Tell me about Bennington College

[Anonymous]

I just learned that Bennington College is entirely "grade optional" and students can decide which (if any) classes they want to receive grades in.

the website says:

Students may request letter grades (A,B,C,D,F) for any and all courses they take. In addition to the optional grades, all students receive written narrative evaluations at the end of the fall and spring terms for each course they have taken. Faculty summarize the student’s progress, appraise his/her work, and often make suggestions for further development. A narrative evaluation is issued whether or not the student elects to receive a letter grade.

All students are encouraged to consider requesting grades for at least two years (or 64 credits) of their study at Bennington so that a GPA might be produced upon graduation, particularly if the student thinks s/he might study abroad, apply for certain scholarships, or apply to graduate school.


I've thought of Bennington College as a well regarded NEASC (New England Association of Schools & Colleges) school, but dose anyone have insight into how the grade optional policy impacts post graduation prospects?

[Anonymous]

I think "well-regarded" is an over statement. It's an OK SLAC, not great.

[Anonymous]

Apparently students who apply to grad schools can ask for grades retroactively.

It's a tiny school now (under 1000 students). Not sure I'd put it in the highly regarded category.

[Anonymous]

Students can request a letter grade for any and all courses you take -- and slightly over half (54%) do opt to receive at least one letter grade per term; that's common especially if a student intends to go to grad school. But the focus of the College's feedback is the narrative evaluation -- an intense examination and analysis of students work and performance in a class.

After 12 years in DC (six of those as a member of the DCUM community), I recently moved to work at Bennington, and I've been floored by the quality of the student and alumni work. (Picture interviewing students for a campus work job: a sophomore who was writing her second novel, a junior who had worked at the New York Daily News during her Field Work Term, and on.)

Here are a few highlights from my first six months here:
-Alums won two Pulitzers this year: Donna Tartt (who won for The Goldfinch) wrote her first book while a student; and Megan Marshall (who won for A New American Life ) discovered the topic of the book for which she won the Pulitzer while in class.
-Three alums just got Emmy nods: Peter Dinklage for Game of Thrones; Joel Marsh Garland, who is on Orange is the New Black, which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series; and Julie Tucker (who shared her nomination) received her 9th nomination for Casting for work on Nurse Jackie (she previously won for Six Feet Under and Damages.)
-Alum Peter Dinklage's 2012 commencement address was recently highlighted by NPR as one of the best ever. http://apps.npr.org/commencement/speech/peter-dinklage-bennington-college-2012/
-Sylvan Esso, which includes alum Amelia Meath, is on the cusp of a big breakthrough; they were recently in DC at the 9:30 Club.

This only school in the country, as far as I know, that requires every student, every year to spend 7 weeks every winter in the world of work (internships, jobs or entrepreneurial pursuits)--as we have since our founding. A 2013 report from the Chronicle of Higher Education and APM’s Marketplace The Employment Mismatch (http://chronicle.com/article/The-Employment-Mismatch/137625/#id=overview) found that the single most important credential for a college graduate entering the workforce is internship experience. The recent Gallup-Perdue study (http://www.gallup.com/poll/168848/life-college-matters-life-college.aspx) also highlighted the importance of internships integrating with academic life (which Bennington does through the Plan process).

The Princeton Review rated Bennington as #2 for best classroom experience, and #8 with Professors get high marks. Unigo found us to be in the top 10 brainiest colleges.

I'm happy to talk more, if anyone wants to reach out.

Best,

Alex Dery Snider
Director of Communications
Bennington College
[e-mail]
802.440.4399

[Anonymous]

The fictional Diane Chambers went there.

[Anonymous]

Bennington has an excellent reputation for writing and the arts. The problem is its very small so there isn't a lot of breadth of study. But the quality of the education within its areas of strength is very high.

As for grade optional, it can mean several things. At Reed and Sarah Lawrence, there are grades but students don't receive them unless they specifically ask. Otherwise they receive lengthy, individual, comments which are much more helpful. This keeps the focus on learning, where it belongs, and lowers competition. I am assuming this is the system Bennington uses as well, so the grades are always there if you want them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Students can request a letter grade for any and all courses you take -- and slightly over half (54%) do opt to receive at least one letter grade per term; that's common especially if a student intends to go to grad school. But the focus of the College's feedback is the narrative evaluation -- an intense examination and analysis of students work and performance in a class.

After 12 years in DC (six of those as a member of the DCUM community), I recently moved to work at Bennington, and I've been floored by the quality of the student and alumni work. (Picture interviewing students for a campus work job: a sophomore who was writing her second novel, a junior who had worked at the New York Daily News during her Field Work Term, and on.)

Here are a few highlights from my first six months here:
-Alums won two Pulitzers this year: Donna Tartt (who won for The Goldfinch) wrote her first book while a student; and Megan Marshall (who won for A New American Life ) discovered the topic of the book for which she won the Pulitzer while in class.
-Three alums just got Emmy nods: Peter Dinklage for Game of Thrones; Joel Marsh Garland, who is on Orange is the New Black, which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series; and Julie Tucker (who shared her nomination) received her 9th nomination for Casting for work on Nurse Jackie (she previously won for Six Feet Under and Damages.)
-Alum Peter Dinklage's 2012 commencement address was recently highlighted by NPR as one of the best ever. http://apps.npr.org/commencement/speech/peter-dinklage-bennington-college-2012/
-Sylvan Esso, which includes alum Amelia Meath, is on the cusp of a big breakthrough; they were recently in DC at the 9:30 Club.

