Connecticut College Top Questions

As an English major, my professors definitely know my name. The more specific the subject, the smaller the classes. The largest class I've had at Conn was an introductory biology course which attracted 100 students. Typical class size is about 16 students. The classes, for the most part, are really hard at Conn! Whoever started the rumor that college is super easy was seriously misinformed. Students study all the time. During exams, I had to get to the library at 8 am just to reserve a table! Camels like to have fun but always remember why they came to Conn. The core curriculum bothered me when I first got to Conn. All I wanted to do was take English and French classes! Now, I honestly think the core curriculum thoroughly enriched my academic experience here. I am a Government minor because I took a political theory class (which I absolutely loved) to fulfill a requirement. Generally speaking, the core curriculum is very beneficial to those who are undecided going into their freshman year. Classes at Conn are taught for the love of learning. They encourage students to find passion in what they study and apply their knowledge in all aspects of their lives. CELS (Career Enhancing Life Skills) is an academic program which students join to build resumes and find internships. CELS is popular - it is a great complement to the knowledge procured in classes.

Academics are also very strong at Conn, which is important, because ultimately that is all that really matters. I have yet had a professor who does not know my name by the end of the semester. Conn is not a cake-walk by any means. You will have to put a great deal of time and effort in if you expect to get straight A's. But you also have a large support system in terms of teachers, fellow students, and deans. The library is located in a very central part of campus and, in a way, turns into a nice social location after dinner, especially the first floor and the basement which harvests a nice little cafe. On weekday nights, after 7 pm. expect about 1/3 of the student body to be located in the library. Another thing to note is that most classes at Conn are discussion based, and most Conn students are very good at expressing their opinions. If want want a lecture based college, Conn is not for you. The professors and deans at Conn are some of the best around. Both have a good deal of office hours throughout the week, and if you find the right professor to be your advisor, your life will get a lot easier. And although a lot of colleges say this, professors at Conn will interact with you outside the classroom. This year, in particular, a new tradition was started called 'take your professor to lunch month,' and it really caught on. By the end of the month, there were almost as many professors as students in the dining hall.

Academics are one of the main draws of Connecticut College. Through my time here I have only had two classes over 15 people, and both of those were intro level classes that were very popular because they could fill general education requirements (which are not very stringent). Almost every professor knows your name by third or fourth class of the semester, and depending on the class, you get to know your classmates relatively well through discussion and what not. I am a Creative Writing major and my favorite classes are definitely writing classes. One limitation of Conn could be its liberal arts education. It challenges the way you think, and though I find that very rewarding, sometimes I wonder what its real world application will be. This probably is certainly not limited to Conn however.