Vassar College Top Questions

If you come to Vassar, be prepared to read. No, seriously - I mean it. Vassar is well-known for emphasizing the use of primary sources in both teaching and research - a facet of the experience which I am intimately familiar with, being a Medieval Studies major. Your biggest class, with the exception of maybe Intro to Art History, will be around thirty students. And yes, you will be on a first-name basis with a good percentage of your professors. People teach at Vassar because they enjoy teaching, so be prepared to learn. Don't come in with any delusions of grandeur; they will be smashed upon the rocks of higher education ever so quickly. Your professors will ask you to back up what you say with evidence; if you can't you're up a certain creek without a paddle.

The best thing about going to a small school (2400ppl) is that you tend to have pretty small classes which means that your professors will know you by name and you will usually develop a pretty good relationship with them. It's also really easy to get involved in something that you're interested in. For example, I'm a bio major and so through the bio department, I got a job working in a lab. My boss is super cool, is now a reference for job apps and has written me really good letters of recommendation. I took a class with a professor, liked the class and the professor, and am going to be doing research with her in her lab next year. She is also a reference and has written many letters. One of the things that attracted me to Vassar was that there are very few course requirements. You have to take some sort of quantitative course (math, science, psych, etc), an english course (there are some very cool ones), and show some proficiency in a language (intermediate courses). Compared to a lot of other schools, that's pretty easy.

Academics at Vassar can be tough. However, I've found professors always to be incredibly available to talk to, and they know the real deal. There isn't really any busy work. Classes are small, professors really get to know you and there is a mutual level of respect that is unusual to find. Most classes are based on discussion, but I think this changes for the more science/math-y classes. Students are always helping each other out and working in groups, so the atmosphere isn't competitive.

-classes are small and intimate. conducive to speaking up. -everyone here is intelligent in their own way. -competitiveness is not an issue at all -DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU WANT TO LEARN A TRADE. you learn how to learn at vassar. -professors are across the board. i've run into a few at parties.

Competitiveness is the last thing I'd associate with my classes at Vassar; it's a very cooperative environment. My friends and I bring up issues from our classes in casual conversation all the time. Though we're studying in very different areas, I think the perspective we all seem to share is that our major and our classes should be in the areas that help us relate to the world and see it most clearly--whether that is through cognitive science, philosophy, economics, political theory, or education. Making sense of the world and our places in it isn't just personal or just academic; when you're involved in something meaningful that boundary is erased. I think that's the kind of education Vassar encourages and the students who are willing to engage in that kind of learning are the ones who belong here.

People don't care too much about academics.

Amazing, amazing professors! My classes are a complete dream not only because they are taught by those who really know their stuff but also because of the inquisitive student body and an emphasis on small classes and discussion.

Vassar's academics are the best. Classes are small and professors are there for you. They'll lovingly edit your papers and give you advice and practically beg you to come into their office hours. If you take advantage of a good professor-student relationship, you can get killer recs.

Academics at Vassar are great. I feel like my mind has really been exploded here. I've been exposed to whole new worlds through a plethora of really amazing classes. Professors are, on the whole, extremely accessible and personal. I feel more than supported in all my endeavors. Most Vassar professors really care about their classes and their students. The other wonderful thing about Vassar academics is that, on the whole, students are not competitive with one another at all. I've had some of the best discussions of my life in these classes and made some of the best of friends. Learning for its own sake is almost revered at Vassar and I appreciate that incredibly. Vassar is all about interdisciplinary subjects and they really strive to creatively expand their Academic repertoire. For example, as of next year, students will now be able to get a minor in Native American Studies.

Students study a lot, but that's combined with a lot procrastination. Class participation is common, and there is an expectation that you know the reading. Classes are relatively small and professors do know your name and face, so skipping class is not really an option. Students are competitive but do not make it a rivalry. Many students spend time with professors outside of class and some even have dinner. The requirements are not too great, and is intended that way so students can take a diverse course load while still fulfilling their major. The professors are OK. I've had a few good ones as well as some bad ones. The professors teach the courses, but that doesn't mean they are good at teaching.

