Prescott College emphasizes a style of learning called "experiential education", or "learning-by-doing". Rather than give lengthy lectures about a specific topic or area of study, instructors encourage students to participate in group disussions and do hands-on work in the field. Prescott College believes it is especially important to graduate students who will be successful, competent, and well-practiced in their field of study. The school finds that these types of teaching ethics promote self-direction and ecological literacy. Students here are expected to think critically and ethically, participating in class and creating unique, individualized learning experiences. Class sizes are small in order to enable students to work in the field and create individual and personalized learning contracts with their instructors. Students are encouraged to create lasting relationships with their faculty and advisors, who often become lifelong mentors, friends, and colleagues of their students. Students at PC are very driven in their areas of study. Though the school does offer a handful of pre-structured competances(PC-lingo for "majors"), most students choose to create unique degree plans for themselves--rarely do two students take the same approach to creating a major. Many classes are interdisciplinary and when combined with classes in other fields can create individualized competences unique to the student. Prescott College students are required to prove their competence in their field by completing a senior project before they can graduate. Often times, these are individual research projects, internships, or independant studies that have students actually working in their field. By the time students graduate, they have created a unique portfolio of experiences, both in the classroom and the field(and usually a resume) that helps them create a fascinating career in their area of study. Students have the option to recieve grades in addition to a written evaluation at the close of each class. These evaluations prove very hepful because they give a detailed description of the student's achievements, skills, and progress in each class they take at Prescott College--kind of like an individualized letter of reccomendation for each new class the student is involved in. Transcripts at Prescott College are detailed and often helpful for students pursing additional degrees and careers once they graduate.