Bennington College Top Questions

Bennington College is hands down one of the most fascinating, exciting, and strange experiences of my life. Seated at the top of a hill in rural Vermont it is like a wee microcosm of creativity and very rarely fails to surprise. Because of our rather isolated existence the students are forced in many ways to make our own fun and keep things interesting on campus and we do so with great enthusiasm. Although there is no shortage of wonderful things to get involved in outside of the classroom, because of the strenuous work load people sometimes tend to get a little too wrapped up in their studies . However students often manage to intertwine their social life and work life very well, in a way that enhances the both of them. There are no required credits or 101-classes, but instead highly specific, highly engaging and challenging seminars that are designed solely by the students needs and requests and the teachers interests. It is highly unlikely to find yourself in a classroom where neither the teacher nor any students is disengaged with the course. There is an emphasis on learning through experience (hence the introduction of their required 7-week off-campus Field Work Term experience every year) and designing ones education through their own curiosity and exploration. During their four years at the college each student integrates different areas of the curriculum that are of interest to them around central ideas or questions – this ultimately results in their Plan, Bennington’s equivalent to a major. The 8:1 student-teacher ratio and the close-knit nature of the campus means that there is a huge support system and sense of community that is often hard to find. Despite strengths in many different academic fields, many students declare, either with great enthusiasm or resentment, that it is undeniably an art school. There is definitely a very creative, arts-oriented feel to the place (as well as being the birthplace of modern dance) however it is very possible to successfully pursue interests or all fields.

Bennington College is hands down one of the most fascinating, exciting, and strange experiences of my life. Seated at the top of a hill in rural Vermont it is like a wee microcosm of creativity and very rarely fails to surprise. Because of our rather isolated existence the students are forced in many ways to make our own fun and keep things interesting on campus and we do so with great enthusiasm. Although there is no shortage of wonderful things to get involved in outside of the classroom, because of the strenuous work load people sometimes tend to get a little too wrapped up in their studies . However students often manage to intertwine their social life and work life very well, in a way that enhances the both of them. There are no required credits or 101-classes, but instead highly specific, highly engaging and challenging seminars that are designed solely by the students needs and requests and the teachers interests. It is highly unlikely to find yourself in a classroom where neither the teacher nor any students is disengaged with the course. There is an emphasis on learning through experience (hence the introduction of their required 7-week off-campus Field Work Term experience every year) and designing ones education through their own curiosity and exploration. During their four years at the college each student integrates different areas of the curriculum that are of interest to them around central ideas or questions – this ultimately results in their Plan, Bennington’s equivalent to a major. The 8:1 student-teacher ratio and the close-knit nature of the campus means that there is a huge support system and sense of community that is often hard to find. Despite strengths in many different academic fields, many students declare, either with great enthusiasm or resentment, that it is undeniably an art school. There is definitely a very creative, arts-oriented feel to the place (as well as being the birthplace of modern dance) however it is very possible to successfully pursue interests or all fields.

Bennington is a good place to transform an idea for a major into a sophisticated set of questions. Bennington's Plan process forces you to find something you're genuinely passionate about, to be able to articulately speak and write about it, and to research everything about it. Curiosity is the overarching trait in Bennington students, and people will leave parties to argue about ideas discussed in class. The Field Work Term, a program which puts students in internships related to their academic interests for 7 weeks in the winter, grounds the whole process in useful networking and a killer resume upon graduating.

Bennington is about a personalized education: it's about working hard and designing your own plan of study (we don't have majors, we have "plans"). A plan basically describes your concentration, or concentrations, and addresses how you plan to answer the questions and concerns that drive your studies. The small size allows for close collaboration with faculty and staff, meaning that you are not entirely on your own (because the process can seem daunting as a sophomore--which is when you begin to write your plan).

It's a weird place, but I love it. Last term I was in a class of twenty people, & everyone complained because it was too big & not enough people were able to contribute their ideas. How many other colleges have students complaining that a class of twenty is too big? I complain about Bennington sometimes, it's true. It's a small place, so running into people you'd rather not see is pretty unavoidable. I thought about transferring a lot my first term, but now I'm glad I didn't. I don't think I could go anywhere else. I'm used to my course schedule being completely customised, to being able to access my professors whenever I need them, & being able to develop film at four in the morning if it strikes my fancy. People complain a lot about the male to female ratio. Read the news, read about other colleges & universities. The Bennington ratio is becoming the norm.

