Knox College Top Questions

What are the academics like at Knox College?

Bekah

The academics at Knox are challenging in a good way. Classes are filled with students who are interested in the material and professors who are passionate about learning. The professors push you to do your best but are understanding at the same time. Since the average class size is about 17 students, your professors know your name and care about your education. Also professors teach two classes a term and when they are not teaching they are available to meet with students face to face, you will not have a TA teaching your classes here at Knox. The professors care about what you are learning and are always here to help. In high school I felt like my teachers treated me like a child, but at Knox I am treated with respect and have an eye to eye relationship with my professors. Last year my Gender Women Studies professor invited all of us over for dinner at her house. It was so much fun, we discussed issues going on in the field as well as listened to music and just had fun together. I love the academics at Knox because I am learning all the time and I am actually enjoying school for once in my life.

Emalie

All of my professors know who I am and say hi to me if they see me anywhere on campus. They are all really good people and I even have a lot of their personal home phones. My favorite class at Knox would be impossible to choose because i have loved so many; however, if I had to choose I would say that the writing courses I have taken have made me a much better writer. As a Creative Writing and Black Studies double major I write all the time! Being able to write and talk to professors about publishing is great. All of my writing professors have been published authors themselves and so they really do know what they are talking about. As far as studying goes it really depends on your workload and the classes you are taking. I usually log about 40 study hours in a week but I am also in very reading heavy classes. I never feel like I can't get my work done and sleep and all that jazz. Almost everyone attends class everyday. There are days when you are sick and things and professors will give you a break on that unless it seems to be coming up too often. A lot of classes it is really important to show up because they are discussion based. I know at some schools people feel a lot of competition but I really don't feel like that here. I feel like I have a pretty chill environment to work in. I know that if I do the best I can it will be recognized and that my papers aren't going to be compared to every other person is doing but how the professor thinks I am progressing. Unique classes are not rare here, we have a lot of fun classes that I didn't ever think I would get to take until I started looking at Knox. For instance, I have taken Children's Literature and that was a crazy fun course. I am a Creative Writing and Black Studies double major - in each of those departments I do a lot of reading and a lot of writing. I am on a first name basis with both chairs of those departments and have had classes with them as well. My departments are really open and fun environments to work in.

John

Class sizes are generally small, sometimes no more than four or five people, and intense. Faculty here are often on the cutting edge of their field, a function of the whole scholar teacher deal, and seek to provide their students with assignments that challenge not only what you know about a topic but how you think and approach that topic. I have never had a professor who was not willing to take some extra time out of class to discuss homework, or an exam, or just to talk about what was going on in my life, and consequently have been receiving a great education.

Shayna

At such a small campus it is hard to be considered just a number. At Knox this is definitely the case -- which can be a blessing and/or annoying as waiting for your next True Blood fix! MAJOR NO BUENO. But on the bright side, I think this is more of a benefit than set back. When people know you its usually because someone has taken an interest in you for good reasons. This also, helps create a sense of community and make you feel like people actually care about you which is helpful when coming from a far away place and you may be missing home.

Kenton

- Professors are generally knowledgeable. - Small class sizes; one-on-one instruction available (if student takes initiative; students here don't take initiative). - Class participation is common, however, quality class participation is not. - Students do not have intellectual conversations outside of class. The social scene is devoid of intellectual pursuits; it is striking and awful. - Students are not competitive; very apathetic and devil-may-care attitude is prevalent. - Education is geared towards knowledge rather than job-seeking, however, students tend to be far more job-oriented. The intellectual culture among students is greatly lacking. - Decent Economics department; diverse faculty from various areas of expertise. Many research opportunities and topics of study.

john

The professors are very helpful, IF you are joe student. once you have personal circumstances, they would rather hurt than help. knox is more concerned with looking good than helping students get what they need.

Aurora

Academics at Knox are one of the best parts of the school. Professors like to come up with challenging and often creative projects for their students, but they are also very understanding of students' needs. If a student is struggling in any way, even if it has nothing to do with their classes, professors care and will try to help in any way they can. And the very best classes at Knox, are, of course, the creative writing ones! Creative writing professors neither turn their students completely loose and just tell them to write "whatever". Nor do they tell you how to rewrite your story. They actually help you to find your own way of writing. And, of course, Knox students love to have intellectual conversations after class, especially philosophical ones. If you've ever enjoyed rambling on about the point of existence, Knox is the place for it.

Morgan

Excellent academics. Excellent attentive professors. Academics is cool at Knox.

Jennifer

Student-professor relationships at Knox are very strong. Class sizes are always small with the exception of large introductory classes that usually fall under the sciences, and even then, professors are extremely accessible. Professors want to help you, guide you, and challenge you to go above and beyond what is assigned. They are truly interested and passionate about what they are teaching and that is reflected in how their enthusiasm spreads to the student body. Many students pursue topics and things that would not normally be presented in the mainstream, but which can easily be researched in the Knox environment. Knox provides a very inter-disciplinary environment where you can always apply what you are learning in one class to another even if on the surface the two subjects seem totally irrelatable. Studying is definitely a necessity at Knox if you want to make the top grades. Independent work is a big component so you must be able to have a good sense of self-discipline to keep yourself on track. The trimester system is nice because you only take approximately three classes at a time which allows you to focus more on what you are learning.

