<p>(1) UCLA - [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/members/beyphy-401300.html]beyphy[/url ”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/members/beyphy-401300.html ]beyphy[/url</a>] majored in philosophy at UCLA, and if he doesn’t weigh in on this thread, send him a PM. </p>
<p>(2) Northwestern - [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/members/arbiter213-78847.html]Arbiter213[/url ”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/members/arbiter213-78847.html ]Arbiter213[/url</a>] majored in philosophy at Northwestern. Again, send a PM for info if he doesn’t weigh in.</p>
<p>(3) Berkeley - [url=<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/members/drab-32725.html]DRab[/url ”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/members/drab-32725.html ]DRab[/url</a>] studied philosophy at Berkeley. He doesn’t post anymore, but searching through his past posts would turn up a lot of helpful info:
Well, the department is freaking amazing. It is of a medium size as far as Berkeley goes, not nearly as large as physics or English, both stellar department. But so is philosophy. You have some huge names in the field, and many strong ones, as well as top graduate students. Professor to student relationships, like most department at Berkeley, have to be fostered. Not every teacher wants to spend countless hours with people he or she does not happen to have chemistry with. They are helpful if you need help. All teachers are required to have office hours. I was going to go visit some non-profs of mine, but I didn’t, for lack of time, or courage, a bit of laziness. But I could have been talking to one of the biggest names in philosophy in a few minutes. Heck, my profs office was next to Searles, i was feet from the guy. The grading, like most phil departments compared to other departments, is tough. UCB phil is known to have tough grading relative to the other humanities majors, amongst the harder ones like English, and rhetoric. If you do your work, if you really do the readings, you will be fine. The readings aren’t anything that out there, as far as a bachelors in phil is concerned. They are still amazing. Sometimes you will be reading your professor’s books, which is cool.
The professors tend to be okay to good. The GSIs vary from eh to good. The grading is pretty tough. You can work hard and get a B. Few As are given, some A-s. The classes are, in general, too big for my tastes.</p>
<p>You will have to read a lot of dense material, ideally rereading it. You will have to write a lot, too. Not as much as some majors, but it will be more dense and difficult.</p>
<p>If you really excel, the professors and graduate seminars are there to take you to the highest levels. The top applicants get into the top programs for philosophy every year.
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<p>(4) & (5) Dickinson and Kalamazoo - Glancing only at faculty (I know nothing about philosophy), Dickinson and K-Zoo seem to be the weakest, with only 2-3 philosophers on staff.</p>
<p>As I said in another thread recently, it would be helpful to know what you plan to do with philosophy, if you know yet. Someone planning to get a PhD in philosophy needs to examine programs much more carefully than someone who wants to go into law or something else. Program strength isn’t everything – as M’s Mom pointed out, I REALLY can’t imagine two schools more different than UCLA and Grinnell!</p>
<p>If you’re from LA, I wouldn’t pick UCLA. Too many kids here have never escaped the LA bubble and are totally clueless about other parts of the country.</p>