Lewis & Clark College Top Questions

all of my professors know my name

Some professors make an attempt to learn your name soon and others tned to learn it if you talk to them enough. My favorite class was my first history class, which led me to major in history. My least favorite class was a religious studies class, the professor was great but he expected everyone to be at the same level as him, and he would not help you to that level. Students study in their dorm rooms or in the library by themselves or in groups. Class participation is expected and encouraged, however some professors expect the student to regurgitate what they say in class. Students have intellectual conversations outside of class, long conversations happen in the Bon (the cafeteria) about politics, history, current affairs, and classes. Students are very competitive in certain areas of the college, some majors are hard to get into and students can get very competitive about getting into certain classes. The most unique class I have ever taken was about Vampires, it was an amazing class and I still use the information I learned in that class today. I love the history department. The professors really care about you and always are there to help you. It was the area I found the most support and encouragement and that sealed the deal for my major. There were other areas I was interested in but history classes and the professors challenged me while supporting me. Some of the academic requirements are ridiculous, but some of them make you step out of your comfort zone and learn something exciting and new.

The professors here are amazing. They try really hard to get to know you if you want to be involved in class.

All of my professors know my name and most can recognize me outside of class. My favorite class right now is probably international organizations (211) because it is so hands-on. We do simulations and break up into groups frequently making the material much less boring than it actually is. My least favorite class is statistics of economics because I don't really like the teacher's teaching methods and am not very good at math. Students study quite often here, its pretty academic. Class participation is common as it is usually a percentage of your grade. Most Lewis and Clark students partake in sorts of intellectual conversations outside of class. The students really don't strike me as competitive, only as competitive as they're personalites make them. The most unique class I took was Javanese Gamelon and it was amazing. I am an international affairs major and although it is definitely a challenging subject, I enjoy learning about it. I have only spent time with professors outside of class on an academic basis, like during office hours and such. I think that the academic requirements are challenging without being too impossible to fulfill. I feel like Lewis and Clark is trying to shift its college education towards getting a job but definitely has more value in learning for its own sake.

Classes are small, about the size of high school- like 15-25 students in a room. Professors know your name within two weeks, if not earlier. They're way accessible- you can often just walk into up to a professor's office and find him/her there, ready to chat with you. The required freshman course kind of blows- it's just a watered down, discussion-based course with too much emphasis on reading than comprehension or anything that will matter in ten years. Other than that, how good the class is depends on how good the professor is. I have had one ridiculously amazing, brilliant professor each semester, two good professors, and one bad. The bad professor is usually a visiting professor, filling in for a faculty member who is temporarily gone for some reason. Something really different here is that people aren't as ruthlessly competitive as they were in high school. They strive to do well for themselves if they feel like it, but not necessarily beat the academic shit out of everyone else. It's a good feeling. I'm an International Affairs major with a minor in Economics, and I have no clue what the hell I'm going to do with it when I get into the "real world," but I love what I'm learning, and that's what matters right now.

Academics are hard, but not impossible. Intro classes are kind of big, but once you're done with the intros, the upper level courses are pretty small, which means that if you haven't done your reading, the professor will be able to tell. Classes are mostly discussion-based, but teaching styles vary by professor. Some professors prefer to lecture and sit everyone in front of a powerpoint, while other professors prefer to present the class with a series of questions and let students more or less control the ensuing discussion.

Professors know my name and because of the smaller school size, it allows students to get to know their professors on a personal level and socialize with them outside of the class room. Class participation is very common and students definitely have intellectual conversations out of class. The music department is amazing- you get to know everyone that walks around the building. The education is a combination of learning for learnings sake and geared towards getting a job in the future.

I love the professors I have had. Classes can be difficult, but not unmanageable by any means. However, getting into classes can be difficult, many only have one section, and some are rarely offered despite what the course catalog says. That can be incredibly frustrating and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that there are many 5th year seniors. Your academic experience depends greatly on your chosen major.

Professors definitely know their students names here. Usually my classes run from about 10-25 students. I have my biggest class this semester, which is Bio 100, and it's about 50 students. Last semester my British Lit before WWI class with Rishona Zimring was particularly enjoyable. I liked what we read and the really great discussions we had in class. So far Math 055 is my least favorite class but that is just because I don't like math. There are students sleeping over in the library, reading in the Bon while they eat, sitting on the grass when it's sunny studying, and alone in their rooms working 24 hours a day. As an English major, I read a lot more than I "study," but that of course takes a lot of time, too. Some people participate in class, and some don't. It's easier to participate sometimes in smaller classes, but a lot of times it just depends on the dynamic of the class, the professor, etc. Rishona facilitates good discussion, Travis Feldman is enthusiastic but people don't know how to react to him yet because this is only his 2nd semester, Kurt Fosso makes for pretty good discussion too. It just depends. There are definitely intellectual conversations held outside of class. Personally, I like talking about books and film with my friends but people also are always talking about politics, the environment, etc. There is not a lot of competition here in classes and I like that. People are accepted at their own pace. Some people definitely vie for the attention of the professor and the class by speaking up a lot in class. Usually though, grades are not really compared, except among your closest friends who probably aren't even in that same classes as you are. I love the English department here. The professors I've had so far are all really knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They are challenging but not usually so as to create too much unnecessary stress. The department has really good events outside of class, like poetry readings and symposiums usually. Megan Cahn, the dept's assistant, is really helpful and provides a lot of great opportunities and information to the English majors here. I am applying to a writing program in France because of an e-mail she forwarded me and I also got this internship with ByStudents because of information she passed out. Sometimes it feels like the education here is more for learning for its own sake but more and more that is becoming okay because a lot of professions these days require, or prefer, master's degrees anyway. English could certainly be considered one of these majors but it all depends on what you do with it. In my life, my job oriented activities include things I do on campus, but not necessarily in the classroom.