Bennington is an art school, plain and simple. Don't believe otherwise. Sure, you can study history and psychology and even math (though there is only one math teacher at the moment). But everything is definitely artsy. Also, you would expect there to be creative writing but alas, there is not. The dining hall often is complained about, but unless you're super picky I find that it does a good job (particuarly for such a small school). There are a lot of vegetarian options and even vegan options. Although there are a few meals I don't like, there are also ones I love- like the squash lasagana and the feta pancakes. The desserts are really good, i love the carob chocolate chip cookies.

Bennington is pretty tiny. Roughly 600 students. Everywhere you go, you see people you recognize or know either by name or reputation. Meals are held at set hours, so if you have an awkward night with someone, hoping you don't end up in line behind them at dinner may be useless. Bennington is a bubble. A lot of time is spent doing work & de-stressing and re-stressing about work. There's not a big sports push by any means. The town of Bennington has a pet store, a crappy gaming store, an art store, a thrift store & big name standards: Staples, K-Mart, Wal-mart(puke), Home Depot, CVS, Hannaford's.... etc.

Bennington is a tiny liberal arts college nestled in the middle of nowhere on an old farm. There are only about 750 students, undergrad and graduate combined, and at times all you want to do is hide in the library than see the same group of faces again. But it's also great that it's small because you are forced to be with people who are interested in similar things as you are. I think the academics are the best thing about Bennington. The teachers at our school are required to do what they teach, as opposed to just going to teaching school and then finding a job at a university. They are so experienced and we truly get to learn from experts, which is really lucky. I spend most of my time on campus, on campus... it's really small so people are usually in their room or someone else's room or in the dining hall where we all eat together at the same time or in the student center. There is no college town. The closest city is Albany, NY which is about 45 minutes away. The town of Bennington consists of a Wal-Mart, a Hannaford, Price Chopper, multiple car dealerships, a bowling alley, and a Taco Bell/KFC joint restaurant. I do have to give "Four Corners" (where main street has an intersection with 3 other streets in the heart of Bennington) more credit than we do because it's very cute and has a coffee shop and a pet store and other places where Bennington college students could hang out but we don't. I'll always remember driving to school for the first time and looking out across the highway and seeing Bennington College sitting on a green hillside all by itself with all the clapboard houses and the big clock on the commons building.

Bennington is a great place for focused and self-motivated students. Depending on who your academic advisor is, you can either have a lot of willing and useful help and discussion about your studies, or, like my case, you can see your advisor twice a term and get almost no guidance at all. Bennington is a very small school (only 600 undergraduates) which is a gift and a curse. By the end of your time there, you'll probably recognize everyone, but it can be a little claustrophobic. Generally when I tell people from home where I go to college, the response is "Where?" because it seems the vast majority of people have never heard of Bennington. When people actually have heard of the place, they are usually impressed. Every person should be able to have a Bennington free-form, do-it-yourself, do-what-you-love education, but I think that the price tag is a deterrent for a lot of people, since it was just increased to $48,000 a year. One unique aspect to the Bennington education is the Field Work Term, where students go out into the real world for eight weeks and work internships or jobs related to their fields of study. It is a great experience and a way to network as well as graduate with real-life work experience.

Bennington thrives on it's tight knit community. Everyone knows everyone else if not by name than by face. The size certainly enhances academics, but can make social life demanding and intense if you let it. All in all I would say that the most distinguishing characteristic about Bennington's students is their motivation. Most everyone is interested in what they are doing, and in what everyone else is doing. Plenty of of collaboration. The administration can be both amazing and lousy depending on the circumstances. I personally have very little good to say about our president Liz Coleman. She has done wonderful things for Bennington in the past, but after being president of an institution for twenty years, I feel she is beginning to just take the college in a direction that she wants without the input of students.