Davidson College

Davidson College is an extraordinary private college in pastoral North Carolina. It has a beautiful campus and some excellent academic, athletic and extracurricular programs. The student body is composed of high achievers. This is a very fine school and it has a strong honor code.

I’m a grad. I was inspired by Lisa C’s review of Dartmouth, that reminded us all what a great resource the nation’s small liberal arts colleges are.
Davidson has been called the Princeton of the South. (In Davidson, we call Princeton the Davidson of the North. I’m sure they’re amused in New Jersey.) For good reason. The academics are superb. The teacher-​student ratio is phenomenal. Teacher access is incredible. The departments generally excel at the national level. The school, in fact, has ranked in the top 10 on the US News & World Report liberal arts rankings for the last seven years straight.
The college has a long history and culture of raising good human beings, not just preparing minds. The honor code and code of conduct are very strong and are taken very, very seriously. So seriously that, to this day, you can self-​schedule your exams. (Yes, you read that right.) You even have a lot of liberty in where you TAKE your exams. I know, unbelievable, but true.
The competition is tough, and the standards exacting, but the school offers plenty of support if you seek it out. The facilities are great, too, with a recent building spree by outgoing president Bobby Vagt getting a nod for filling in some gaps in said facilities. He’s done a lot for Davidson’s outward image — creating visible value that prospective students and well-​monied alumni appreciate.
Check out the school, if you or your child wants college to be an experience that brings depth of spirit as well as breadth of knowledge.