In Conversation With
If we provide talented students with equal access
attracts top educators. We already mentioned that
to high-quality education, they will give back to Robert Frost was a professor at Amherst, so, can
society and their alma mater when they graduate, you introduce Amherst’s advantages in terms of its
thus creating a virtuous cycle. This is always one faculty?
of the important aspects of the American higher
Xiaofeng: I cannot talk about our faculty strengths
education system that I admire.
without mentioning the characteristics of the
liberal arts education system.
At a liberal arts college, you get a
Firstly, liberal arts colleges are generally small, so
truly ‘personalized education’
that every student gets adequate attention from
Sabrina: I think Amherst College has attracted so the professors. At Amherst, a class has an average
many top students not only because of its open cur- of only 16-17 students. Professors give every
riculum, the Five College Consortium, and the rich student in the class an opportunity to speak, think,
resources that you mentioned, but also because it debate, and express themselves. Many professors,
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