This only school in the country, as far as I know, that requires every student, every year to spend 7 weeks every winter in the world of work (internships, jobs or entrepreneurial pursuits)--as we have since our founding. A 2013 report from the Chronicle of Higher Education and APM’s Marketplace The Employment Mismatch (http://chronicle.com/article/The-Employment-Mismatch/137625/#id=overview) found that the single most important credential for a college graduate entering the workforce is internship experience. The recent Gallup-Perdue study (http://www.gallup.com/poll/168848/life-college-matters-life-college.aspx) also highlighted the importance of internships integrating with academic life (which Bennington does through the Plan process).

The Princeton Review rated Bennington as #2 for best classroom experience, and #8 with Professors get high marks. Unigo found us to be in the top 10 brainiest colleges.

I'm happy to talk more, if anyone wants to reach out.

Best,

Alex Dery Snider
Director of Communications
Bennington College
[e-mail]
802.440.4399

Thanks for introducing a slice of non-anonymous sanity into this crazy forum.

[Anonymous]

Schools that don't give out grades sound like a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools that don't give out grades sound like a joke.

Obviously it's not for you, just move on and leave it to people who care about learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Schools that don't give out grades sound like a joke.

Reed has one of the most rigorous curricula in the country. Every freshman takes a course in the classics, every junior must pass departmental exams and every senior must write a thesis. Hardly a joke.

And, again, these schools do have grades and if the student requests them.

[Anonymous]

Our son ultimately chose another LAC but we all loved Bennington! It's not for everyone, but if you're artsy-fartsy and bright and you like cold weather and small groups of people who form tight bonds in an isolated environment, it might be for you. DIfficult to explain. YOu need to go visit. (Also, we are in the financial aid 'donut hole' and we were amazed at how generous Bennington was with merit aid!)

[Anonymous]

To Mr. Snider: Are you a Title IV school? It appears that you are regionally accredited. How do you remain so if you don't give grades to ALL of your students? Why hasn't US Dept of Ed not shut you down? I'm not judging, just asking.

[Anonymous]

Oh please, you think the Department of Education should be shutting down colleges with alternative grading processes?

[Anonymous]

It is the classic "rich kid" school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Students can request a letter grade for any and all courses you take -- and slightly over half (54%) do opt to receive at least one letter grade per term; that's common especially if a student intends to go to grad school. But the focus of the College's feedback is the narrative evaluation -- an intense examination and analysis of students work and performance in a class.

After 12 years in DC (six of those as a member of the DCUM community), I recently moved to work at Bennington, and I've been floored by the quality of the student and alumni work. (Picture interviewing students for a campus work job: a sophomore who was writing her second novel, a junior who had worked at the New York Daily News during her Field Work Term, and on.)

Here are a few highlights from my first six months here:
-Alums won two Pulitzers this year: Donna Tartt (who won for The Goldfinch) wrote her first book while a student; and Megan Marshall (who won for A New American Life ) discovered the topic of the book for which she won the Pulitzer while in class.
-Three alums just got Emmy nods: Peter Dinklage for Game of Thrones; Joel Marsh Garland, who is on Orange is the New Black, which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series; and Julie Tucker (who shared her nomination) received her 9th nomination for Casting for work on Nurse Jackie (she previously won for Six Feet Under and Damages.)
-Alum Peter Dinklage's 2012 commencement address was recently highlighted by NPR as one of the best ever. http://apps.npr.org/commencement/speech/peter-dinklage-bennington-college-2012/
-Sylvan Esso, which includes alum Amelia Meath, is on the cusp of a big breakthrough; they were recently in DC at the 9:30 Club.

This only school in the country, as far as I know, that requires every student, every year to spend 7 weeks every winter in the world of work (internships, jobs or entrepreneurial pursuits)--as we have since our founding. A 2013 report from the Chronicle of Higher Education and APM’s Marketplace The Employment Mismatch (http://chronicle.com/article/The-Employment-Mismatch/137625/#id=overview) found that the single most important credential for a college graduate entering the workforce is internship experience. The recent Gallup-Perdue study (http://www.gallup.com/poll/168848/life-college-matters-life-college.aspx) also highlighted the importance of internships integrating with academic life (which Bennington does through the Plan process).

The Princeton Review rated Bennington as #2 for best classroom experience, and #8 with Professors get high marks. Unigo found us to be in the top 10 brainiest colleges.

I'm happy to talk more, if anyone wants to reach out.

Best,

Alex Dery Snider
Director of Communications
Bennington College
[e-mail]
802.440.4399

Thanks for introducing a slice of non-anonymous sanity into this crazy forum.

Uh, he is the Director of Communications for the school. Do you think this is an unbiased opinion? No, it is an advertisement for the school. That is his job. The school's opinion of itself is fairly useless information.