<p>What are the best qualities of Earlham College?</p>
<p>I have 2 kids at Earlham and love the school. To make it easy, here’s a list of the positives:
small
community feel
classes are small (my dd had 4 in her Latin class)
teachers who care and are always willing to help (they even told my dd, who has some LD’s, the best way to study for their exams)
easily approachable teachers
everyone, including teachers and even the president go by first names since the school is based on Quaker tenets even though the majority of the school is not Quaker
excels in the sciences being one of the top producing schools in the country where PHD students get their undergraduate degrees from
the difference between big schools (like where I got my degrees) and a school like Earlham (which I wish I had gone to) is that the teachers know you, you work closely with them, you learn how to write and communicate and you’re never taught by TA’s
the kids are very accepting of each other and don’t make others do something they don’t want to do, you can be quirky as can be and that’s ok.<br>
everyone is extremely friendly and helpful
no frats or sororities (which was my kids, and mine, preference)
has a farm and an equestrian center
the school itself is small put pretty, but they have a lot of land including back trails with paths to hike</p>
<p>Cons:
a small town with not much to do, but the kids entertain themselves on campus and most don’t complain, and they are building up the historic depot
as in any school you’ll find drinking and pot, but not overtly and not everywhere and with no pressure to do it or join in, there are very few parties on campus or in the school houses.<br>
you rarely hear loud music, but to be honest there are some kids that will be like that, but as I said, you can’t escape that at any school
sports teams that aren’t very good (my dd plays on one), but then again it’s div 3 and there is no emphasis on them like at big 10 schools</p>
<p>It’s the kind of school where the majority of the kids are liberal, very community oriented, like to engage in intellectual conversations and who want to be there to study and not party. I just have to say that my dd who by nature is very quiet and not a go getter has really opened up. She contacts her teachers all the time with questions or for help (they do have tutors available). She’s not intimidated to answer questions in class, she studies hard and no one bothers her, she has taken full advantage of what the school has to offer, and most of all feels very comfortable. I think it’s the small, community atmosphere that helps and reachable teachers. </p>
<p>Just have a clear mind that no campus is perfect and it’s what the kid makes of it. Sure there are kids that leave for various reasons, who party and drink and do stupid things, but that’s everywhere. Your child just has to feel comfortable and understand that it’s a pretty, but not large campus and the town doesn’t offer much, but there are things going on the campus. </p>
<p>I have to mention one thing that just occurred. Three students were in the downtown district and about 1am and were “mooning” a train and were hit. Two died and 1 is doing ok. First, stupid stuff like that can happen anywhere, it had nothing to do with the school. But it does give an example of the school and being one big community atmosphere. They closed the campus the next day and cancelled all activities for that weekend. The whole school was grieving even if they didn’t know the kids. Everyone came together and as events started up again, they did have moments of silence</p>
<p>Is it perfect, no, is it right for everyone, no, but you can say that about any campus in the country. Do you get a good rigorous education, yes, do you get to know your teachers, yes, do you get to do work and not just sit in lectures and listen, yes, is there a sense of community, yes, does the school care about your child, yes. </p>
<p>Sorry this is long, but hope it helps. I just get excited about the school because coming from the east coast where the big names sell, there are these little “gems”, albeit in the middle of nowhere that are just as good or better. Put it this way, a lot of professors from other schools send their kids to Earlham. Just keep an open mind that all schools have their issues and nowhere is perfect. Your child just has to feel like it’s the place for them.</p>
<p>Good luck. If you have any further questions let me know!</p>
<p>Hi utzybuzzy, this post was great! Thanks so much for all the information. I’ve been really looking into Earlham and it has recently soared to the top of my list. After reading this, it has made me even more excited about the school. It sounds like a perfect fit for me! I’m visiting in January so hopefully that’ll seal the deal (assuming I get in and can afford it).
Another question, how are the psych and political science departments at Earlham (if you have any insight)?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Great post from utzybuzzy. I’ll add one thing: Because of the school’s small size, students have much greater opportunities to get involved, take leadership positions, and do creative things that just couldn’t happen at a big school. Faculty and staff are always open to student’s ideas, and take them seriously.</p>
<p>Example, two students decided they wanted to open a student-run free-trade coffee shop on campus (never fear, there’s also a “regular” coffee shop!). They took their idea to the College, got the green light, and opened Rose City Coffee Shop, entirely founded and run by students. This would NEVER happen at my big public alma mater.</p>
<p>[Relaxing</a> at the Rose City | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/blog/relaxing-rose-city]Relaxing”>http://www.earlham.edu/blog/relaxing-rose-city)</p>
<p>[Rose</a> City Coffee Shop | Earlham College](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/blog/rose-city-coffee-shop]Rose”>http://www.earlham.edu/blog/rose-city-coffee-shop)</p>
<p>My own D, a senior, has been involved in one of the student activities since she was a freshman, another entirely student-run enterprise. From the beginning, the convenors were open to several ideas she had, and those have been implemented. (Earlham doesn’t call them “committee chairpeople”; Quakers are non-hierarchical). She’s worked her way up into the leadership and is now a co-convenor, which has been a great experience for her.</p>
<p>Oh, and you’ll get a really great education at Earlham. :)</p>
<p>One of the best qualities about Earlham is that students are not a number. They are valued and supported by the entire faculty. There are opportunities for undergraduate research and similar projects. This faculty really wants to see every student succeed and soar.</p>
<p>Everything is a short walk from one side of the campus to another. This isn’t a college with 10-story dorm buildings, off-off-off-campus housing, or so many buildings that they have to be numbered in order to be remembered. This is a compact campus with easy access to all parts of the college. </p>
<p>The college’s Lilly library has won several awards over the years and is one of the best teaching libraries in the country. All Earlham students will learn strong research skills through specialized instruction. This will serve them well in future academic and career pursuits. Professors new to the college have required training on how to incorporate these skills into their classes. </p>
<p>The atmosphere is more collaborative than competitive. </p>
<p>You’ve heard of notable graduates from much larger and more well-known colleges but this small college has a lot of interesting alumni, including two Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry (in different years), a few inventors, a couple of U.S. Ambassadors (including a current one), a recent Pulitzer Prize-winning author plus several other authors, etc. </p>
<p>At Earlham, your merit and needs-based aid follows you when you study abroad. This is not true of all colleges. When my kid was researching colleges, some would only let needs-based aid follow you for study abroad, and not any of your merit aid. That could be a deal-breaker for some students.</p>
<p>I’m a huge fan of Earlham. The graduates that I know are stellar people. Of all the schools I visited with both kids, it is the one that impressed me the most as a place that cares deeply about teaching undergraduates in all facets of life. T hey truly care about the students far more than any ranking.</p>