Kalamazoo College
“My experience at Kalamazoo College was not entirelyQuite BrightPsychology
My experience at Kalamazoo College was not entirely bad; I met some great people and the love of my life, but let me make something clear: this school is not for you if you are mentally ill, disabled, or anything but extremely liberal.
The Disability Services is a disaster, to the point where I was told that my neurological disorder was not a disability, despite being medicated for it and it making me miss weeks of my class at a time. Not to mention that the school is on a hill, so if you use any assistive devices, look somewhere else. I even had one class where the professor basically told me that my disability was invalid and that I should have told her when I was in pain (even though that's literally every moment). I had a friend who lost points because she took her seizing boyfriend to the hospital, a friend who was accused of cheating because of her anxiety disorder, and the list goes on. This school has a major problem with its disabled students, and the intense coursework makes that even worse.
The other side of the coin is that the school is so politically one-sided. The school is so liberal that simply not knowing correct terminology will lead you to being immediately "called out" by people. The student body has a righteousness complex, and expects everyone to have the same passions as they do, and if you don't, you're considered a homophobic, ableist, sexist, etc. person (I've been called homophobic for saying gay culture even existed, and I am gay!). I wouldn't recommend this school to anyone even close to conservative. And this is coming from a very liberal, disabled, mentally ill LGBT woman.
On the flip side, if you are oppressed in some way, this college can be your safe space. LGBT students are absolutely accepted, to the degree where I felt no shame at my sexuality, and professors will respect they/them pronouns. Compared to my high school, this college is comparatively a lot nicer to students of color as well, though there is still a lot of work to be done with that. Casual -ist and -phobic remarks are not taken lightly at this school, and make of that as you will.Overall, I don't know what to say about this school. It's intense, but it works for some people. If you're looking into getting into activism in college, this might be the place for you. Just realize that your ideas will be put to the test, and this might not be in a comfortable, understanding way.
view full review→Jan 08 2017
1st Year Female -- Class 2017
Campus Aesthetics: A+, Social Life: D+
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Recommended: How to guarantee your acceptance to many colleges
“I looked at going to a number ofPolitical Science
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"...
view full review→May 02 2005
Alumnus Male -- Class 2000
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Recommended: Senior Year (Tips and experience)
“I am in the middle of the winterBrightFine Arts - Painting/Sculpture/Photography/etc
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.
view full review→Feb 07 2005
2nd Year Female -- Class 2007
Individual Value: A, Scholastic Success: F
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- #1 Top School Ranking in Michigan
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