Connecticut College Top Questions

Wonderful- if you are willing to push yourself, and take harder classes than your buddy Ray-Ray, you're are going to find a lot of work, and a great sense of accomplishment. That's because even though there is a great disconnect between admins and students, the professors bridge this gap through professionalism, passion, and knowledge. So many good professors- and they get better as you hone in on your major, and meet specialists in your field that will blow you away.

The small class sizes, and relatively small departments allow for good contact with professors throughout the four years. Many professors I never even had were willing to answer questions, or advise on future courses. Although I sometimes wish that more courses were made avalable, the fact that it is a smaller school determines much of the course selection, and the courses i did take were informative, stimulating, and helped me to understand that subject in more depth.

Academics at Conn is definitely taken seriously. There are classes that you can afford to miss and skip but you quickly find out which ones and which professors are okay with it. I think the clearest indication of Conns academics is the activity one see's in the library. The library is practically a social scene Monday-Wednesday nights. People definitely take work seriously but they also know what they can get away with not doing. I constantly hear students continuing conversations from class out into the greens and in Harris.

Classes at Conn are pretty small, especially the upper lever. I was a science major and my senior classes had generally 5-10 people. It's great but the professors have a lot of attention to give you...and you'll get it. The labs can be excruciatingly long. Chemistry is an extremely difficult and time consuming major, especially if you love science but do not have a natural knack for it. Only incredible motivation and a tolerance of B's will get you by. I hear physics is equally difficult. Biology and Neural Science are a degree easier and I've seen some incredibly untalented students get by. Environmental sciences is the easy way to do as little science as possible and still call yourself a "science major". The quality of the science education is excellent, you can have as much one on one time with your professors as you like. Some professors are more willing and friendly to help you than others. In chemistry, to drop a few names, Colleen Kaczmarek, David Cullen, Bruce Branchini and Prof Lewis are incredibly kind and wonderful people to talk to for advice. The best person to do research with is Timo Ovaska, you might get published. Stanton Ching is VERY socially awkward, but generally a nice guy. He's a little too laid back on his research so don't expect to accomplish anything exceptional. For biology, if you're thinking about a senior thesis APPROACH THE PROFESSORS BY THE END OF FRESHMEN YEAR. The department is incredibly disorganized and the professors overworked. To drop a few names: professors Eastman, Owen, Askins and Warren (all I really know) are very kind and helpful. Mardi Grossel is a huge bitch to put it bluntly. Find out for yourself if you like, but I don't recommend crossing her path. Connecticut College will equip you with a great science education. It is excruciatingly painful at times due to the heavy course load and small classes, but it will leave you prepared for anything. You can expect to get a great research job from your lab experience. Also be prepared to feel a little smarter than most kids at the school who do about a fourth of the work that you do.

The academics are Conn are both good and bad. it all depends on what department you're in. The Psychology department was really strong and I got to know my professors. They were all very helpful and patient. Some even host dinner parties outside of class, at their houses or restaurants. It's fun to talk about interesting things we've learned in class with friends, and, at least in my circle of friends, it happens a lot. The students are all pretty competitive, but not ruthless. The only thing I don't like is some of the requirements. I didn't like having to take a language or math. The best thing about the academics are that they're geared toward learning about what you like and not just getting a job.

Academics at can are really what you make of them. You can ultimately coast through your four years at Conn with minumum effort with low C's and the occasional B. However, the proffessors are always there and, thanks in part to the small class size, you can become engaged in any of your classes in a way not possible at bigger schools. If you want a challenge there are classes and proffessors who will push you and make you work. The bottom line is that for Conn there is an easy route for those students who wish to cruise through at the bare minimum (I think it's called the American Studies Major), but there is also a harder, more challenging road that will take you into close contact with proffessors and engage you in small, discussion based classrooms.

Most classes besides the intros to bio, chem and psych are fewer than about 30 people; more specialized and higher level courses can have far fewer. Professors are generally helpful and personable and open to talking with you outside of class time. There are some stellar professors and the occasional dud.

Academics are very important to the students at Conn. We work hard before we play hard. One of the most valuable aspects of a small liberal arts school like Conn is the small class size. You get to know your professors in and out of the classroom. The opportunities to assist in faculty research are numerous. I worked two summers researching the effects of nutrient enrichment on salt marsh vegetation with my botany professor in the salt marshes of the Plum Island Sound and continued working one on one with him into the fall of my Junior year. During my senior year I was fortunate to co-author a poster depicting our research for the Estuarine Research Foundation meeting in Providence RI. I can't imagine attending a university in which I was one of 500 students in a class. At Conn, you are not an anonymous face in the crowd. Professors know you by first name. You see them around campus and ask how their kid is doing or how that sweater they are knitting is going. Connecticut College truly is a community.

Academics at Conn are very good, at least in my experience. The professors all really know their stuff, and there are no TA's. There are big science lectures, but any other class is under 35 students, and the professors know everyone's name. Class participation tends to be limited to a few people, especially in intro classes. It is really easy to transfer out of classes, so if you get a professor you don't think you'll like, you can switch. Unfortunately, it is surprisingly difficult to get into classes you want to take. The average amount of classes one takes is four per semester, which is less than other schools. You can take five, but not many people do.

The academics at Conn College is unlimited...if their is something you would like to learn you can. The class sizes are perfect and you really get to know the professors which is nice because they always try and make sure you are succeeding inside and outside the classroom and get to know you for who you are. Yes, the majority of students participate in the classroom and usually have intelluctual conversations about what was learned outside the class. Students are competitive but only with themselves trying to push yourself to the farthest limit and always making sure they set challenges and goals. Yes, there are many opportunities to spend quality time with your professors, either getting tutoring help or going out to lunch. I feel that Conn's academic requirements are challenging but at the same time are obtainable. The education at Conn College is geared toward learning for your own sake and later applying what was learned to the great job that you get after the life of Conn College.