Jerry
Professors do make an effort to know your name, which isn't really hard since most classes are small. Swatties definitely have intellectual conversations outside of class. Students aren't competitive, I haven't heard anyone compare grades here. I haven't spent much time with professors out of class, but it's really up to how much of an effort you put into it. If you do make an effort, professors are usually really responsive and nice.
The academic requirements are okay-- at least you can choose which classes to take in each division (ie: you're not forced to take math if you don't want to, or english if you hate it). Chances are you'll end up fulfilling most requirements without trying too hard.
Andy
Yes, professors know our names and we know theirs. I’ve gone to several of their houses (they’re within walking distance) and I’m familiar with the details of the personal lives of several too. Professors really seem to care about us, which is cozy. I’ve also run into problems with them and their flakiness—is it because they’re so smart and that they’re allowed to get away with forgetting to return papers? Still, I’ve learned a huge amount from them and from even my crazy classes like “Vampires.” I almost never woke up and didn’t want to go to class. It helps to be in a community where intelligence is valued. Virtually everyone at least considers going on to grad school, even if some students whine that it feels like we’re already there.
Classes are very theory-heavy. Some students enjoy that; I get irritated sometimes at how jargon-y and insular theory can be. It is a sign that professors take us seriously, I guess. I wanted more practical classes. The film department, for example, only had one actual film-making class and they had to call in a visiting professor to teach it. And there aren’t many creative writing workshops. I had to go to UPenn to take Screenwriting. Even in more standard fields like fiction and poetry, though, the Quakers’ subtle bias against art comes through: none of the professors had MFAs. They were all just English teachers who liked writing.
Swarthmore is definitely a learning-for-learning’s-sake kind of place, and an applying-lessons-to-life kind of place too. It’s common for students to use deconstructing techniques to analyze everything, from the seemingly harmless, like Disney movies, to the more insidious, like political campaigns. Nobody is so crass as to talk about wanting to make money when we graduate. Most people dream of non-profits and, if anything, just paying off their loans. (Also a lot of people have rich parents but they don’t talk about that either.)
Mello
Yes. All Professors know my name in the department of my major, even though there are 30 majors. My favorite class was Evolution with Colin Purrington, the man is just amazing. Social Psych with Andrew Ward. Intro Philosophy with Schuldenfrei. Animal Physiology with Sara Hibert Burch. Any class with Rachel Merz. Any class with Diane Anderson in the education department.
Least favorite class was with a visiting prof, so that's good.
Students are constantly studying, as a matter of fact that is what I should be doing rather than filling out this survey.
Class participation is very common except in big lectures, usually intro classes.
Once you become a senior they are not many intellectual conversations and more of life/future conversations. I had them more when I was a underclassmen.
Students are absolutely not competitive at all. We reinforce each other and care about each other and help each other succeed.
The most unique class I've taken was Social and Political Philosophy with Schuldenfrei.
The biology department is AMAZING. They are attentive, caring and generous with their students. I went to several large conferences for Genetics, and so have my peers in their respective submajors. They allow every student to form their own curriculum with some rigidity but general freedom. They want you to succeed so much they have a science associate program to tutor students. I am a science associate and I think it's an amazing program. You can always do your own research and they always provide us with amazing opportunities to grow as biologists.
I spend time with my prof's outside of class, they don't mind.
Swat has rigorous academic requirements but they are fit so each student has a great liberal arts education.
It's geared toward's learning for its own sake. some of it might be for jobs, but mostly not.