Sort By:
[Date]
[Major]
[Rating]
| Bright |
I was an average high school student, who, for the first time, discovered that I enjoyed academic pursuits at Kalamazoo College. The faculty were supportive, and there was relatively little pressure compared to other more selective schools where the quality of education is similar. I have returned several times, and they continue to provide a strong environment for learning.
This was also a great school to discover one's own interests and talents. The liberal arts experience was quite stimulating, particularly because the introductory subjects were taught be enthusiastic and highly competent professors. The faculty were amazingly accessible, and enjoyed interacting with students.
Overall, the school prepared me well for graduate school. I am currently an endowed professor at an Ivy League University. I credit K. College with much of my success as a professor. | Starting Job: Senior Research Director, Preparedness: A+, Reputation: B |  | |
| | Nov 08 2008 | Alumnus Male --
Class 2000 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
Just copy and paste!
<script src='http://www.studentsreview.com/active/shared/sr_comment.js?sckey=55445&uid=681'></script>
<a href='http://www.studentsreview.com' style='font-size:8pt;'>Data Source: StudentsReview!</a>
|
|
|
|
| Quite Bright | I looked at going to a number of other schools, both small and large, and settled on "K" as my sister, now a doctor who studied anthropology there, loved it. I really enjoyed the smaller size of the school and the accessibility of the faculty. When I first started college I had no idea what I wanted to study, and was able to meet with several department heads early on to figure out what it was I wanted to pursue in terms of a major. I found the classes challenging, which was reflected initially in my GPA as my work ethic from high school, do nothing and get A's, didn't exactly work at "K". The school does a great job at getting you to expand your view of the world and is often recognized as a leader in this area of higher ed. I spent a my junior year in Africa, did a Summer project in Madrid, and was awarded two post-grad fellowships upon graduation, one in France and another in Germany. While I agree with others that "K" is best for those who plan to go to grad school, I think in many ways this is because "K" grads are true liberal arts folks and use their undergraduate experience to quench their thirst for pure knowledge rather than study what could be termed more practical subjects like accounting, business, etc. I wouldn't give up my experience for anything. I know I'm a more well rounded, unique, and out-of-the-box thinker due to my time at "K"... | Starting Job: Study Abroad Program Manager, Preparedness: A+, Reputation: B+ | | |
| | May 02 2005 | Alumnus Male --
Class 2000 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
Just copy and paste!
<script src='http://www.studentsreview.com/active/shared/sr_comment.js?sckey=16552&uid=681'></script>
<a href='http://www.studentsreview.com' style='font-size:8pt;'>Data Source: StudentsReview!</a>
|
|
|
|
| Bright |
I am in the middle of the winter quarter of my sophomore year, and I am on this website researching schools to transfer to. I have been considering transferring for over a year, and have finally made my decision. 'K' is not the right place for me, but that does not mean it isn't a good school.
'K' is a very very small school, and, despite Western's presence, it feels small, and so does the city. I am from a very large city (Phoenix, AZ) and I like being able to be anonymous sometimes- here, any gossip is all over campus immediately. I am also a fairly social girl- and here you are fairly stuck in the same group of people you met during freshman orientation, which is not always a bad thing, I just need more variation. The campus clears out over the weekends since a lot of people are from in-state or hide in their rooms and study all weekend. The workload is very difficult, but manageable, just don't overload! Professors are AMAZING, especially in the English department, and classes are usually interesting- though the general education requirements can be frustrating. Check out the school newspaper if you visit (2004-05), it's my baby. ;)
Basically, this could easily be the right school for you, it just isn't for me. If you like to be anonymous, are really social and need a varied group of friends, plan on living somewhere other than the midwest (trust me, most people away from here do not know what kalamazoo college is) and want a large amount of possibilities in majors, consider somewhere else. Also, don't be fooled by the study abroad program- if you really want to study abroad, you can do it anywhere- it just seems huge here because every junior goes- which causes a HUGE divide between classes. If you can't speak another language well, do not want to go to a third world country or are an art major, you are basically out of program choices. Good luck! If you have questions, feel free to comment. | Individual Value: A, Scholastic Success: F | | | |
| | Feb 07 2005 | 2nd Year Female --
Class 2007 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
Just copy and paste!
<script src='http://www.studentsreview.com/active/shared/sr_comment.js?sckey=14723&uid=681'></script>
<a href='http://www.studentsreview.com' style='font-size:8pt;'>Data Source: StudentsReview!</a>
|
|
|
|
| Quite Bright |
I'll preface any judgment of "K" with this caveat: I was not the most diligent, hard-working student. In retrospect, there was a wealth of information and opportunity available to me that I did not take advantage of.
That said, I regret to say that "K" is not what it once was, especially for those of use who don't study math and science. Having talked to numerous alums who graduated in the '60s through the '80s, I have been amazed at the decrease in the level of expectations on "K" students. I think a lot of this is not specific to Kalamazoo, but is indicative of the larger trend toward "experiential learning." For someone who plans to go on to med-, law- or engineering school, I think that "K" probably provides a good, well-rounded education. However, for those of us who tried to take our experiential educations out into the workforce, we found that we had a whole lot of experiences and not a lot of practical skills and information.
The good news about this is that, for the most part, "K" grads are a pretty smart and resourceful group. Most of us have managed to find decent jobs, but for the majority of my peers, that meant going back to grad school.
The bottom line: if you're going on to grad school immediately after undergrad, "K" is still a pretty good school. If you're not, get as much specific, hands-on experience as you can through internships, individualized studies and your SIP (if they still do those...). Please don't expect your "K" diploma to be a ticket to a great job. You'll either have to work for it while you're there or (like many of us) after you graduate. | Starting Job: Advertising Account Executive, Preparedness: C, Reputation: C | | |
| | Feb 10 2005 | Alumnus Male --
Class 2000 | | Blog it!Blog about this comment from your webpage or Blog, or MySpace account:
Just copy and paste!
<script src='http://www.studentsreview.com/active/shared/sr_comment.js?sckey=14819&uid=681'></script>
<a href='http://www.studentsreview.com' style='font-size:8pt;'>Data Source: StudentsReview!</a>
|
|
|
|
 |
Articles
