Article provided by The Princeton Review
Though it may not be the most entertaining part of college, going to class is pretty darn important. Students at these institutions find that showing up to class not only makes it easier to pass but also adds a new level of enjoyment to the whole experience. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for "The Best 368 Colleges: 2009 Edition" revealed the top 10 schools with best classroom experience. Read excerpts from the students’ responses to the survey below.
Though it may not be the most entertaining part of college, going to class is pretty darn important. Students at these institutions find that showing up to class not only makes it easier to pass but also adds a new level of enjoyment to the whole experience. The Princeton Review's survey of 120,000 college students for "The Best 368 Colleges: 2009 Edition" revealed the top 10 schools with best classroom experience. Read excerpts from the students’ responses to the survey below.
Article provided by The Princeton Review Though it may not be the most entertaining part of college, going to class is pretty darn important. Students at th... more
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1
Stanford University
Stanford, Calif.
Even with Stanford's academic reputation, "There is not any counter-productive cutthroat competition. Staff and students are all very supportive of each other, and it's really an environment where you can explore and succeed." Take, for example, the anthropology major who reported "great opportunities such as researching over the summer in the Peruvian Amazon and working with the Center for Ecotourism and Sustainable Development to create a network of indigenous leaders interested in ecotourism." The myriad supercurious here extol "the many interdisciplinary majors: human biology; history, literature and the arts; materials science and engineering; symbolic systems; science technology and society; public policy; modern thought and literature; urban studies.... It's amazing how many different fields you can combine." Students who considered Stanford also looked at Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University.
2
Reed College
Portland, Ore.
"Quirky and intellectual," Reed College is an elite liberal arts school where students "can embrace academia without being ridiculed and can love to learn without fear of being ostracized." With "superior faculty and facilities" that include "an amazing library, lots of computers, a huge amount of free tutoring, [and] a computer help desk where assistance is free," Reed "very much cares what the students think, and is there to serve" students with whatever they might need. Students who considered Reed also looked at University of Chicago and University of California -- Berkeley.
3
Pomona College
Claremont, Calif.
"No place is perfect, but Pomona comes awfully close," agree students. "We probably are the most spoiled group of kids in the nation," raves one student. "It's nearly impossible not to be happy." There are "many classes to choose from" with an academic menu that offers a host of typical as well as "unusual programs." There are opportunities to do "research that most students don't get the chance to do until graduate school." There's also a "great library" and "a healthy endowment." ("It's freakin' loaded," discloses a history major.) Class sizes are "relatively small," professors "will not let you slip through the cracks" and "love teaching students," and students generally reciprocate. "It's kind of crazy how many people here really love what they study." Students who considered Pomona also looked at Harvard College, University of California -- Berkeley, Stanford University, Yale University and Princeton University.
4
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Ind.
This small, all-men's school in Indiana "educates men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively and live humanely." While some feel this system fosters "an atmosphere that is hyper-masculine, overly conservative, sports-centric, sexist and generally intolerant of diversity," all agree that a Wabash education is top-notch, with a strong liberal arts focus. "Wabash is stressful at times" because "the school is very tough academically, and you get those weeks when it just keeps piling up," but "if you really nosedive, professors will notice and step in." It's the sort of place where "students usually devote much of the week studying or attending campus-wide lectures or productions." Out of 900 or so students, the typical Wabash student "is smarter than other people think he is, but probably not quite as smart as he thinks he is." Students who considered Wabash also looked at Purdue University -- West Lafayette and Indiana University at Bloomington.
5
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Mass.
Mount Holyoke "is a rigorous all-women's college that prepares its students to become the leaders of tomorrow by encouraging them to pursue their passions in a safe, comfortable and yet challenging environment," undergrads at this small, prestigious liberal arts school tell us. Biology, chemistry, the humanities and international studies are among the strong suits of the school; in nearly all disciplines, professors "are highly respected in their fields," who are also "very kind, excited to impart their knowledge, and very, very accessible outside of class and willing to spend a lot of time helping individual students." They aren't pushovers, though; "Despite their overall generosity, they hold every student to a very high academic standard (no grade inflation here), and the material covered in each course is always challenging and of high academic caliber." Students who considered Mount Holyoke also looked at Vassar College, Wellesley College and Barnard College.
