Pitzer College Top Questions

The student to faculty ratio is 10:1. So far, my favorite class has been Contemporary Social Theory. We read seven fascinating books that discussed sociological phenomena/trends. The workload and pace were very manageable, and the professor was engaging, energetic, friendly, and genuinely eager to teach and get to know his students. My least favorite class was Macroeconomics; it was tedious, and involved understanding an array of concepts and interdependent relationships. Also, the professor was not as sympathetic to students' needs as I would have like him to be. Overall, students study four to five days a week. Sunday is the biggest studying day, and most students don't have class on Fridays. Pitzer students are very socially and politically aware; we are always assessing the events of life with a critical eye. We recognize ironies, fallacies, and hypocrisy within numerous current events. Students are not competitive among one another Pitzer. Nearly no one asks a classmate what they're grade was in a class, or for a particular assignment. The most unique class I've taken was my Freshman Seminar: Youth in Pop Culture; my professor had met several famous rap artists. We studied gang culture, hip-hop culture, globalization of trends, and read a diverse lot of sociological analysis books. I am thinking of majoring in Psychology and double minoring in Economics and Philosophy. But it should be noted that Pitzer allows its students to design their own majors. Professors have been known to invite their students in to their homes. I have shared lunch on a few occasions this year with a couple of my professors. Pitzer's academic requirements allow students to study what they want. There is little to no constraints on a student's ability to study what they want. Pitzer's courses are definitely theoretical in nature. Although, there are several opportunities, such as the "Pitzer in Ontario" Program that allow students hands-on experience working in various sectors of the local community.

professors at pitzer are some of the most amazing people you will ever know. the classes are small, so professors really make it their job to not only know your name, but know something about who you are. classes are really safe, and class discussions are made to be a comfortable, non-judgmental environment, so even the shyest students feel safe putting in their two sense. the thing about pitzer kids is that we're all really smart - and quirky. it's not uncommon to see a group of people tanning by the pool talking about james joyce or gender-neutral bathrooms... it's just the way it is here. we're all very opinionated, educated, and in most cases, articulate. we're also almost 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} liberal. i don't think i know a single legitimately conservative student who goes to pitzer. another great thing about pitzer is that they don't make us take "general education" requirements. pitzer's philosophy is that we should be able to design our OWN "general education" in classes that we enjoy and are passionate about.

Since Pitzer is such a small school, most professors will know your name. If you go to their office hours (which they all have), they'll know you even better. Professors are usually very available outside of class, either through office hours, email, or appointment. You can stop by to ask for help in their class, ask for letters of recommendation, or tell them about your recent trip to Disneyland. It's easier to participate and speak out in small classes. If you have something to say, it's not a bad idea to share. Also, there is very little competition between students. Some public schools are geared towards only having a certain percent of the class graduate, while Pitzer aims to help all its students do well. I'm studying Psychology, and I've loved the curriculum so far. One of my current professors seems to know everything about the field, and it's incredible. You can bring up a psychological theory with him and he'll tell you an article (author and year included) where you can find more information about it. I think the education at Pitzer focuses more on learning for its own sake than on getting a job. The knowledge you gain here can be applied to many different areas, career services are always available, and a degree from Pitzer will indeed help you get into grad school or find work. However, we focus more on social responsibility, interdisciplinary learning, and intercultural understanding than on producing two-dimensional workers.

Of course professors know my name. I'm probably one of the gutsiest students here, rolling into class 30 minutes late. My favorite class to date is Transvestite Early-Modern Drama. AMAZING!! I love it. It's a Spanish literature class, so it's a but difficult and, at times, boring, but nonetheless amazing. My least favorite class was Congress and the Presidency, there was a complete lack of structure in that class. Students study often. Usually the freshmen are the ones blowing off their work and drinking until their eyes are swimming in vodka. Competitiveness exists here, as it does everywhere else. Students do engage in intellectual conversation. It usually revolves around politics. My most unique class is my linguistics class. My professor brings in her dogs and I totally loose myself in their big brown eyes. I believe the education is learning for its own sake. Pitzer is so flexible with its general education requirements and requirements for its majors that students take classes that interest them, rather than require classes (there are some of those too though).

one of my favorite parts of pitzer is the faculty student relationship. your teacher actually knows who you are, where you're from, your major, your interests. over the summer i took a class at a big university, and the teacher explained that students are simply ID numbers, nothing more, and professors don't care to know their students. he said this is that case at an college or university in the country. clearly he hasn't been here. if i miss class, my concerned professor will shoot me an email making sure i'm doing alright, just checking. office hours are amazing, time to really speak with your professor, in case the 10:1 student to faculty ratio isn't good enough.