Union College-Schenectady Top Questions

The school and its alcohol/going out policy very much follow on the idea that students should work hard and be allowed to party hard. Being trimester, and having smaller sized classes you have to attend all classes since your professor will notice and you will easily fall behind (in the 10 week term). However, to me that became quite appealing. You are paying a lot to attend this school, so why miss any classes? Its also nice to have most classes filled with all of its registered students as that livens the classroom and enhances the class discussions. The party hard policy is what made Union one of the top party schools a few years back. But dont take party hard to mean students are not as smart and all they do is party. This mentality toward going out runs quite in conjunction with the study policy. The school simply understands that if you work hard Monday through Friday (excluding for some the "wasted" Wednesday night) then you should be allowed to enjoy your time on the weekend. If you're one who wants to study you're butt off, enjoy classes, and not be pressured to party throughout the whole week, but then dance yours socks off on the weekend- then this is the school for you.

Professors are directly involved with students. Small class sizes promote an environment based on personal contact, open discussion, and careful study of the subjects at hand. Undergraduate research is highly encouraged and is readily available. Students learn both inside and outside the classroom, especially with the help of the Minerva houses. While the General Education requirements can be confusing, it really allows students to step outside of their comfort zone and study many subjects.

The small campus and class sizes allow for tremendous interaction with professors. Every single professor i have had knew my name, but also was incredibly available for help and was always there to assist. There is always intellectual conversations and conversations going on outside of class and many times allow for students to interact with professors in a more casual, yet still intellectual manner.

Academic at Union is phenomenal. The class size varies between 7-40, which is small enough for close discussions. As a result, professors know every student's name. In addition, professors are very helpful. They have regular office hours. Furthermore, they are willing to set up appointments if your schedule prevents you from coming to office hours. One unique thing about the academic life here is that Union is on trimester. Therefore, 3 courses are the normal course load per term. With three classes, you will get to spend more time on each class and understand the concepts more deeply.

The professors here are excellent and care about you. I never have a problem going to their office hours and asking questions. You can get to know them on a personal level, which is great for recommendations. I've never had a problem with any of my teachers here, and I've taken mostly science, math, or economics courses here. We have a Minerva system in place, which is sort of like a house that every student belongs to. AT the houses, students and faculty gather around lunch or dinner and can have formal or informal discussions about current events or topics of interest. I'm in the Leadership and Medicine program at the college, and it's a wonderful program. It's an 8-year medical program with Union College, Union Graduate College, and Albany Medical Center. The faculty are great and the other students in the program are responsible and enjoy their time.

Union's academics are some of the best in the country. Since the classes are small, all of my professors know my name and some even know what I'm involved with outside of class. They really take the time to get to know you and what you're interests are. They also push you all the time, even when you start to loose faith in yourself, because they know that you can achieve excellence. It's a great feeling knowing you have teachers like this that truly believe in you. Students at Union are able to balance their difficult classes with their social lives. There is a lot of studying going on at Union all the time, but there is also time for you to take a break and just relax. With the trimester system, you only take 3 classes a term. While the material is taught fast, the trimester system allows you to have more free time for you to take time for yourself. Also, if you don't really like a class you only have to take it for 10 weeks instead of for a whole semester which is really nice. Union has a lot of academic requirements in order for you to graduate but I think it's a good thing because it allows you to take classes you may not normally take. This opens new opportunities for your future that you may not have thought about before. Union has so many great classes to offer that its difficult choosing what to take when.

Union academics gives the students a chance to explore diverse classes and succeed in their major. The professors usually know the students by a first name basis. Union academic life has a personal touch to it. Union students never feel like they are just another fish in a sea.

class sizes are incredibly small which is very nice and allows for ton of one on one time with professors. in addition to that, professors are really accessible for office hours. i find that class participation is very common. i am an english major and the department is very strong. ive really developed my critical reading/writing skills here. i do find that a lot of union's education program is geared toward post-graduation goals.

PROFESSORS ARE AMAZING AT UNION COLLEGE! I have not sat in a class where the professor doesn't work to learn my name, explain concepts when questions are asked, and be more then willing to help me outside of class. Students value their academics here at Union and it truly shows. The frat boys that you run into on the weekends, will be occupying the cubicle in the library next to you. Union professors find a way to make the Introductory classes interesting and hook many students onto exploring that course as a major or minor.

