Sarah Lawrence College Reviews

"The science department is great. Its a very small team of teachers; however, they are extremely attentive and motivating. In addition, many science students are able to take on bigger projects that resembles PhD thesis projects because the labs are so small. The social environment takes some getting used to. The administration is decent. I really loved Sarah Lawrence but it was definitely not worth the amount it costs, especially if youre not wealthy."

"Sarah Lawrence College was one of three colleges that made me offers--and the one I chose, regrettably. This institution is so apathetic and passive-aggressive in its dealings with students, that it's infuriating. As a grad-student, I am especially miffed because I can't simply transfer out. If I leave, I'm in debt for nothing so it's a sort of entrapment. The Financial Aid department screwed up my student account, refused to take responsibility for the mistake, and is forcing me to pay for it out of my end. They command a lot of power and provide no department to look after student interests. The culture of the college in addition to the administrators' attitudes creates an environment that exacerbates depression. But hey, if you can accomplish your academic goals in this environment, go for it."

"Overall, the program is exactly what I wanted as an interdisciplinary theatre artist. First-year MFA students at Sarah Lawrence take between 10 to 12 classes ranging from acting, directing, design, puppetry, dramaturgy and playwriting, with the option to take classes from the music or dance department. I found myself talking classes from 9am-5pm, and the rest of my evenings were filled with work, homework, or collaborating on some of the department shows. If youre looking for an intense program, this is it. The faculty is supportive in helping students find their voice by creating a space where students can be themselves. The professors are working artist, so they reframe notions of what theatre is supposed to be, and enable students to find what theatre is to them. Another perk of learning from working artist is that professors always invite students to see their shows, and the door is always open to shadow professors who are working in the city. The trade-off for this is that you can go weeks, or in some extreme cases, about a month without a professor if they have a gig outside of the States. The department does a good job finding subs, but youre still at a loss if youve already build a rapport with a professor and you suddenly find yourself switching gears. My biggest critique of the program thus far is the lack of socio-political consciousness from some of the faculty, and the merging of graduate students into undergraduate classes. I found most of the open discussions with undergraduates in class stifled, but because the program is so student-centered, you can always talk to the professor if youre not finding yourself being challenged. In terms of the lack of consciousness from professors: I had one professor go on a rant in class about how he encourages Caucasian students to do Fences by August Wilson. Luckily, you get to create your own curriculum as an MFA student and I was able to instantly drop the class. I strongly recommend this program for interdisciplinary artist who want to grow in several fields of theatre, as opposed to choosing one. The program doesnt come without its pitfalls, but at the end of the day, you can make the program your own. Its not only encouraged, but required."

"I would recommend Sarah Lawrence to any self-driven students looking fora well rounded and rigorous education. Seminar classes are accompanied by conference work, which involves biweekly individual meetings with professors and an independent research paper, and allow students to explore what truly interests them."

"Wonderful place to learn about the field of education! Good for innovative thinkers and out of the box educators"

"Sarah Lawrence gave me an intimate setting to learn from my professors and peers. I felt challenged daily and was held responsible for all of my assignments. The peer mentorship was also incomparable. I would recommend Sarah Lawrence to anyone who is driven and is ready to pursue all of their interests through a rigorous course of study."

"I loved it there. It's a great school for an "outside the box" thinker. The fact that I wasn't restricted by traditional majors let me study subjects iIprobably never would have at a more traditional four year school"

"Sarah Lawrence College is such a unique educational experience and one I wouldn't have traded for the world. The professors are incredible and the small classes allow for incredible discussion of topics from many different perspectives. I particularly loved the amount of student driven work in each class (conference work)--it allowed me too really personalize the classes and the topics that interested me."

"I have just completed my first semester at Sarah Lawrence College. My experience has been wonderful, as well as a little bit challenging. The way that classes are structured facilitates the creative sharing of ideas, although not in the conventional ways. Classes are structured in a group-focused discussion format, instead of the usual professor-focused lecturing format. Learning happens in a way that is individual to each student, and though it does take some getting used to, the overall experience is positive and academic."

"The program offers a high academic standard, but the burden is largely on the student to take advantage of the resources available to them. The suburban area is nice although the cost of living can be deceptively high. Proximity to NYC is a major plus. Campus facilities are top-notch. Administration can be a tad inefficient at times."

"The Child Development graduate program at Sarah Lawrence provides an incredible amount of support from faculty and the school in general. Students are allowed the opportunity to dive into research and observation, knowing they have a wealth of resources available to them."

"Sarah Lawrence is a great place to study the arts and the theatre and performance program in particular has a storied history and a reputation for producing and supporting artists who are risk-takers and explore the boundaries of their disciplines."

"Sarah Lawrence College is a unique and rewarding institution. Although it may have a lot of work to do interns of diversity, inclusion, and equity, this school provides the opportunity for an individual to develop educational opportunities as he/she sees fit. Great professors with warm and welcome hearts. This is the place to make your education dreams come true, but you have to work for it."

"The pros of the Sarah Lawrence Master's of Theatre Program are how diverse the curriculum and performance possibilities are. The theatre program has a beautiful history of creating original works and supporting artist who take risks and make bold choices. The program is the right size to be able to make good work and have an audience for it and you get quality time with your professors. I was able to make valuable professional contacts in the department with people who support my work and my values."

"The majors pros for this graduate program include the attentiveness of the faculty, the small class sizes, the support of graduate research and study, as well as the overall caliber of the institution. The cons of this program is most definitely financial aid and cost of living."

"The faculty alone is worth the price tag. They are willing to help, willing to listen, and willing to push their students beyond their comfort zones into new artistic explorations. The facilities could use a facelift, but students have full access to everything there, provided they get in line. There is some competition with undergrads for resources, and many of the classes that graduate theatre students take are shared with undergrads as well as other grad students. Thankfully the undergrads at Sarah Lawrence tend to be quick thinkers and so do not weigh down the caliber of the classes too much. The program is all about exploration within the art form, and so however strange the ideas might be, each student is encouraged to make their dreams manifest. If you're interested in exploring all aspects of theatre and working towards being a whole theatre artist, this program is well worth it."

"Great education, lots of one-on-one work with professors. Highly recommend Child Development degree."

"I love the size of the program (~25 students). Allows the students to have a diverse educational experience as well as plenty of one-on-one time with the educators. The only con of the Human Genetics Program at Sarah Lawrence is that it is quite expensive and there are no teachers aide/research associate positions available due to the size of the school (small, liberal arts college)."

"Ultimately Sarah Lawerence expounds a learning environment that is without testing or grading or structure. In my program what this led to was a lack of clarity, lots of disorganization and frustration."

"Sarah Lawrence is a great school with a wonderful reputation, especially in the field of Health Advocacy. The school is a private college therefore it is more expensive then a public school but I believe that the expense is well worth it."