There are several great apects about Vassar College's academics prospective students should be aware of. First off, there are NO "core" classes, only three requirements for graduation outside of your major. They include 1 freshman writing course (students get to pick from 40+ different courses that fulfill this requirement), 1 language course (which you can test out of if you choose to), and one quantitative course which can be fulfilled by taking any economics course, psychology course, or a variety of other classes including mathmatics, geography, computer science, etc. Because of this flexibility, it is very easy to double major at Vassar, or to simply take any courses you find interesting. Moreover, the classes at Vassar max out at about 30-40 students, which is a HUGE class here. On average there are approximately 15 to 20 students per classroom, and all classes are taught by Professors, TA's do not exist here. For instance, freshman year, one of my classes only had 9 students in it, and this semester I am taking an Art History class with only 3 other students. All of my professors know me, and I know them!

-Classes here are small, so you can be as involved in your discussions, classmates, and professors as much as you want to be. -The curriculum is incredibly flexible, so life here is really about finding what interests you personally, and pursuing that.

Very personal, small classes Engaging professors Challenging material

Classes are good. Some of my professors have tended to be a little old and senile and their classes were unbearably boring, but others make it really interesting and fun. I definitely recommend finding out about the professor beforehand- all the classes have potential, and in my experience it is always the professor that makes the class good or bad.

Excellent. The professors are brilliant for the most part, and always happy to give individual attention and meet outside of class. The classes are usually small (around 20 students) except for lecture classes like math. The English department doesn't grade papers; that's annoying.

When you take a class, your teacher will know. You will be able to email them (or in some cases even call their cell phones) if you have questions or just want to talk about class or even the weather. The professors are all really flexible and will just about bend over backwards to make sure you are getting the most out of their class. Once you declare a major, you get to pick a faculty member in your major department to be your advisor. I call my advisor by his first name and whenever I bump into him on campus we chat. Overall, the student body of Vassar College is pretty intelligent. I have been at a few dinners where world economics comes up, followed by philosophy and feminist theory! Since this is a liberal arts school, I think the educational goal here is more to learn for the sake of learning than learn to get a specific job. If you want to get very specific about what you study, you can, but you also have the freedom to take anything you want and expand your knowledge of the world.

Vassar has some of the most cutting-edge and revolutionary classes/professors/students going for it, and that's not exaggerated. I'm in a Political Science independent study, which started out as four/five friends meeting with a professor or two to discuss our lives, school, and current events in larger critical contexts. We meet in this dingy attic, but we always have food and the conversation is literally life changing! Our independent study has gotten so popular that its numbers have swelled to over twice its size, with more students and professors coming all the time. Our discussions last for an average of 4 hours per meeting, 6 hours being the longest meeting this semester! The duration is not compulsory or anything, people leave and arrive whenever they want/can, the duration is merely a testament to how compelling and important our discussions are. We're all given A's at the beginning so that it's a completely cooperative and stress-free environment, and the class is good for a full academic credit. The class has changed my life, and it's not the only class like it at Vassar!

Professors always know your name after the first week or two of class -- faster if you participate a lot. Even in sciences, the professors welcome comments, and we're always talking about some kind of philosophy outside of class (Really, the "lowest" topic I've ever discussed was handcuffs vs. rope, with the Squirm editor). Students are *never* competitive here beyond friendly contest. Even our premed is really laid back, despite the fact that it's one of the best in the country.

