The Top NON-TRADITIONAL Colleges (PHOTOS)

College can be a bore -- the endless textbook readings, crowded lecture halls and multiple choice tests that force students to memorize rather than synthesize (and wonder if they're really getting what they're paying for). But it doesn't have to be that way.

Scattered across the country are colleges where an actual education is paramount, and obtaining that education is often a rigorous and inventive process. We call them "non-traditional colleges," and they're places where students call the shots.

VOTE on your favorite non-traditional college -- and let us know if you have one to add by e-mailing [e-mail].

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Evergreen State College

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An Evergreen State education hones in on "bridging theory and practice." Located in Olympia, Washington, the college was founded in 1971 with an ethos of experimentation that prevails to this day. Students mainly take interdisciplinary courses study in one program each quarter. The academic freedom is wide-ranging -- according to one student who emailed us, "You can even make up a contract to travel around the world AND get extra financial aid to do so!"

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An Evergreen State education hones in on "bridging theory and practice." Located in Olympia, Washington, the college was founded in 1971 with an ethos of experimentation that prevails to this day. Students mainly take interdisciplinary courses study in one program each quarter. The academic freedom is wide-ranging -- according to one student who emailed us, "You can even make up a contract to travel around the world AND get extra financial aid to do so!"

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Nalanda Nick said on 20 Thursday 2010 pm31 8:52 pm: How about Naropa University? Powerhouse of contemplative education. www.naropa.edu

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Comments

[Ryan Justice]

03:06 AM on 06/11/2010

You didn't include Berea College why?!?!?

[novocollegian]

04:32 PM on 06/09/2010

When I attended New College in the late 90s, there was a LARGE amount of drug use (and drinking). I would assume that is still the case. I knew at least three students (out of a college population of 500 or so) that overdosed and a few more that dropped out due to excessive drug use.

The collective IQ of students at New College is very high. The students seemed to be divided into two groups- the very smart, hard working, non drug using ones and the very smart, partying all semester but furiously pulling all nighters before the semester ended, drug using, student. A number of 'goody two shoes' no longer earned that status after attending New College.

New College is a very difficult launching pad to go to medical school and law school because there are no grades and your entire admission is based on your standardized test scores (MCAT, LSAT).

Also, there are virtually no recruiters that visit campus for high paying positions in finance, consulting, etc. However, if you want to pursue a doctorate in your subject area, New College is a good place to go. A number of graduate schools are very familiar with the intellectual capacity of Novo Collegians.

[hilaritee]

01:30 PM on 06/09/2010

the sad irony about these non traditional schools is that they tend to be traditional in one very important way...cost. such schools are usually quite expensive causing them to be available primarily to the wealthy. i am sure they all offer scholarships and seek out diverse students but the reality is that for most people such schools are an unreachable luxury.

so the non traditional students, such as first generation college attendees, end up at the most traditional/conventional schools. we continue to prepare the wealthy to be leaders and the poor to be followers/cogs. the privilege gap in education in this country is severe.

i am glad that so many non traditional colleges continue to exist and am especially glad that antioch is on its way back; this is not an indictment of them. however, the stratified, functionalist nature of schooling in america is really problematic.

[hilaritee]

01:34 PM on 06/09/2010

see the following article in huff po:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/09/college-degree-poverty_n_605616.html

[ccreel]

10:35 PM on 07/08/2010

I'm not sure where you're getting this info but some of these non-traditional schools
have a student body that is comprised mostly of middle to low income students.
The higher the tuition, the more financial aid given. Being poor is not necessarily
a barrier to the education of your choice. Excelling academically or in sports
can get a person the education of their choice. Realistically speaking, it is
foolish to incur 5 digit debt for an undergrad degree -- unless engineering is
your field of choice. Unwillingness to pay these outrageous tuitions could
eventually result in tuitions being decreased if these expensive schools
wish to remain open. All we need to do is teach common sense so kids
and parents stop being baited into going into this kind of debt for a
basic education.

[patman77]

08:12 PM on 06/05/2010

where is warren-wilson on this list.

[LWH16]

12:40 PM on 06/02/2010

This list made me chuckle-- I am a Brown alum, with a MFA from Bennington, and my two older kids went to Wesleyan and Sarah Lawrence.

I'll suggest one more excellent non-traditional school that does a really poor job of marketing itself: The College Of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara. It's a school-within-a-school with no UC course distribution requirements, a heavy writing emphasis, and very small class sizes. CCS offers a normal range of liberal arts majors from econ to physics to literature. Students in CCS can also take any of the normal UCSB classes.

