Ivy Research

photo credit: Spigoo

No grades, no pressure, no custom research papers. Sounds like your kind of school, doesn’t it? Well, it’s no longer just the laidback student’s dream. Many colleges have now ditched the grade-point system in favor of narrative or non-graded evaluation. The concept behind non-grading is that students should be evaluated based on actual competence and performance, not on questions answered or hours completed. Ivy Research lists 10 of the best non-graded colleges in the country today.

Alverno College – one of the pioneers of American narrative evaluation. The assessment systems are famously long and tedious, but probably still better than finals!

Antioch College – a consistent member of the “Colleges that Could Change Lives” guidebook. It’s also part of the Eco League of green universities, and the 300+ student population creates a nice small-school feel.
Bennington College – one of America’s top-ranked liberal arts colleges. Students draw their own curriculum, and can major in one subject or minor in two or more.

Brown University – an Ivy League university, known for its very competitive admission and comprehensive financial aid for the underprivileged. It’s a major landmark in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Evergreen State College – offers one of the most challenging academics for freshmen and sophomores, and one of the most comprehensive narrative grading systems in the country. In other words, difficult but rewarding!

Reed College – another pioneer of the narrative evaluation, located in a culturally rich campus in Portland, Oregon.

Sarah Lawrence College – best known for its high creative standards and academic excellence. Located in busy New York, but boasts a nice, sprawling peaceful campus.

Soka University of America – sister university of a prominent university in Tokyo. Located in a beautiful campus in Aliso
Viejo, California and holds a staunch global pacifist stance.

St John’s College, US – famous for its four-year Great Books Program (“The Program”) featuring works by Aristotle, Descartes, Einstein and Shakespeare. Talk about learning from the masters!

University of California, Santa Cruz – a large modern university with ten residential colleges and a beautiful sprawling campus. It’s a bit high-class, though, with the student’s median family income at over $80,000.
So should you consider a gradeless college? It all depends on what suits your learning pattern. One thing you might expect is lots of comprehensive custom essays in place of exams—definitely not the best setup for master bluffers! But it’s a very promising concept, and if you’re thinking of taking this path, it’s sure to be an interesting college experience.

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