St John's College

Date: Aug 30 2008
Major: Unknown (This Major's Salary over time)
REALITIES: administration is run by tutors who circulate in and out - so disciplinary standards are nonexistant and there are issues with unethical behavior which is blatantly allowed. financial aid is nonexistant. again - the liberal arts school's curse - their endowment is less than appealing. one loud, arrogant student in a class can ruin an entire discussion. the education is what you make it, but also what your peers make it for themselves and consequentally, you and the entire class. the acceptance rate is high. very very very high. which is wonderful for many students who have unconventional backgrounds, but it also pulls in other students with less than appealing discipline and work ethic. these students will hopefully be disenabled after sophmore year, but many remain after appealing to the circulating dean.

The great books program can be amazing if you allow it to be. But too many of the students read the text at face value. Partying is common, and the program is such that students can get away with mediocre work for the first two years - and sometimes all four. It's the same issue every college is facing - too many tenured faculty members to be selective or to hold students to high standards - lest they leave and there isn't enough money to pay for the electricity bills.

if it's a close choice between st. john's and another well respected institution - you will be far more inspired by your peers at that institution than it is possible to be here.

I was advised my first semester by a tutor to transfer after sophmore year. he said, with two years you have learned what you need to from the school, and then the real world necessitates that you learn about your field of interest before entering it - and junior/senior year, you will be disappointed in the math science program. If you attend St. John's - be interested in philosophy and expect to go to grad school before you can really enter the work force.