Professors for the most part learn your name, classes are small enough to make this a possibility. What's also nice is you can usually learn the name of your classmates as well if you pay any attention. Students study a lot here, however if you are able to manage your time well, it's not more intense than any other liberal arts school. Time management is key. And knowing your study habits will be helpful. Vassar students always have intellectual conversations outside of class. At dinner, someone will bring up an interesting conversation they had in class earlier that day, and the conversation will continue throughout dinner. People aren't afraid to share their opinions or be wrong, it's all part of learning. Students are surprisingly uncompetitive about grades. I have no idea how my friends do on their tests and papers and they don't know how I did on mine. No one really cares about anyone's grades except their own in my experience. Two unique classes I've taken: race and ethnicity in America:Whiteness and Greenhaven/Otisville. The former was a really interesting exploration of what whiteness is, how it came to be, and what it means for American society. The later entails visiting a maximum or medium security prison once a week and meeting with incarcerated men about issues they face. Both these classes really changed me.

I think that the academic courses are great. I like the ratio of students:faculty and the fact that they are easily accessible.

The classes are pretty good, not very difficult if you took advanced courses in highschool. All of the professors are pretty nice, easy to get along with. A lot of good classes, a wide selection.

Unless your professor really sucks, they're bound to know your name sooner or later. The professors here are very approachable and terribly helpful. If competitive academics imply that students compete against each other in grades, then we're not competitive. Vassar students strive to compete against their own standards, and most people I know have pretty high grades. Regardless of what other people say about Vassar grads not getting a job, that's pretty untrue. We have a healthy balance of career prep and learning for learning's sake, and our atmosphere is quite intellectual.

I do work extremely often. even on Friday afternoons. You have to put a lot of time into what you do but it all pays off in the end. the language programs here are fantastic.

The Vassar academic environment is ideal. Because we have a small student body and no graduate program, small classes allow professors to meet with students one-on-one whenever needed, give a great deal of guidance and feedback, and develop close relationships. It is very common for a student to go out to dinner at a professor's home or to grab lunch together. You often hear stories of the professor who willingly met with a student at midnight to work around their schedule and assist them as much as possible. I would especially like to stress the lack of any graduate programs--this is crucial, whatever school one decides to attend. Our classes are taught exclusively by professors, our papers are graded exclusively by professors, and the individual attention is reserved only for undergraduates.

My professors always know my name, and are incredibly approachable. Many professors are really accessible by email or for meetings - and all professors have a few office hours a week, and you can really use them. It's an incredible opportunity to get to know the professors better, to have concerns about the class or a paper addressed, and just to feel like you're getting the most out of the course. My favorite class was Christian Ethics in Modern Society (Religion) with Professor Kahn. Least favorite was Intro to Native American Studies (American Culture) with Professors McGlennen and Wallace - nice women, the class just didn't work for some reason. Most unique class - Experiencing Art (intro to Psychology) with Professor Palmer, and Movement Analysis (Dance) with Kathy Wildberger We do have intellectual discussions outside of class - it feels like such a cliche, but I really have stayed up late on school nights (or weekends) just talking about religion, or sexuality, or politics, or philosophy. It's so fun, in a completely un-pretentious way. I'm a Geography-Anthropology major - one of Vassar's many interdepartmental programs. We have a crapload of interdepartmental and multidisciplinary majors, which is a fantastic choice for those of us who can't decide on just one department to study. I feel at home in the Geography and Anthropology departments, both with a great student cohort and vibrant array of professors. I'm also probably doing a correlate sequence (minor) in Religion, just 'acuse it's exciting stuff to think about. Vassar is anti-pre-professional to a fault. Everything is geared towards learning for its own sake, learning how to think, learning what makes you tick - nothing that could actually, you know, get you a job one day. We're all destined for grad school if we ever want to make use of our degrees, but I can't say I mind when it's so much fun in the meantime. Anyway, I didn't know what I wanted to do professionally when I came here (I still don't, actually) so it's not like I could make much use of a pre-professional opportunity at the moment, anyway. I like having so few academic requirements - so much freedom to explore different departments/programs. My only complaint is NRO restrictions - in theory, we can take four courses under the Non-Recorded Option (you decide on a grade standard - if you meet that grade, the grade gets recorded on your transcript; if you get below the grade, it reverts to pass/fail) as a way to feel free to experiment in new areas - but there are so many classes, or even entire departments, that you can't NRO that it's really quite limited.

