able to get a feel for all different subjects. You don't have to declare your major until spring of you Sophomore year which gives you time to try out different classes and departments before then. Davidson's education is very much geared towards learning for its own sake. Because it is liberal arts, you are not focused on one particular department or career from the beginning. You develop very good reading, writing, and problem solving skills which will help you in whatever you do.

I had a terrific Spanish professor my first semester. I used to go to office hours all the time and we woud just talk. After I went on a service trip to Nicaragua over spring break I sent him and email and we set up a lunch date so I could share the experience with him. It was great - he genuinely wanted to hear about some of the difficult things I encountered in Nicaragua and had some very thoughtful ideas to share. Professors aren't just professors here; they are mentors, they are friends.

All of my professors know me by name. My favorite class is Classical Buddhism and my seminar, Renaissance Revenge. For english classes you have to participate. Students do have intellectual conversations outside of class, and are rarely competitive with eachother. They are very competitive with themselves. I sometimes have coffee with my advisor, and I often go to professors' office hours. Education is for learning for its own sake.