Deep Springs College
Deep Springs College is a two year liberal arts college for men on a ranch in Inyo County in the Mojave Desert of California . The college's philosophy is based on study, physical work, and self-determination. Deep Springs has 26 students and was founded in 1917 by Lucien Lucius Nunn (1853-1925).
philosophy
The Deep Springs students should be brought into intensive contact with nature, work and ideas. There are no tuition fees, but effort, self-determination, and community service are expected from every student. Learning should enable the solution of practical and social problems and aims at intellectual understanding and humane action.
students
Applicants are evaluated jointly by teachers and students, and potential candidates are invited to individual, multi-day interviews. College students typically scored well over 700 on the verbal portion of the SAT and around 700 on the math portion. Between 6% and 15% of applicants are accepted, making Deep Springs one of the most selective colleges in the United States.
Deep Springs is a two year college . Only a very small minority (three to four per decade) of students acquire an associate degree after the two years , as almost all graduates at this point move to another college to complete their bachelor's degree there after another two years. After Deep Springs, many attend prestigious universities such as Harvard University , University of Chicago , Yale University or Brown University .
Work on the ranch
Deep Springs is not an agricultural college. However, the students are very much involved in the work on the ranch. Every seven weeks, the students are assigned work positions that range from washing dishes to accommodation and obstetrics for cattle. Students work at least 20 hours a week. Each student can submit a list of their preferred positions, which in turn is decided by another student.
The ranch has an organic garden that includes an orchard , greenhouse , compost heap , chicken coop and vegetable patches.
The herd of cattle is about 300 animals strong. In summer the animals graze in the White Mountains and are looked after by student cowboys .
Alfalfa is grown on almost 62 hectares on the farm . Almost all of the harvest is fed to the cattle herd. The cultivation takes place without pesticides . The irrigation comes from Wyman Creek and is supplemented by wells .
Self-determination
Self-determination aims to bring the students closer to the possibilities and limits of democratic processes . However, there are some basic rules. This includes abstaining from alcohol and other drugs and not leaving the valley during the school year. There are several committees made up of students and teachers. These are responsible, for example, for applications, the structure of studies, the evaluation of students and communication with the outside world. Positions such as treasurer, fire chief or archivist are filled by voting. Every Friday evening, all students and teachers meet for several hours of discussion.
Well-known graduates
- Benjamin Kunkel , writer
- William A. Masters , agricultural economist
- Gustavus Simmons , mathematician
- Julian Steward , anthropologist
- William T. Vollmann , writer
literature
- Michael A. Smith: The Students of Deep Springs College . Lodima Press, 2000. ISBN 1888899026 .
Web links
- Website
- Documentation about college
- Article in Vanity Fair (PDF; 3.7 MB)
Coordinates: 37 ° 22 ′ 26 " N , 117 ° 58 ′ 50" W.