Academics

Dickinson plays host to world renowned faculty, and as a student, you have full access to learning opportunities that larger schools are not able to offer. They will push you to think outside of your comfort zone. It's not easy, but it's worth it. Additionally, you are required to take classes in a variety of subjects to graduate, which allows you to explore academics that will impress and push you in ways though which you would not have imagined. This is a key asset to attending a liberal arts college, and employers really value the well-roundedness of applicants from colleges like Dickinson.

It's a fairly high ranked school, so don't expect it to be easy. That's not to say there aren't easy classes. Because it's a liberal arts school, a lot of professors try to get you to think of things in a different way, which can be harder because you're not in that mindset. Also: GO TO CLASS. Really, it makes a difference.

Depends on the class, but as you gain seniority, classes get increasingly more difficult (as expected). While some 100 level classes are really easy, there are also a lot of very difficult 100 levels. The professor has a big part in it. Overall, expect a lot of reading and expect to improve your writing skills! That said, I've actually enjoyed going to most of my classes, unlike high school where classes were deadly boring.

This is a highly selective school for a reason. The academic rigor is at its highest here and so is the workload. Come prepared to buckle down and learn!

Dickinson allows students to take part in classes that go beyond their concentration. They encourage students to take a variety of classes their first two years of college in order for them to really have a sense of their world around them. The classes are hard but very interesting in all aspects and the intro classes give a great overview of what topics are about. This way, you are able to know a little bit about a broad number of topics.

This is a place where academics come first. If you came to party, turn your head the other way. Dickinson is special in that the professors want you to speak with them and want to help you learn and think critically and analytically about the content in any particular course. It is not only about working hard, it is learning to work differently that will ensure ones success here at Dickinson College.

I felt prepared for the academics coming from a rigorous high school in Pittsford, NY. You will definitely be challenged and will experience many different types of teaching styles, from lecture to discussion- based to hands-on learning, depending on the area of study, all of which will challenge you in different ways. The professors are extremely knowledgeable in their area of study many of whom have written recent works.