6
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Mass.
The elite Wellesley College, located just outside Boston, is a small liberal arts institution "with the intimacy of a family and the academic excellence of a top-rank university," and it provides its all-female student body with "an excellent education to make women independent individuals." The school is known for its "small class sizes, excellent professors and an amazing reputation." "Class work is rigorous" at Wellesley as teachers here "have incredibly high expectations," "But there are lots of resources available to help you if you need it." At Wellesley, "the focus is all on academics," especially during the week. "You won't see students partying here on weekdays! Instead, you'll find students attending lectures, or discussing the news or issues on campus and what homework they have." While it's true that "there are no males around, at least not to the degree that there would be on a coed campus," students see this as a benefit. A freshman says, "This simply makes me focus more on what I'm really at college for." Students who considered Wellesley also looked at Smith College, Amherst College, Brown University, Mount Holyoke College and Tufts University.
7
United States Military Academy
West Point, N.Y.
A United States Military Academy education "is not easy and not always fun, but it is a great experience to be proud of," and one that is designed "to educate tomorrow's world leaders." Don't come to West Point expecting the typical college experience. As one student explains, "The military atmosphere makes everything different. Teachers are usually commissioned Army officers and strict discipline is maintained within the classroom at all times. Disciplinary actions ensure that students turn in assignments on time, arrive to class on time and do not miss class." There is the overwhelming sense that USMA "give you 28 hours of things to do in a 24-hour day." Expect to be busy, as students tell us that "Just about every hour of every day is busy." As one student puts it, "West Point tries to make sure that we have little free time and are always doing something (physical, academic or military)." Students who considered United States Military Academy also looked at United States Air Force Academy and United States Naval Academy.
8
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vt.
This small, exclusive liberal arts school "is all about providing students with a complete college experience including excellent teaching, exposure to many other cultures, endless opportunities for growth and success, and a challenging (yet relaxed) environment." Its "small class size and friendly yet competitive atmosphere make for the perfect college experience," as do "the best facilities of a small liberal arts college in the country. The new library, science center, athletic complex, arts center, and a number of the dining halls and dorms have been built in the past 10 years." Students who considered Middlebury also looked at Harvard College, Dartmouth College, Williams College and Amherst College.
9
Whitman College
Walla Walla, Wash.
If learning can be both rigorous and laid-back at the same time, it happens at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. The "challenging" academics here are coupled with a "relaxed attitude" in order to give students "the best education possible without sacrificing all the fun one expects of college." Populated mainly by "intelligent, ambitious liberals with far-reaching goals," this somewhat idealistic school seeks to build critical-thinking skills through "an earnest discourse about 'life, the universe, and everything.'" Although there's always a dud or two in the mix, professors are "genuinely brilliant and interesting people" and "love to spend time with students outside of class," whether it be for academic help or just conversation. "It is not uncommon to have potlucks, classes, or movie night over at your professor's house with your class," says one student. Students who considered Whitman also looked at Pomona College, Carleton College and Stanford University.
10
Williams College
Williamstown, Mass.
Williams College is a small bastion of the liberal arts "with a fantastic academic reputation." "Williams students tend to spend a lot of time complaining about how much work they have" but they say the academic experience is "absolutely incomparable." Classes are "small" and "intense." "The facilities are absolutely top-notch in almost everything." Research opportunities are plentiful. A one-month January term offers study abroad programs and a host of short pass/fail courses that are "a college student's dream come true." "The hard science departments are incredible." Economics, art history and English are equally outstanding. "If you complain about a Williams education then you would complain about education anywhere," wagers an economics major. Students who considered Williams also looked at Harvard College, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University and Princeton University.
[source: https://spotlight.encarta.msn.com/Features/encnet_Departments_College_default_article_Top10BestClassroomExperience09.html ]
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