Davidson College Top Questions

Sure we study a lot and work really hard, but we have a great time too. We also aren't competitive with each other about grades. No one asks, "What did you get?" or thinks that if you do well it means that they won't do as well on a test or paper. We really are concerned about helping each other out. Professors know your name and a lot about you too. Even years or semesters after you've had a professor for a class, they still talk to you and ask how everything is going. Everyone here is really interesting and interested in getting to know each other, professors and students alike.

Academica are definately tough. You need to have goo time management becasue there is so much do do at Davidson. There are too few classes offered in my opinion and some of the requirements are obnoxious (i.e. Philosophy) but overall I have been pleased with the teachers and atmospheres of the classes.

Professors know your name and remember it for 3 years. It's kind of freaky. Professors are very available outside of class, the only problem is that you might be too busy studying to visit them. My least favorite class was a professor who taught like it was a high school class but tested us like we were grad students. There could often be a better equanimity between teaching style and testing/grading style. The academic requirements are very fair, and they really encourage taking a semester abroad. Students are not competitive, which I like, but they are very intellectual and politically aware. It's like an ivy league without all the people freaking out about grad schools. I feel like alot of students at Davidson graduate with the interest in being a professor or working in academia someday.

Most of my professors learn my name by the middle of the semester. If I go to their office hours, they are much more likely to remember me. Most will notice if I am absent from class just because they know the seat that I always sit in. I have had quite a few professors at Davidson that I have not liked in the Math, chemistry, and religion departments either because they did not inspire me to learn to the material, they were not very personable, or i disagreed with their core beliefs. However, I have also had some professors that I absolutely love. My english professor/freshman advisor invited me over to her house on several occassions for picnics and dinner. She was also my professor for a class that combine outdoor leadership skills with environmental writing. We would go on backpacking trips and learn about the environment. It was definitely one of my favorite classes at Davidson. The academics are very strenuous, but manageable. Everyone always has way more work than seems humanly possible to complete, but due to the "Davidson Miracle," it always all gets done. Teachers are flexible in giving you extensions and generally understand the intense workload and try to accomodate students as much as possible. Class participation is very common in most classes including some science classes. Classes never exceed 40 students and are usually around 25, small enough for the teacher to learn everyone's name. Many students have intellectual conversations outside of class. Sometimes you have to get away from the academics, but you can always find someone who will be talking about the latest basketball game or Office episode. I am a biology major and the department is wonderful. All the professors have been extremely helpful in guiding me through my major decision. My current biology professor approached me to inform me about a variety of research opportunities on campus because she sensed that I might be interested. I chose my biology advisor without every having him as a professor because I was talking to him one day and he emphasized the importance of a well-rounded individual. He emphasized the importance of balance in one's life and immediately I knew I liked him. He can advise me on life as well as on which biology classes to take.

Professors know your name. The classes are small for the most part (especially higher levels) and they demand participation and taking a lot of notes. My favorite class had 12 people where we shared stories about watching television as a child and discussed the impact of television on children today. There are definately a lot of academic conversations outside of class and also a lot of religous debate. They are not very enviornmentally active though since this school is primarily a republican school in the south. Davidson is geared towards education for its own sake and in fact doesn't even grant credit for internships in the summer (aka they make it even harder for people to get a job after college).

Very intimidating. When you come, you do not really understand how much work there will be. At the same time, I have learned so much across such a wide spectrum. I started off wanting to be an English major, switch to Psychology, declared, and now at the end of my junior year I was able to switch to Philosophy. Davidson has introduced so many subjects and books, and ideas to me, that it seems so hard to just be interested in one subject. There are always talks, lectures, and tea-time discussions to take part of. But instead of presenting us with some intelectual banter, they address real issues, whether they are political, social, or simply a forum to ask questions.

The professors genuinely care for their students as well, but often forget that we have other classes aside from theirs and assign astronomical amounts of work. However, they are always available for help outside of class or just to talk. They are very accessible and open to relationships with their students. If you come here, you'll learn more than you ever thought possible in four years, but you'll work your butt off for it. If you want to have a 4.0 GPA, don't come here.

Classes are hard and you will get frustrated with your grades, you just have to do your best. A lot of times it seems like people don't put their best effort into things with the excuse, "This is Davidson, a C here is like an A somewhere else." That's an easy assumption to slip into, but if you really put effort in and talk with your professors, they'll see your hard work and reward it. The small class sizes made transitioning from high school to college pretty easy. You get to know people in your classes. I really feel like learning is celebrated here, classes are both enriching and helpful in guiding you towards a career.

There is a lot of work and most professors have very high expectations, but in the end, I think it is worth it. The classes are all very small and professors are always accessible. There are very few classes that are easy A's, but you get well prepared for what comes after college.

Professors know who you are because classes are so small and they are always available for help! They have office hours and just sit there and give you one on one help. No classes are taught by TAs so the faculty is really dedicated. Lots of work of course, but we are all here because we want to learn, we want to challenge ourselves.