Academics

Denison University has amazing and engaging professors, who genuinely care about your intellectual, moral, and social development. Moreover, the learning environment is friendly and encouraging to students of all backgrounds, while challenging everyone to become their best!

This school is great in my (biased) opinion. However, I can be 100% honest with you when I say they CARE about your education and making the most out of your 4 years here. Remember how you thought you don't have parents on campus? Not here at Denison! These professors will give you tough love and parent you when need be as well as be your friend when need be.

While not every class is an ivy-league clone, many classes (particularly in the social sciences and languages) are very academically challenging. You move through the material very quickly and are expected to actively contribute in every class. The class sizes are very small (average 15 students, although this may change as Denison's population grows), and you are expected to do quite a bit of reading to prepare for each class. Also, no matter what your major, you will be expected to write papers. In my experience, my papers were anywhere from 5 to 25 pages in length, with my senior research landing around 50. Finally, exams are almost always cumulative. However, many classes provide the opportunity to gain a large portion of points throughout the semester (downside, this means a lot of homework), so you have a safety net of sorts when you get to the final.

Denison is very academically rigorous, the teachers expect a lot from you, and know that you can handle their assignments. That being said, academic honesty is also taken very seriously so it is up to you to try your very best. So far, I have had great professors who are all very accessible and friendly and who care about how you are doing and know you by name! I think thats one of the best things about attending smaller schools, especially ones like Denison, because even though the work is difficult, you have your professors there to help if you are lost and make you want to do well.
Because class sizes are smaller, you are expected to contribute and be actively engaged. You will move through the material quickly and should keep up with the readings to get the most out of the class.

It is not so bad, but if a student who never took AP classes came into this environment it would be hard for them.

While I felt I was prepared for college, even coming from a very rigorous high school, the work load at Denison is still definitely a wake up call.

The classes are challenging, but doable. Denison has a pretty prestigious reputation as well.

You have to work hard, but there is help every step of the way and it really can be done. The work you do here can be so gratifying.

Classes vary in rigor generally based on field of study. Some departments are more difficult than others. However, all classes are demanding and challenging, some just more than others.