OK. Earlham political science graduate checking in. It has been about 15 years since I graduated but I went back for a visit last year so I have some more recent impressions as well. I loved Earlham. It was a fantastic time for me and I highly recommended it.
Positives
Small size, intense friendships,
Top notch faculty who are there to teach and interact with students rather than do research
Earlham had a killer writing program for all first year students. You had to read a book every week and write a paper on it. It was excellent. I think that this program has since evolved but I’m sure the intensity and learning remains.
Excellent international programs and language departments.
Students took their class work very seriously. They were engaged and interested in the classes (for the most part).
Excellent prep for grad school. Earlham grads have an incredible success rate when applying to grad schools. Just off the top of my head I have friends who went on to grad/prof school at Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, Cornell, Michigan
Very politically active (very progressive slant). Students and faculty really really care about the big issues and aren’t shy about it. They want to change the world and often do….the Peace and Global Studies major is particularly strong in this way. A lot of this is tied to its Quaker origins which give Earlham a nice social consciousness without being preachy….afterall these are Quakers we’re talking about.
Negatives
Richmond, IN is really nothing to write home about. This wasn’t such a big deal when I was a student since I mostly stayed on campus but damn, I don’t think I’d want to live there now.
Small college means limited number of faculty members (such as three main polsci faculty members)
Can get a bit claustrophobic.
No good sushi restaurants.
Things can get a bit insular…
Cost…it is a great school but it ain’t cheap.
And……all of the other schools (including Grinnell) are full of crack-smoking, half-witted, unattractive, idiots…. 