Academics
Sarah Lawrence College is a stalwart liberal arts jewel located just north of New York City, offering students an interdisciplinary education in which they are able to select their “own course of study” and design their own personalized projects (which can take any form, including creative works of art and fiction, but are most often academic papers about a topic that the student is interested in). The school’s didactical approach gives students “the benefit of seminar settings combined with independent research in one-on-one coordination with faculty,” and the campus’ location means they have “a ton of fieldwork and internship opportunities.” The five credit system (three classes per semester, along with independent study) prioritizes in-depth study of topics over broader surveys, and every class is “a combination of different topics and attracts connection-drawing, instead of trying to categorize everything.” Sarah Lawrence also has an “excellent writing program,” where the workshop is constructive and the conference “helps a student to build a story as high as it can go.”
Professors here are beloved, and aside from being “extremely accessible and intelligent,” they “talk to us almost like colleagues” and “respect what we have to say and use what we say to steer us in a direction for further enrichment.” They are “nothing short of brilliant, caring, and absolute joys” who are “so invested in your life it hurts.” Various accolades and awards aside, the professors at this school demonstrate “such intelligence, fluency in their work, and a unique compassion and drive to TEACH students.” The administration is incredibly receptive to ideas, and “students have a say in who teaches here” in that student imput is considered during faculty searches. At Sarah Lawrence, students are not asked to test themselves “but rather to prove our abilities and intelligence through graduate level work.” Sarah Lawrence “essentially offers a build-your-own education, and for those who are dedicated and passionate, it’s perfect.”