Upon my discovery of the American college system, one aspect I found is quasi-universal to the realm of the private college: the application process. The basic assumption of the American system is one that some Europeans have difficulty understanding: that every school is a spirit of its own. Consequently, every college individually requires the submission of at least one personal essay, wherein the student must show they have researched (if not stalked) the school to find out whether it would suit them as a person. Some schools require more than one essay: they may ask for a specific essay about one episode in the student’s life to illustrate their person and show how the school would benefit them. There are no two identical colleges in the USA: every college opens up a different experience, different doors, a different personality to interact with. Some schools are very tied to their history (E&H is one of them); others may be oblivious to it. It is, therefore, important for an applicant to find the right school, for it will give them the right environment where they would thrive.
Put these words in the mouth of a young adult and one might think it’s their laziness speaking: "Why do better when you can do just enough?” This is not the true question. The true question is, can you do better anywhere you go? In my two years at the University of Exeter, I quickly found that the answer is no. There are different ways to “do better”:
First, you could better yourself academically. It is a misconception to think that the better the institution’s reputation, the better the quality of its teaching. I shall discuss this elsewhere.
Second, you could better yourself outside the classroom: this is where you will learn to know yourself. I have found that at Emory & Henry College I was given the means to express myself and be heard at the same time. The small size of the school and of the neighbouring towns has the same effect as a magnifying glass: they all help me understand the different roles human interactions can take in a society of our day.
I grew up in Europe’s largest city, housing over 8 million inhabitants, bustling with activity, where one could only have a myopic view of the hands turning its wheels. On the other hand, the small number of people here allows me to watch more closely the social and organizational processes that keep a community at work. Yes, there is a difference between a community and a society, but a large society is not obtained without beginning as a community. Therefore I firmly believe that understanding how this community works will help me understand my own home city better, be a better citizen, and a better person.
Besides, I am currently reading Plato’s Republic, where the foundations of a city are laid and discussed throughout ten books; one of the most interesting reads I could ever have hoped for. Discussing it inside the classroom and experiencing it outside the classroom reflects Emory & Henry’s mission: to make us grow to become both better students and better citizens. The format of the college and the openness of the neighbouring communities make our involvements interesting, challenging, holistic, and mostly, real. This shows that you can grow as much, if not more, in a college smaller than your high school.