Just as there are a wide range of different students at Vassar, there are a wide range of academic and study experiences. Some people are constantly working, some hardly ever do anything and seem to get by just fine (albeit they don't have the highest GPAs). Kids with science majors always complain that they have way more work than humanities kids, but I've definitely experienced overworking and so have all of my friends (as far as their complaints tell). If you really love work, though, you won't be disappointed. At any given time of the day, someone, somewhere is doing homework. That's not to say that you'll always be doing work, but I find the work load to be quite substantial. All of my professors have always been willing to help with anything. There are no TAs, so all classes are taught by the professors themselves. It's also easy to stop by their office hours, and if you can't make those times, you can always contact professors through e-mail to schedule an appointment--they make themselves very available to students. A number of people I know (me, too) have even had dinner with one or more of their professors! Some professors are not strict enough with class-size limits. They want to please everybody so they will usually let more students into the course. Consequently this means I've had to take a seminar with upwards of 15-20 people or more, as many kids are in the intermediate-level classes. A group of 6-10 people is essential to a seminar experience, so these overloads are a bit frustrating for some students. There are a number of multi-disciplinary courses and programs which I enjoy. These courses allow students from many different academic backgrounds to work together, thus bringing different perspectives to the class. I'm currently in a cognitive science course that has kids with backgrounds in biology, anthropology, economics, chemistry, psychology, etc. Our discussion goes in many different directions which is something I really like about the class.

Professors know your name, friends, and blood type. It's been my experience that classes that you start off thinking will be great often suck, and classes you think are going to ruin your life end up changing it. Students study A LOT-if you can't find somebody, odds are, they're in the library. Class participation is pretty much required as the average class size is generally around 15 kids. The English department is pretty okay, especially since they don't grade papers--they just leave comments, which is nice except for the fact that you have to guess what your grade will be at the end of the term. There are virtually no academic requirments at Vassar, which is great, except then if your classes suck you have only yourself to blame. Education here is definitely geared toward learning for learning's sake--no one here is studying to become an engineer. Or even to get a job where they might earn money. Being poor is very chic right now.

At Vassar, most classes are pretty small: my largest this semester has 40 students, and that's pretty unusual. I'm also taking a seminar that has only twelve students. Most professors make an effort to know your name, but Vassar is really about students taking initiative, so professors will respond even better if YOU make the effort to establish a relationship with them. My favorite class this semester is a French Current Events class-- it has a ridiculous, engaging professor and we get to discuss a lot and use different media sources and methods to immerse ourselves in French culture. Class participation is common at Vassar, although every class is different. As a freshman, I don't spend much time with professors outside of class, but I know that as students get farther along with their majors, it's really common for them to establish closer relationships with faculty in their department. I wouldn't say that students at Vassar are competitive in a negative way, but there is definitely a highly level of work expected here, both by Professors and students. Vassar's academic requirements are pretty minimal-- you have to take one language, one "qualitative analysis" and one freshman writing seminar. I personally was frustrated, however, in choosing my classes second semester because while Vassar makes it seem as though students can take courses is anything they're interested in, it's not as easy as it sounds: I found at least twenty courses I REALLY wanted to take and couldn't, either because they were designated as "majors only," had numerous prerequisites, or various other reasons. The department I am most heavily involved with is the drama department, which has a pretty prestigious reputation among liberal arts schools. The shows here are always really impressive. The most frequent complaint about the drama department is that there aren't enough classes in it: after you take the introductory course, your selection is pretty limited. Academics at Vassar are definitely Vassar's strongest selling point, and the education I have gotten so far has probably been the highlight of my Vassar experience.

