Last night, I went to a small gathering at the 8th Floor (a gallery near Union Square) to chat with alum and staff from Marlboro College in Vermont. Other than visiting campus in person, these types of NYC based events are a good way to learn more about colleges and understand better the spirit of the school and mission.
First off --- Marlboro is small. Like 300 students in the middle of the woods in Vermont small, so it isn't for everyone. But, what was clear from hearing from the alumni is that it can be life changing. For those seeking the peaceful retreat of nature combined with some serious intellectualism, it might be a perfect fit. One comment that stuck out from an alum was the observation that too often Marlboro is grouped as this very "out there" alternative education when really he experienced it as the most traditional education one can find. In other words, students think deeply on complex issues and spend time reading and studying liberal arts in a the very traditional sense of interacting with peers and professors. Many colleges we think of as 'traditional' aren't actually pursuing education in its pure form (they are using things like #2 pencils and scan trons and curves). I think the happiest students at Marlboro are probably those with interdisciplinary interests -- the integration of divergent ideas in student 'plans' was really amazing.
Thanks to Marlboro for visiting NYC!
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