Lewis & Clark College Top Questions

I have experienced two different kinds of schools. I transferred to Lewis & Clark from American University and can say without a doubt that I like Lewis & Clark academics more than AU's. Lewis & Clark is small school (about 2,000 undergrad) which makes the classes very small. In my experience, most professors prefer to be called by their first name. This gives the classroom a more relaxed feeling, and makes student more comfortable engaging in conversations and debates with the professors. In the International Affairs department there are so many students that are extremely engaged in the subject, and do a fair amount of their own researching outside of class. This has made conversations in and out of class illuminating. I am on the steering committee for the International Affairs symposium and this means that I spend some time with the faculty advisor, who happens to be my academic advisor. All of the faculty members are extremely helpful and encourage you to come to their office any time to discuss your interests and topics from the class. This invitation is not intimidating, because the professors make a huge effort to learn your name. You are not just a number on their roster, you are more like a partner in the learning environment. We are encouraged to develop our own opinions and ideas, not just absorb what the professor's is. My favorite class thus far, has been "Studies of Diplomacy". The professor that teaches that class was a diplomat, which made the class even more interesting because he could connect readings to anecdotes from his career. This is how most classes are. The professors are able to connect theory and boring readings, to exciting real work experiences.

I have experienced two different kinds of schools. I transferred to Lewis & Clark from American University and can say without a doubt that I like Lewis & Clark academics more than AU's. Lewis & Clark is small school (about 2,000 undergrad) which makes the classes very small. In my experience, most professors prefer to be called by their first name. This gives the classroom a more relaxed feeling, and makes student more comfortable engaging in conversations and debates with the professors. In the International Affairs department there are so many students that are extremely engaged in the subject, and do a fair amount of their own researching outside of class. This has made conversations in and out of class illuminating. I am on the steering committee for the International Affairs symposium and this means that I spend some time with the faculty advisor, who happens to be my academic advisor. All of the faculty members are extremely helpful and encourage you to come to their office any time to discuss your interests and topics from the class. This invitation is not intimidating, because the professors make a huge effort to learn your name. You are not just a number on their roster, you are more like a partner in the learning environment. We are encouraged to develop our own opinions and ideas, not just absorb what the professor's is. My favorite class thus far, has been "Studies of Diplomacy". The professor that teaches that class was a diplomat, which made the class even more interesting because he could connect readings to anecdotes from his career. This is how most classes are. The professors are able to connect theory and boring readings, to exciting real work experiences.

The academics are awesome. Great teachers, challenging classes, a wonderful 24 hour library on weekdays for studying. The professors are very approachable. There's really not much competitive academics here which is both good and bad. It's good that there isn't any judgement based on GPA but I wish there was more of an academic spirit. It's rare to find people discussing issues they talk about in class at lunch. That's all about who you hang out with though, really. There are A LOT of general education requirements, which might get obnoxious for those who have one thing they do well and don't want to bother with anything else. If you're interested in a Liberal Arts education though, that's what you get; a well rounded worldly education. On that note, one thing Lewis and Clark does better than most schools is they have a really great study abroad program which almost all students take advantage of.

The class sizes are small. With the exception of core science classes, like Chem 101 and Bio 101, the average size is around 20 students. This is excellent for one-on-one participation with the professor, but it's impossible to fly under the radar. The teachers expect a lot out of their students and aren't afraid to be tough with them. The downside to such a small college is the course selection, or lack thereof, of college courses.

Yes, Professors know my name! I live in the Math Department, and I have been to four of my professors' houses. But even if I didn't live in the department, my professors would still know my name because they really make an effort to know everyone in their classes. I can go talk to my professors whenever I need to, whether it be about homework or stress or just for fun! Students study enough to get good grades, but we're not insane about it. Almost everyone is involved in something extracurricular, whether it be the Juggling Club, a cappella, Jewish Student Union, or the Soccer Team. I have never seen students be competitive in a bad way. In pick-up soccer games, of course they are competitive! Students only compete against themselves to get good grades. I spend lots of time with professors outside of class. In fact, one of the math professors (whom I'm never had in class) invited me over to meet his 3 month old grandson once!