I don't seek out academic assistance, but people seem friendly enough.

i have had a wonderful academic experience. i've only had two classes with over 20 students in my 3 years here. i had one class with only 4 students. the teachers are very accessible and are willing to chat for hours at a time. i had a professor for a class once 2 1/2 years ago that i still make a point to sit down and talk with at least once a week. many professors will invite the class over for dinner. class participation is very common students are not competitive. they want to do well but aren't afraid to admit getting a C- on a paper. i got a C on a paper once and i was so upset that i told everyone. but i'm typically an A- student. there is no real core curriculum so students are free to choose which classes they actually want to take. i do wish that there were more intellectual discussions outside of class

I don't feel like Vassar is competitive at all, at least not relative to where I come from. People try and do well, of course, but they don't compare grades or GPAs and try and outdo each other constantly. There's some competition between individuals in classes, but I wouldn't say it's a competitive environment. The history department is fun. A real comraderie has arisen among the seniors, all working on theses together, and we talk about our professors and sometimes hang out with them. I've loved working with this department for four years.

I love academics and Vassar— they're everything I was looking for and more. I'm an English major, and there are so many knowledgeable professors in my department, and so many fascinating classes! Vassar's education is definitely not based on practical job skills, but it's far more comprehensive than most universities are. Vassar doesn't have a lot of requirements for graduation— you have to have taken 34 credits total (usually one class = one unit), and have had a freshman writing course (which doesn't have to be in the English department), one unit of foreign language (but you can test out), and one "quantitative" course, which can be anything from math to biology to psychology (I took astronomy!). The requirements are easy, and I like that, because it's a recognition of your status as an adult, and your right to study whatever you want to learn about.

most of my professors know my name. my favorite class is my psych seminar because it is a small class with all seniors and is totally discussion based without a lot of lecturing. my least favorite class is a women's studies seminar because there is way too much reading and class discussions are dominated by two people. vassar students have a lot of intellectual, or pseudo-intellectual conversations outside of class, and apply different theories and observations to the real world and pop culture. most student's aren't competitive in the typical sense, however the student body is almost entirely students who were at the top of their high school class, so we have all been competitve at some point which is how we got in to vassar in the first place. the most unique class i've taken is child abuse and domestic violence. I am a psych major, and the psych department is huge. i tend to take classes with professors i know again and again because i like them. occasionally i'll meet with professors outside of class to discuss leading class discussions or paper topics. i like how vassar doesn't have a lot of g.e.'s and allows students to pursue their own interests. education at vassar is definately geared toward learning for its own sake, which is part of the reason seniors are so stressed out about the real world.

Professors 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} know your name. They may not be the best professors in the world but they will definitely take the time to get to know you. My favorite teacher of my life is Abigail Baird of the psych department... check her out. Class participation is a big deal here, there aren't very many big lecture classes. Intellectual conversations outside the classrooms are quite common. I'd say students are competitive but only because everyone wants to do well, but most people don't discuss grades. I love that Vassar has such a teeny required course load, sitting in a class you don't enjoy is a useless practice.

Professors know you rname and were very helpful . My favorite class was bio with cynthia damer we made up a song for our science project about c. elegans. it was a fun class. Least favortie class was chem lab cuz its so longggg.. Students study ALOT but i didnt. im naturally smart haha. class participation is the usual but theres always one kid trying to be better than the profesor trying to prove them wrong. There are always inteleectual conversations after class, sometimes i though there was too much and i wanted a break from it . Students are competitive in the fact they want to do very well but wont sabotage eachother. Most unique class psych with baird or bio classes. Bio dept was good professors very helpful but i didnt spend much time with them after class. Academic requirements are a little rough but its do-able. Learning is definately geared just for learning its very liberal.