The academics at Union is the number one thing that drew me to the college. All of my professors know my name. They not only encourage but enforce that you ask questions and attend their office hours. Office hours are one on one time with your professor and they are extremely helpful. Standards are high and many Union students find that the work load is somewhat heavy. But, to temper the strain of studying, Union operates on the trimester system, that is, a fall, winter and spring term each year. This trimester system allows for a longer winter break than the semester system (6 weeks in full) to recooperate for the winter term. Unfortunately, it does leave Union students in school for longer than other colleges but many students find it all the same since our fall term starts later than most as well. Education at Union is genuinely for learning, not necessarily for just getting a job. Professors genuinely care about the subject that they are teaching and it truly shows. There has never been an instant where I felt stupid or stuck on a topic since the Professors are so flexible and willing to help.

The academic life at Union is top notch. The trimester system splits the year into three 10 week semesters with three classes taken each semester. I absolutely love this system. It's definitely a change and ten weeks goes by pretty fast but as long as you stay on top of your work and know what week it is, it's a great schedule. It also allows you to concentrate more on those classes as opposed to spreading yourself thin with many. The class sizes are small and mostly discussion based. The professors are so involved and passionate and always available. Education at Union is not just learning for learnings sake. The academic opportunities that Union provides for students are unending and students are well prepared for the world after leaving Union.

At Union, academic life is very important. The small size allows all your professors to get to know you and your unique strengths and weaknesses quite well. All teachers know their students by name and they don't forget even after a long time. The library is one of the most popular places on campus; it's nearly always packed with students studying. And that's not a wonder since the College has invested so much in a beautiful and advanced library. As a biology major, I take class with a very competitive group of kids. A large amount of my fellows are on a pre-med track like myself, so we all work very hard. We do whatever we can to move forward on our career goals and the College makes that easy through close relationships with professors.

The academics are wicked awesome! I have great relationships with the majority of my professors. They know my name and I keep in contact with many of them after I'm done with their class. I've spent time with my professors both during and outside of class. Every professor I've had has been supportive, consciously engaged and concerned with me and my growth.

The professors at Union are some of the kindest, most intelligent, and most helpful people I have met. We have small classes so they know you personally and by name. It is never nerve racking going to speak to one about a grade or something more personal. My grandfather died first term and they helped accommodate me in terms of missing classes and work. They asked me how I was doing and made sure I was OK. They are one of the reasons why I love the school so much.

Yes I spend time with professors outside of class. The Minerva system at Union host many events that professors speak at and hang out with students. For example last night there was an event at a Minerva house for Colleges Against Cancer where a professor discussed the effects of cancer on families and then we watched My Sister's Keeper with her. Professors get to know you on a personal level, they you can have discussions about many different things besides what you are learning in class.

On the first day of class, my first term at Union, I walked in the room and sat down. The professor welcomed us to the class and told us he had but one rule, we had to call him by his first name. Later in the term he invited us to his house for dinner. I feel like something like this does not happen everywhere and it is because of Union's small size that it did here. We have much smaller classes here making a lot easier to get to know your professor which helps greatly in networking. In addition to the professors' being very personable they are also very brilliant, constantly challenging you to take it to the next level, and always available outside of class for extra help.

The academics are average at Union. The students are not generally competitve and the gen eds are annoying. Getting into the clases you actually want/need is a real hassle though as an underclassmen. I have never once heard an intellectual conversation at Union before, but that's why we love it! The education is certainly not geared towards helping us get jobs which doesn't matter because our short summer schedule is a good way of screwing us out of many job and internship opportunities anyways. The teachers are easily excessable but what else do you expect from a small school?

Great classes, professors know your name, small classes, favorites were french, english (Bonnie MacDonald is a favorite english teacher) and dance classes. Class participation is common, spent time with professors occasionally, education in liberal arts area is geared towards learning, engingeering and marketing more geared towards jobs

Professors know your name, even in large classes you get noticed and there are opportunities to participate. Students aren't very competitive but academics are tough and with the trimester system, the work piles up if you are not on top of your priorities. Lots of outside work. Expect to manage your time well but do not get discouraged from extracurriculars.

At Union classes are small and all professors know your name by the end of the term. All teachers are extremely helpful outside of class and show personal interest in each student. Students typically study for a max of 4 hours a day, which is pretty short for an average college student. Also, we only take 3 classes at a time so there are fewer things to prepare for. The education is largely geared at learning for learnings sake, without specific attention to careers or job placement.