What is considered the most 'contrarian' college in America?

Hey y'all. Kind of a weird question — I've been reading some articles about 'contrarian' colleges that go against the grain. Do you guys have any idea which U.S. colleges are well-known for being contrarian? And what makes them so different? Thanks for any help!

From my understanding, the term "contrarian schools" can refer to many things, but it most directly means that the school goes against the norm in some significant way. There really isn't a definitive list, but I'd say a few schools come to mind in the U.S.

First, there's St. John's College, with campuses in Annapolis, Maryland, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. What's contrarian about it? Well, it offers a unique, single program called the Great Books program. This program breaks away from traditional education models by focusing solely on primary texts from Western civilization's most influential philosophers, authors, and scientists. You won't find textbooks or lectures there; rather, students and faculty engage in discussion-based learning.

Next up is Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, which stands out for rejecting the traditional grading system. Yes, you heard it right! Students don't receive grades for their courses. Instead, their progress is evaluated through narrative assessments from their professors. On top of this, the college has a multidisciplinary curriculum which allows students to design their own course of study instead of following a predefined path.

Another example is the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. It's the only college in the U.S. that offers just a single major — Human Ecology. The philosophy here is to connect what someone learns in the classroom with real-world issues. This allows students to chart their own academic journey based on their interests, crossing disciplines to create individualized courses of study.

In essence, these schools are contrarian in the sense that they reject the standard approach to higher education, and each has instituted its own unique model to promote learning. Their education styles serve students who are looking for a different kind of college experience, one that better aligns with their own values or learning styles.