Each and every professor knows my name and I still keep in close contact with many of my past professors. An early experience I had at Vassar which sealed the deal for me took place in a Freshman Course. I was writing a paper on tattoo iconography in prison and was having trouble finding literature on the topic so I went to meet with my professor. After I told him my dilemma, he picked up the phone, called Dutchess County Jail and arragned an appointment between me and the gang specialist there. Moreover, he actually drove me to the jail where I met not only with the gang specialist but also with an inmate. I think one would be hard pressed to find professors at other school who show this kind of devotion to the education of their students. Virtually everyone participates in class. A fair number of my conversations with friends outside the classroom are rather intellectual and range from thoughts on current (inter)national political affairs to obscure philosophical theories to why the rolling stones anre better than the beetles. Students are motivated and driven to be succesful in class, but this never impinges on classroom relationships and people are generally willing to help each other understand difficult material. Vassar very much stresses the liberal arts doctrine and encourages students to take courses outside of thier major. While I see the benefit in doing so, it can get a little annoying when academic advisors try to sell you on a bio class when you could care less about paramicium.

Professors do know you by name cause most of your classes will be small. Again another hard one but one that I'm taking now is called Politics of Difference with Luke Harris. Such a stimulating class-things i've heard before but spun in a different way. Just awesome. Least favorite: would have to be Research Methods for my sociology major. Good at some points but kind of eh in others. yeah wasn't always excited to go that class. Students here overall know when to study and when to party so its a good balance I think. Class participation is so common in fact its greatly encouraged and it makes class so interesting. Yeah intellectual convos. happen all the time which makes this school even greater. Students are competitive but mainly with themselves not concerned with how the next person did b/c here its about what YOU do and you put pressure on yourself. Most unique class: Definitely Philosophy of the Arts: Censorship in the Arts with Michael Murphy. It was so high-level and intense and just DIFFERENT that I really ended up liking the class. I am a sociology-anthropology major and both departments are pretty tight and always keep us students informed of happenings in the departments (such as lectures or job/internship opportunities) and also have food get-togethers!! I do spend time with profs. and the requirements. are so flexible and I love it. Makes you really take responsibility for your studies. Really geared toward learning for its own sake BUT at the same time taking those things you learned and transferring those skills to the real world. Cause you gotta eat hey and to eat that requires making money!

The professors are great. Thats why we come here. They know our names, know us as individuals, and respect us as learners. They are here because they want to teach - we are here because we want to learn. It works. The small classes provide for a rich academic experience. The curricular freedom is great and allows us to easily explore all fields that interest us. And yes, we go to our professors houses for dinner.

Students go to the library all the time but it's kind of a social space and the only cool place to study for everyone that's anyone. Students will talk on and on and sometimes it's hard to get a word in I wish I could spend time with my profs outside of class. Many of them are almost buddies of mine it seems and I wish I could see them more often. All of them are extra friendly and highly engaging.

Last semester, every professor knew my name. This semester, they don't know me quite yet because it's early but they will once I start to hand in papers and assignments. My favorite class is orchestra because I love playing music. Our conductor concentrates on Romantic music because our orchestra has that type of make-up. And I love Romantic music. My least favorite class was my French class last semester because it was really hard and the teacher was very strict. She had a thick Parisian accent while my high school French teacher was from New York. Students study whenever they're not doing anything social or in class. Class participation is very common. Many classes are discussion based. You can always hear intellectual conversations going on. That's one reason why I love the Vassar student body. Students are not very competitive. We concentrate on our own grades, not each others. You do well because you want to. And at Vassar, it's known and understood that everyone has a special gift and is talented. The most unique class I took was my writing class in my first semester. It was called "Science of Fiction and the Mind." It was all about reading and writing scientific essays and science fiction pieces. We discussed the sciences and where our technology is headed. I'm intending to be a Neuroscience major. My major is half biology and half psychology which are my two favorite sciences. I haven't spent much time out of class with my professors other than in their office hours. The academic requirements are not very stressful. I finished all of them in my first semester. The education is geared towards both, I think. You form exactly what you want in your education and you can work with the college to find a graduate program and a job.