Dale

The academics at Knox are some of the best I've ever looked into. The professors make it a point to learn your name and help if there's a problem. They're willing to work with you, regardless of if it takes personal time. This adds to the willingness of the students to get their work done and do their best. Some of the students are competitive, but it's by their own terms. The campus itself is not competitive, with the exception that Knox College demands the best of every student.

Patrick

Most classes are discussion-oriented, to make sure that students can apply what they're learning. Students and professors are nearly always on a first-name basis, and it's not uncommon to hold class at a professor's house or a restaurant from time to time. On average, I probably spent 15-20 hours a week studying, though I once pulled 17 all-nighters in one ten-week term. The Knox education is founded upon the fundamentals of liberal arts - that a truly educated person should have an understanding a many subjects. The goal is to turn students into world citizens who are conscious of the events taking place around them - so career-oriented education doesn't really have a place at Knox.

Dawson

Professors know your name, and take an active role in ensuring that you follow the correct steps to your academic success.

Jay

Even though you usually only have three classes, that doesn't mean you can slack off academically at Knox. The professors here assign enough work to compare to the workload at a bigger school. For example, next term I'm going to be taking a Fiction Workshop class. Not only does the class meet for five and a half hours at a time, but it's a heavily writing and critique-based course that encourages much student participation. There are many classes that will push you to do your best. You think you might not be able to handle it, but you often surprise yourself. The best piece of advice is to live by your datebook. As soon as an assignment is mentioned in class, write it down while it's still fresh in your mind. Your planner is like a lifesaver in the sea of activities. It'll help keep you afloat about all the things you have to take care of.

Sasha

favorite class- political science ones on globalization issues. amazing teachers.sooooo inspiring and personal.always approachable.small classes so much discussion. noone is sn ubbed.every thought is encouraged. learning for its own sake im guessing is the end product. but totally worth it. u learn to question status quo not be a puppet.

Michael

The classes at Knox are small, usually around 20, but I have had a few classes with more than 40 or 50. Even with those large classes the professor will still know your name and you can still get help. My favorite class was taught by my favorite professor. Every morning we would start by reading a news story related to the class, Environmental Chemistry. It was a great way to relate class notes to the real world. Knox is a great school to prepare students for the future. It can be great as a prelude to graduate school or it can be great for preparing students to become teachers right after graduation, for example.

Caitlin

The requirements that Knox has creates a well rounded basis of education. The classes are small, and I've always been encouraged to participate in my classes, and have benefited from the contributions of others. The professors know your name and are more than willing to talk outside of class.

Jerry

Professors are the best thing Knox can offer. As mentioned above many of them are really respected in their subject area, and above that they are great professors and people. Professors always know who you are, and know how you are doing in their class. They might also know what kind of views and ideals you have. I told you, the relationship of student-professor is really intimate. Class participation is highly encouraged in humanities and social sciences, I am not sure about others. Knox students are nerds. They love talking about what they studied. People here study their asses off, but the ones that get the best grades are actually not like that. So I guess they are just dumb. Knox is a very hard college. They bomb you with readings and homework. Academically and intellectually really challenging as well. This is something good. Trust me, you would get a lot more out of a liberal arts college rather than from a big college. Liberal arts do not create scientists, writers, they create critical thinkers.

Tasha

The academics at Knox tend to be very rigorous, but satisfying. Once I was talking with a friend and she said, "It's fairly easy to be a B student at Knox, but it's really difficult to be an A student." I think this is an accurate description. Class sizes are small, most of the professors are very personable. My favorite class so far has definately been Sexism and Racism in Post War German Literature, which counted for credit in my major and both my minors. While Knox doesn't have very many specialty classes, the ones they do have are usually really interesting.

Kate

Knox is hard! I never thought I would be getting the education that I am and I am eternally grateful. In high school I was top 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} and expected to stay the same way through college. Simultaneously, everyone else enrolled at Knox was probably top 20{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} at their high schools. Although I am not getting the grades that I did in High school, I know I am receiving the best education that I can.

Andy

The attention from professors at Knox is unparalled, as far as I know. I have many favorite classes, and my advisor and I are great friends who routinely share life experiences and thoughts. Classes are generally very engaging, which is good because we only take three at a time. This way, you can delve deeply into a few subjects and really get a "feel" for the discipline in order to determine what matters to you. Moreover, Knox's relatively lithe core requirements allow students to take a variety of disciplines before settling down into a concentration. In addition, Knox courses tend to be unconventional in style and content. Professors often prefer a seminar-style discussion format rather than straight lectures, and they often include convergent information from a variety of sources to illustrate the bigger picture of whatever you're studying. I probably won't know to what extent Knox classes have enlightened me and stimulated my mind to seek more knowledge until after I've graduated, but what I can say now is I am very pleased with the wide range (sciences, arts, humanities) of intellectual and extracurricular pursuits I've dosed myself with here.