All exams at Davidson are self-scheduled and un-proctored thanks to an academic Honor Code. Unlike the honor codes at other small liberal arts colleges, Davidson’s is strictly enforced and engenders a community of true trust and respect. It is because of this code that students can leave their doors unlocked and professors can trust students to take many tests outside of class.
Students can pass/fail 3 classes throughout their Davidson careers. In fact, they get to choose which ones after they have already taken the class.
Students at Davidson have an entire “Exam Week” in which to take their final exams. If you decided to take your psych final on Wednesday at 9 a.m., then realize at 8:59 that you’re not prepared, no worries—you can take it later in the day or later in the week. This system minimizes stress during exams, as there’s no potential for you to have all four finals in one day.
Davidson graduates have an incredible acceptance rate of over 95 percent to graduate programs, including medical school and law school.
It’s incredibly rare for a Davidson class to have more than 30 students. Generally 20 students is about average. You will never have a TA—all classes are taught by professors themselves.
All professors are required to have designated office hours, during which students are guaranteed to find them in their offices for extra help or just to talk. Most are more than willing to meet outside these hours as well, and many professors give out their home phone numbers in case you have any last minute questions about your upcoming exam.
Each class at Davidson is worth one credit rather than three or four. This means you only need 32 credits to graduate.