Professors for the most part learn your name by the middle of the semester - of course not in large lectures, but in most classes there are no more than 30 students (they try to keep it around 25) and professors can get to know you very well if you are engaged and active in the class. My favorite class - I've taken sociology classes on drugs, on prisons, on deviance that have all been very interesting and exciting to learn about. Currently I'm working on my Political Science major and I've discovered an interest in racial power and colonialism (specifically that of Britain) and it's ties to modern day penal codes in America - I'm taking an Ethnicity, Race, and Nationalism course in the PoliSci department that has been very interesting and relevant to that. I'm also taking a seminar in Democracy and Power in America with a focus on war and more specifically, the Iraq war. I really like seminars because they really give you the chance to talk out the text with your professor and classmates. Students study a lot for the most part. It's a very academic environment, but we have fun, too. It also depends on your major and what kind of classes and how many classes you take, of course. Most classes are built around class participation. Intellectual conversations are quite common outside of class because students are very engaged in what they're learning about and also about social and political issues affecting the world at present. I would say students are not competitive. People try hard, but there is not the sense that I am pitted against my classmates for anything - it sounds cheesy, but it's more like competing with yourself to do better than with those around you. The most unique class I've taken was my freshman class. It was titled "Vampires, Lunatics, and Cyborgs" and it was a German literature class where we read a lot of wierd books and watched a lot of weird movies. I am involved with the Sociology and Political Science departments, and I've also interacted with the Drama Department a great deal through my job. If you're interested in social issues and politics I would recommend the political science department and also taking some sociology classes as well. I think sociology needs to be supplemented with other disciplines, particularly political science, because it's idealistic in nature - but that's the discipline as a whole, I think. In all three departments professors have been nice and helpful and always willing to lend an ear when I needed help or needed to talk out something that was concerning me from class. I'm kind of independent, so I tend to only go talk to professors when I need something, which is fine! I have other friends who will go to a professor's office hours just to shoot the breeze - professors like getting to know you here and they're interested in what you have to say for hte most part. I love the requirements! There's only three and you are on your own for the most part after that. Each major varies as far as requirements but they are all really flexible and they don't constrain you in any way. The education is geared towards both - you are there to learn and gain experience that is meant to help you in a variety of ways after you graduate. I think you are expected to come out well read and competent in ways that will make you appealing to a lot of different job markets and possibilities. A large percentage of grads are involved in fields that are completely unrelated to their majors.

Teachers work very hard to get know their students in my experience. They have regularly scheduled office hours during the week for extra help and if students can't make those hours they are more than willing to give up more of their time to help their students! Most of my classes are very discussion based! There are very few times when one of my classes is solid lecture. I don't know how much most people study but I would say on average my homework would take about 4-6 hours a day, its not busy work just a lot of reading!! The best part of the academics at Vassar is that there is no core curriculum, which means that I have been able to take whatever courses I have wanted since the very first semester I have been at Vassar.

All my professors know my name and value my thoughts, and have been very encouraging. Students study heavily. The library is pretty much full from Sunday through Wednesday--Friday classes are uncommon. People definitely talk about academics outside of class, too, oftentimes in social settings. But this can vary a little by social group. Students are absolutely NOT competitive with each other. Everyone who works their hardest does it for their own good and I have yet to meet a single person (really!) who wanted to compare their grades to mine to see who did better. And I'm a senior! The education is definitely for learning's sake, and not for job prep. The idea is once you've got a Vassar degree you have all the habits of mind and the intellectual skills you'll need to be a leader in any number of professional fields. You're versatile and well-informed in a number of areas. Who can say no to that?

My professors do know my name. Right now my favorite class is Verse Writing, a poetry class class I had to submit work to in order to be admitted. It's very small and intimate, which gives us a real sense of community - we're all working to help each other evolve as artists and poets. I'm also doing an independent study with the chair of the drama department on "The Winter's Tale", which I'm directing with my student run Shakespeare Troupe. My least favorite class is a bit bigger than the others (about 17 students) but is still engaging and enlightening. The most unique class I took was called "The Drama of Female Authorship". It was a class of all women, which was extremely empowering, where we explored female performance art and crafted and performed our own performance pieces as a final project.

