There are only two professors who I doubt remember my name, and even then, their memory would be jogged because I went and met with both of them at least a few times. We have very small classes, so the concept of a professor not knowing my name if/when I pass them on campus isn't a reality. My favorite classes are too many to count, but one that sticks out is one that I took Freshman year called Paganism in the Greco-Roman world. It was a Classics course, and what made it so fun is that it was incredibly geeky in focusing on a subject that I've loved since childhood, Greek Mythology. And the professor came to class with her enthusiasm and fascination with the subject clearly worn on her sleeve. I'd say students study more than average. People don't take "cake" courses (easy stuff) like they do at large universities. There's really no easy subject, or easy prof, or any predictable pattern to try and predict what will be hard or what will be less hard. Wheaties do know how to have a good time when it may be necessary, but if anything, I usually feel like I'm trying as hard as everyone else is. I wouldn't say we're competitive with each other, but everyone has a passion in their chosen major, and they work towards fulfilling that passion as best they can through their efforts both on campus, and off campus through fellowships/internships/scholarships that they word towards. The most unique course that I took was probably my Semester in Washington class. I did writings on a novel of my professor's choosing each week ("Confessions of an Economic Hitman"), while during the week, I lived in Washington DC and worked at an internship 5 days a week, 9-5 job and everything. I loved being able to get graded on something that felt like a gift, which was getting a taste of living in the real world for a whole month. I'm a Political Science major, and compared to other departments, it's fairly large, with 10 full-time professors. In any PS class I take, I usually meet with the professor several times during the semester so I can get to know them and feel I've gotten to know my department a little more intimately. My goal is to have had every single PS professor before I graduate! Wheaton's academic reqs are more than what other schools have, in that they require a program of its' own design called Connections. Connection require students to take a class that "connects" to a class in an entirely different department. Students must graduate with 2 "connections", meaning 4 total classes. One example to illustrate what a connection can be is a Political Science course that studies National Security Policy in the 20th century, while they then take a Math course in Cryptography. Wheaton is very much geared towards learning for the sake of learning. When I hear about friends at larger universities say that they have Business majors, or Communications, I only wonder if those departments only exist because they help kids get a job, rather than strengthen their intellect like Wheaton does