I took a class there and found the caliber of students to be very high-- indistinguishable from my classmates at Brown (except there was less geographic diversity).

For Californians, CCS is a great public alternative to the $50K schools featured on this list.

[pabloarbolayjr]

10:19 PM on 05/30/2010

I went to Eugene Lang College, the undergraduate liberal arts college at The New School for my BA, and completed my graduate studies at Sarah Lawrence---so I absolutely agree with these schools making this list. But I am a bit surprised that Bard and Hamilton College (NY) did not make the cut. Small progressive schools with no core requirements...well at least Bard is progressive.

[gsanderson]

02:18 PM on 05/30/2010

I went to Evergreen State one night to hang with people in their dorms - everyone was strung out on heroine with ice packs on their arms. Not kidding.

[Candy Molly]

09:16 PM on 05/28/2010

college of Hard Knocks? ... kidding

[applepies]

08:51 PM on 05/28/2010

How could you have left off Goddard College? We are RENOWNED for our non-traditional, student-directed, create-your-own-degree, no-grade programs. So many other schools have built upon our non-traditional academic programs. Our illustrious alumni include David Mamet, William H. Macy, Walter Mosley, and Mumia Abu-Jamal for goodness sakes. I got my graduate degree at Goddard and my undergraduate degree at The Evergreen State College, so I think I know a little about non-traditional colleges.

[sageworks]

10:03 PM on 05/28/2010

I can understand them leaving out Goddard, though you guys are clearly on a roll, because it has no normal attendance. It's a shame though - also that Audubon Expedition Institute failed. What a great program they had. Simon's Rock of Bard is another good one.

[applepies]

10:26 PM on 05/28/2010

I don't know what you mean by "normal" attendance". Should I infer that you believe that Goddard's program is abnormal? Or perhaps you're referring to our non-traditional, low-residency requirements.

[Yolanda King]

05:08 PM on 05/28/2010

You forgot to add Goddard College. :-)

[msbluebells]

12:54 PM on 05/29/2010

This is a blast from the past

I started my freshman year at Goddard (1977).
Then its been
University of New Mexico
Cincinnati Technical College
University of Cincinnati
Ohio College of Applied Science
Xavier (Bachelors and Masters)
University of Indianapolis (MBA)
and currently studying online for my PhD at Northcentral University! Yeah Goddard!! :)

[jkcosmos]

01:08 PM on 05/28/2010

Wow! How did you miss the beginning of it all?

Goddard College / Plainfield Vermont - truly a non-conventional, progressive and independent college. It should top the list for truly supporting ideas & academic discourse.]
jkcosmos

[dostoyidiot]

12:10 PM on 05/28/2010

Really? No Goddard and no Warren Wilson? I'm simply flabbergasted over this list. Come on Huff! Both colleges have notable philosophies and visions toward honest and self-directed inquiry, which I believe makes them pretty non-traditional, considering the spoon-fed students traditional universities graduate. And, Goddard and Warren Wilson both have notable educators and alumnae. Honestly, I have found my life more enriched from attending classes and programs alongside the varied backgrounds of my peers and professors at both colleges.

[art4sanity]

11:37 AM on 05/28/2010

Goddard College! Got my BA at Evergreen State and Goddard-Port Townsend was the best match for MFA grad studies. Creativity and independence fully supported!

[applepies]

10:28 PM on 05/28/2010

Besides myself, you're the second person I've heard of whose a Greener and a Goddardian. I think we need a gold star or something.

[applepies]

10:47 PM on 05/28/2010

I meant to type "who's" **sheesh**!

[civitat]

11:20 AM on 05/28/2010

Where about Goddard College? It's a terrific non-traditional college, founded on the philosophy of John Dewey. And it's one of the few colleges using a "limited residency" format, which allows older students, disabled students, and full-time workers to pursue a degree. For a longstanding, innovative program, you really need to feature Goddard.

[JohnDewey]

04:40 PM on 05/28/2010

Yes, I'm beginning to feel personally snubbed by this list. :)

[juhjuh]

11:58 PM on 05/27/2010

hey! MARLBORO COLLEGE IN VERMONT! only 300 students!!! CHECK IT OUT IT IS WAY NONTRADITIONAL!! PUT IT ON the LIST!

[sageworks]

10:01 PM on 05/28/2010

Yes, and Sterling College up in Vermont as well.