Professors are wonderful, especially the upper level ones. Favorite classes: in the art history department, with Benjamin David; in the religious studies department with Rob Kugler Students seem to study quite a bit as far as I could tell. You don't do very well at L&C if you don't put your time in. Class participation is fairly common, especially in the upper level classes. Students are competitive, but not excessively. It depends on the department. For example, the PoliSci department is competitive, but the art history department isn't. The most unique class: The Apocalyptic Imagination with Professor Kugler. My major was International Affairs: I had a problem with the departmental politics that went on, however there were a few teachers that I really enjoyed Thee academic requirements seem fair, but they are NOT fair with transfer students. I transferred from a private liberal arts college and the registrar didn't give me many credits which forced me to take summer school for two summers in order to graduate on time. The education is most definitely geared for learning for its own sake. Despite having a career center (which wasn't very helpful) there is not much talk on how to realistically get a job that has anything to do with your major.

L&C has some really great teachers (as well as some really awful ones). I had the most amazing teacher one time who, in a class of over 70, had everyone's name and face memorized by the second class. Once in a while I would take a class that completely changed my world view. The teachers were inspirational and really had an excellent way of presenting their ideas. I don't know how to describe them any better than that, but at the end of the semester (or even each class) I felt like I was a better person. Those few engaging, deep classes are what you'll remember forever. I'm sort of biased and I don't have experience with other college corriculum, but I think that academically, L&C is pretty top notch. I sort of regret going into East Asian Studies as my major. I'm not sure if everyone has this experience, but I got tired of it. Originally I became an EAS major because I already had some of the key classes early on and it seemed fairly simple to complete the major, but the department is interdisciplinary and the staff is divided up between different departments, and each department likes to do things differently. Economics and sociology don't see eye-to-eye. So the department itself felt very divided. So, I would recommend picking a major that has it's own department vs interdisciplinary.

All of my professors, and even teachers I haven't taken classes from know my name. Lots of classes are discussion based. I would definitely consider LC and academic campus, there is lots of discussion outside the classroom.

For the most part classes are wonderful. The class sizes are small enough that teachers get to know not only your name, but you as a person and student. LC brings many department and student organized lecturers to campus; going to the lectures are a great way to expand your knowledge. Many professors are willing to take extra time out of there schedules to help you study, understand the material, or guide you in extracurricular planning.

Professors do know the name of some of the students. Mostly the student that talked a lot in their classes. Sometimes when I would go to a professor's office hours, I felt like they didn't want students to come around, like it was a big bother to them. At the beginning of the semester, my least favorite class was E&D which is basically a freshman composition class. I didn't enjoy the reading and I didn't understand what the teacher wanted from us. But as the semester went on, I really enjoyed some of the readings and enjoyed the in class discussions. I also really like philosophy 101. It was a good class. Students don't seem to study too often. I met a lot of student who crammed the night before the final exam. It's kind of hard not to. Class participation is common in some classes. I had a lot more lecture classes though, but it was okay to ask questions. I didn't hear a lot of intellectual conversations going on outside of classes. I had no problem with the academic requirements at LC. They are pretty standard. Although, I think there are probably fewer options of what you can take at LC because of how small it is. So one should take that into consideration when deciding on schools. You might have more options at a bigger school. The LC education is geared toward learning for its own sake which I liked, but apparently LC has a really low percent of students who get jobs in their field after graduation. So maybe that isn't such a good thing. I've heard horror stories about people who are five years out of LC and still don't have work.

Small classes, great professors, motivated students. The Freshman core class can get old but for the most part it is really helpful.

Class sizes are generally small (in the Humanities especially), and most that I've taken have been discussion-based. My best professors were Chana Cox (life-changing) in my freshman political theory class and Juan Carlos Toledano in Spanish 301 and 321. Professors are generally very willing to meet with you after class, and many check there e-mail very regularly (every few hours or so). Lewis & Clark really seems to stick to the traditional "liberal arts education"; Physical education classes are required for graduation, and every student is required to take humanities, science, and math-based classes to graduate. The focus seems to be on learning for learning's sake, and creativity is usually highly valued.

