Clark University

Academics

Approximately one hour west of Boston you’ll find Clark University, an “extremely studentfocused” small liberal arts college centered around LEEP, or Liberal Education and Effective Practice, which combines academics with practical and experiential learning. The LEEP curriculum is designed to give students a strong foundation in a traditional liberal arts education while also connecting them with opportunities to apply what they’ve learned through internships, Problems of Practice courses, and a capstone experience. Ambitious students who meet the GPA requirements can also take advantage of Clark’s Accelerated BA/Master’s Degree Programs, where students can earn their master’s degree from Clark in a consecutive fifth, tuition-free year of study. The school is “very active in creating change and works hard to implement it,” offers “great opportunities to volunteer and get involved in the community,” and there is a “constant flow of ideas and the encouragement to discuss them.” Students enjoy ready access to the administration, and have the ability to create change on campus.

Professors do an excellent job of “showing instead of telling, and demonstrate rather than just state concepts.” All are passionate and hands-on, and “make every attempt to have their classes go above and beyond the classroom.” “If you ask, they will show you their research, they will take you into their lab or let you see exactly what they are doing.” “I have not yet had a professor that did not put teaching before their own personal work,” says a student. They also push students to “think critically and from different perspectives,” and most classes have projects that put knowledge into practice; “almost every class extends far beyond tradition.” Additionally, the LEEP Student Success Network is an excellent aid in helping students find internships, improve resumes, gain interview and writing skills, and can “open doors you didn’t even know were there.”

Student Body

Clark University is a “very diverse institution” that draws students from all over the world, with a particularly vibrant LBGTQ+ community. The unique student body at Clark “has a different sense of self, clothing, expression, music taste, far from basic,” or as one student summarizes, “it feels like a family.” The school incorporates all of its cultural aspects into showcases of diverse culture, and cultivates a “sense of togetherness” through the annual International Gala that is “planned, organized, and perfected by students.” Students at Clark are “open-minded and unafraid to stand by their views, stances, and beliefs,” and are “generally very liberal.”

Campus Life

Clarkies are “very active people,” so evenings are often spent at meetings and activities for a variety of clubs that allow students “to keep feeding their individual passions” after high school. There is no Greek life and “not much emphasis on sports,” but “when it comes to political activism, challenging social norms, and equality and mutual respect, Clark students are highly engaged. This is a very social environment, so “running into a friend in passing could lead to you spending the rest of the day together.”

People stay on campus most of the time, “socializing with friends in dorms or common spaces”; many students work on group projects together in the Academic Commons of the library or “sit out on the green if the weather is nice.” The city of Worcester has “great restaurants and lots of beautiful parks.” The University has something called “guaranteed programming” in which there must be at least four different events going on Thursday through Saturday nights in “an effort to keep students engaged on the weekends,” so students with free time do not hurt for things to do.