Swarthmore College Top Questions

They are fairly intense as I said earlier. Since the school's so damn small you always stand out in your tiny classes. Me, I just like to do my readings and assignments really well, miss class, and catch up on my sleep. I hate the idea of having to squeeze in maybe 6 hours of sleep every night so that I can do 7 hours of homework the next day with another 3 hours of class. That just sucks. I'd be a total wreck if I had to do that everday. I really need 8 or more hours but attending class all the time makes that impossible. So, I miss a lot and I lose participation points, but I still do all my work and understand the material. I just don't want to go to another 50 minute review session followed by two more classes that go over the exact same things in the readings and be burned out for four years everyday. So, if you want to be anonymous and miss class this is the wrong place. Like right now I am in a class only 1 person! It sucks. The Japanese professors are so anal about attendence too.

Classes are small, intense, and interesting. Everyone is intelligent and most people care about the material, which leads to dynamic classroom discussions. There's a big emphasis on teaching for the professors, and they are generally eager to talk to students. Some are more helpful than others, but just about all of them want to help. It is common for a professor to invite a class to their house for dinner at the end of a semester. Students tend to be very supportive of each other, and work together a lot, whether it's working out a math problem or talking out ideas for a philosophy paper.

I have had mixed emotions about classes. It is evident that the professors know what they are talking about, but some are not able to articulate their knowledge in an enrapturing way. The readings for class are always intriguing. The education system is supposed to be an individualistic experience, meaning it is designed to give you as much as you put in. If you want to learn you will and if you don't want to learn, then you won't. I think that goes for the same for any college.

The academics are INTENSE - you've got to love it, or you'll be miserable. For me, really hard classes were what I wanted and I've never been happier. I should mention as well that even though I am taking Swat's equivalent of 20 credit hours, I do have enough free-time, I just have to manage my time well to get it. The school also has a lot of support systems if you need help with your paper, a lab, a language, study skills - really whatever. People are also really cooperative, here - we all want each other to do well and help each other out, rather than competing. Most of us love what we are doing and want to share it, talk about it, and explain it to other people, so we have some really fun conversations. I talk about my poly-sci class in my Christian group, my biology in my poly-sci class, whatever. In many of my classes I feel like I learn as much from my peers as from the prof. It's really wonderful. I talk to people and sound like a walking ad for the school. :-)

The classes here are great. Many people come here because of the great science and engineering departments, which is rare for a liberal arts college. People here do a lot of studying, but it's easier to do since everyone else is also working very hard. You hear a lot of intellectual conversations and lectures on campus, which are always very interesting. Although everyone's smart, there is not much competition and no one really talks about their grades or scores. I feel like I will walk away from Swarthmore with a well rounded knowledge, prepared for whatever field I decide to go into.

I think that the professor has known my name in every class that I have taken. My favorite classes thus far have been the honors seminars because the small sizes allow for greater, in-depth conversations and understanding. Students at Swarthmore definitely have intellectual conversations that are spurred by the interesting topics that come out in classes. Economics is one of the biggest departments at Swarthmore and is one of the most organized as well. I like the professors that teach in the department to the extent that they are great professors who are willing to go to lengths to divulge their knowledge to the students. I think that Swarthmore's academic requirements are pretty easy to fulfill but at the same time help to raise well-rounded, intellectually stimulated people.

Most people learn for learning's sake and to get good grades. Most of what we learn is hardly directly applicable to our lives in the general work force, unless you are considering a career in academics. The professors are really great. Most make an effort to know your name and most professors try to get to know you as an individual and not just as a student. I once had a professor ask me about one of my extra-curricular activities after they had read an article/seen my picture in the school newspaper. I had no idea that the teacher even knew my name, let alone knew who I was. That was a very comforting moment and I felt like my professor truly cared. Also most professors push you to become independent, self-motivated thinkers and that is such a valuable lesson that I will definitely use post-Swat.

Swarthmore's small size results in lots of small classes and interaction with professors. Seminars are widely available to freshmen and to upperclassmen, and allow in-depth study of interesting topics. In my major, I've had classes with all of the professors in the department, and am on a first-name basis with all of them.

Students love to participate at Swarthmore and the professors are very approachable. The teachers really want you, for the most part, to succeed at everything that you do.

Most of the professors here make an effort to know who you are, and to encourage discussion. A lot of the intro classes are really big and so participation and discussion can be difficult, but the higher level seminars are small and professors begin to treat you more as colleagues than as students. Most professors are pretty good about making themselves available outside the classroom too. Students do have intellectual conversations outside of class, but not always. I think people are generally interested in talking to their friends about whatever it is they're studying, and friends are interested in listening.