The academics are the only good thing at Lewis and Clark. Its too bad the requirements are so numerous that they keep students from being able to focus on what they want to study.

Academics are one of the best things about L&C. But like everything else, they're not for everyone. The classes are small enough that the Teachers know your name, but aren't too hands on. The classes, depending on the nature of the class, are uaully hands on, but the teachers like you to take things upon yourself. After all people, you are going to College for a reason. The work is challenging, but teachers are always wanting students to come into office hours. Many students find themselves at their professor's house towards the end of the semester for a class dinner or party. The Freshman seminar class, called Exploration and Discovery (E&D) is not the most thrilling, but it's not the worst class I've been in my life. What's interesting, is no matter how boring the class, the topic many times finds itself into the conversations at dinner or Maggie's, the campus coffee shop/mini store. The general education requirements can get a bit annoying, but in the end it makes you a well rounded student, and it is a liberal arts school. And as for the purpose of a Lewis & Clark education, it's definitely more geared toward learning for the sake of learning about the world in order to hopefully make it a better place for everyone. Professors, no matter the sibject, are always finding ways to connect what you're learning to the real world.

I am so close with my professors, and I am in love the with intellectual but not hoity-toity conversations I have with my advisers, peers, and audiences?

I like the class sizes. I knew before going to college that knowing my professors would be a huge requirement for where I went because I succeed when I am comfortable around the professor/teacher. My favorite class this first year was Intro to Cultural Anthropology, and I did not enjoy Exploration & Discovery, though Curtis Johsnon was an amazing professor for my second semester of the course. Class participation varies depending on the course- the majority of my classes were engaging and full or participation, but some stick to lectures day in and out. I found it way harder to focus in my lecture course, and felt it was more self-taught. The Johnsons invite their students over for a barbecue every semester and I think that kind of professor-student relationship is wonderful. I know I am receiving a great education at this school and am proud of it.

LC offers a wide variety of fields of study, many of which I have (unfortunately) never interacted with. I know the I.A. faculty more than any other, and I'll limit my commentary to them: Pluses: 1. Experienced and diverse faculty: In addition to PhDs from prestigious institutions, the professors of International Affairs (with whom I studied) are highly experienced professionals who came from a wide array of different backgrounds/past lives: CIA intel analysts, State Department employees, human rights activists, avid travellers, hardcore scholars, and most exciting of all: an exiled diplomat/advisor from an overthrown dictatorship. 2. Personal characteristics of the faculty: In short, every member of the IA faculty has a unique personality and appearance. Their individual flaws make it very easy for us to make fun of them (mostly behind their backs of course), but that's also exactly what make them lovable and charismatic to an extent.

The best thing about L&C is the relationship between students and professors. Every professor makes him or herself very available. They are friendly, learn everyone's name, and genuinely care about whether the student learns the material. Every year, we have a Teacher of the Year competition and I find it difficult to choose who to nominate because there are so many outstanding educators.

The student to teacher ratio is very good. The professors are exceptional, but their are exceptions. I have had professors who were unqualified to teach their classes. I've taken a class where the instructor showed up for only half the class. There are great inconsistancies. The Registrars office is uncooperative and disrespectful. They don't want to help students and it is obvious they have more important priorities than students.

All professors will get to know you, although in large lecture classes there are some times when they don't always get it right. My favorite class this year was probably International Affairs, it just opens your eyes up to the world and it feels like you're talking about things that actually matter every day. Students are all pretty laid back and will work together well, there is no cutthroat competition really. I am on the pre-med track, however, I will say that this school, like any liberal arts school really is not the best for pre-med as there are a lot of requirements outside of your major you have to fulfill. If you are good at planning however you can do it fine. I spend a lot of time going to office hours and my teachers are very very helpful, and I always come out feeling much more confident about what I'm doing. Nobody likes the freshmen year requirement, Exploration and Discovery. It is tolerable but I'm fairly certain if given the choice no one would take it for fun. The education here is much more about learning and becoming a well rounded individual than getting a good job to make money.