Academics
Dordt College in the "great utopia that is northwest Iowa" is a small, private liberal arts school affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church (a Dutch Protestant denomination). Dordt offers a "Christ-centered perspective" and "a distinctly Christian education." A respectable array of majors and pre-professional offerings includes "strong business, education, and engineering programs." Some courses here are demanding; others, not so much. "I've been challenged well in about half to two-thirds of my classes," speculates a theology major. Tough or not, classes are almost always intimate. "The professors have an opportunity to get to know the students," explains a biology major. "It's impossible to fall through the cracks." While some professors are "very uncomfortable in front of a class," most are "highly personable" teachers who "make attempts to stray from the banal lecture-type classes." The predominant sentiment is that management is "out of touch." "We're lucky if we hear from the administration," grouses an art major. On the plus side, students report that Dordt "goes above and beyond what most colleges do when it comes to finding you an internship or a job after graduation."
Student Body
There is a lot of Dutch heritage that is associated with this college. More often than not, students are of "Dutch descent," "resulting in little diversity." It's mostly a "tall and blond" crowd "from the Midwest." Students describe themselves as "friendly," "fairly motivated," "decently smart," "conservative," and athletic. Many "attended private high schools." "There are a lot of Christians here, mainly because it is a Christian school." Most are "church-going." Some are "over-spiritual." "You have your major groups like jocks, geeks, and theater people" but it's still a "close-knit," "cohesive group." "There is a general same mindedness." "There's no drama." Atypical students do exist, and they are "more or less accepted by other atypical students." "I don't see an overabundance of them," observes a sophomore.
Campus Life
Students complain that the dorms and student apartments "need upgrades." Otherwise, they are pretty happy. "Life at Dordt is pretty laid-back." It's "a nice Christian atmosphere in a rural setting." "There are a lot of different ways to get involved on campus," says a junior, "especially because it's a smaller school." Many students are "very active in clubs and the community." Spiritual life is "vibrant." "Praise and Worship" services on Wednesday nights are well attended. "Sports and outdoor activities are popular." The formidable club hockey team receives considerable support. Bowling, card games, and ice skating are customary pastimes. Students also "watch a lot of movies." "The College itself provides a decent amount of entertainment" including mock game shows, dances, and talent shows. "Sometimes people get creative and pull pranks, but they are rarely damaging, except to people's pride." "The closest big city" is about 60 miles away, and the "simple" surrounding hamlet that is Sioux Center offers little in the way of excitement. "A lot of people go to the local bar on Saturday nights," but "there is no pressure to drink or things like that." "I love the natural beauty of the area, even though it smells like manure almost every night in the fall," relates one student. "That's Iowa."
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