Vassar’s professors are its number one asset. I have not yet taken a single class with more than 30 students, and I am on a first name basis with every one of my professors. No professor ever objects to an unscheduled appointment, either for homework help, or just to chat. How hard a student works is often dependant on which major they pick. No student has it easy here, but some students do have it easier than others. Vassar does not have a core curriculum, and some students use that to become a jack of all trades, perusing an English major along with a mathematics minor, but other students choose to buckle down and complete every single course a department has to offer. Vassar campus is very conducive to hard study habits. Although the main library only stays open until 1:30 AM on weekdays, there are several department libraries that stay open 24/7. Vassar is first and foremost a liberal arts college, so if you are interested in becoming a science major, you might find yourself frustrated by a lack of peers. Science majors are in a clear minority among students. However, our science facilities are top notch. The small number of students means small classes (less than 10 students in most cases) and huge personal attention from professors.

Academics probably can't be beat. Professors are experts in their fields and excited to teach. They know your name and are often available for consultation at any point in the semester. Often informal, personal, laid-back relationships with faculty members abound and make the learning process that much more engaging. Mostly everyone tends to work hard. Vassar is a place filled with ambititous people who want to get as far ahead in their field of study as possible. Cooperation is common and competition doesn't seem so prevalent. There are always those annoying freshman who attempt to put their intellectual prowess on stage by raising their hands every seven seconds in intro courses (which is why I've learned to avoid them), but that's before they realize it won't get them anywhere. The English department is popular and extensive and filled with a great faculty. Course offerings cover the whole breadth of subject matter, and many non-majors take courses up through the intermediate levels (for better or worse). In my opinion, the best professors are the ones who remain open to discussion, share their own wealth of knowledge, but are willing to put their foot down when someone offers some comment that isn't helpful or illuminating or is just inaccurate. Vassar is mostly a place for learning for learning's sake. Then again, you'll ultimately have to figure out what the hell you're going to do with that Philosophy and Religious Studies double major once you're out of here. But for four years, you're invited to pretend it won't matter! Yay!

Last week in class a professor I've had in a few classes before hugged me when I got an answer right that no one else seemed to know. Oddly enough, it didn't seem that weird. I feel totally comfortable going to a professor's office hours or just chatting with them after class. My professors usually remember me even after I'm out of their class. I <3 the Vassar faculty. I love Vassar because we're not very competitive. I honestly don't know how my GPA compares to that of my friends and the college as a whole. We only compete against ourselves to do as well as we know we are capable, and we try to help other students do well too.

professors know my name, where i am from, where i live on campus, and what i do for extracurriculars. favorite class has to be Politics of Difference, which challenged me to re-think an individual's role in society and participation in politics. Least favorite was economics. People study constantly. Class discussion is central. Intellectual conversations are happening constantly and is part of the academic experience here. Students are ambitious and borderline competitive. Greenville Prison class, where we went to prisons in new York. Poli Sci is a pretty sweet department, but you better like reading and writing. History is a great department, the professors are brilliant and make the students push themselves. I know a lot of my professors and have real friendships with some. there is no core curriculum, which means there are very few requirements and a lot of freedom! You will know how to read critically, write well and THINK, which makes you a good candidate for a job...but not any specific one.

All my professors know my names - I'm friends with a few of them and even met up with one while I was on study abroad. My favorite classes are in the history department, obviously, especially the Eastern European studies classes which can't be found many places. People study all the time, and class participation is a requirement. We always have intellectual conversations outside of class, but students are far more community-oriented than competitive. Vassar's academic requirements are hard but fair. Vassar is for learning for its own sake.

Yes, sign language, philosophy, all the time, very, yes, somewhat but not a rediculous amount, black feminism, sign language linguistic independent major, sometimes, very flexible, both.