What is it LIke to Attend The King's College?

The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach – they’re sharing their college experiences as well. Caleb is a New York City tutor specializing in ISEE prep tutoring, Pre-Calculus tutoring, Reading tutoring, and much more. He is currently a junior at The King’s College in New York City studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. See what he had to say about his school:

 

VT:  Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or safe is the campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? 

Caleb: Since the campus is right by Wall Street, there is lots of transportation available to students. Most students use the subway. Due to the high security in the financial district, the location might be the safest in the country. 

VT:  How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? 

Caleb: Professors are amazingly open and available. Just last week, one joined me for a quick trip to Subway! Considering that many of my professors are world-renowned and often interview on TV or publish research the same day they teach class, I find it incredible that I can walk into their offices almost whenever I need to.

VT: How would you describe the dorm life – rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students?

Caleb: King’s gives you the chance to live like an adult in New York City. Most students live off-campus in their own apartments with their best friends. It’s scary at first paying bills and leasing apartments, but it’s also really fun!

VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study?

Caleb: I study Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, an Oxford-based multidisciplinary curriculum that does a great job integrating the practical and the abstract. Most students at King’s choose this major because it offers both stellar faculty and rare hands-on opportunities like my full-time internship at the United Nations last semester.

VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life?

Caleb: King’s may be the only school in the world that offers a House system, and the system makes meeting friends super easy. Every incoming student is assigned one of ten houses – each a collection of students who will team up to compete with the other houses on everything from basketball to drama to grades. Because of the house system, you essentially have around 50 friends automatically when you show up to King’s. 

VT: How helpful is the Career Center and other student support services? Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? 

Caleb: Super helpful. My internships so far: United Nations, Columbia University Press, New York Historical Society. They have an unbelievable amount of connections. If you work with them, they find you work.

VT: How are the various study areas such as libraries, student union, and dorm lounges?  Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious?

Caleb: The school recently moved to Wall Street from the Empire State Building, so its facilities are still developing. In general, though, the school has always maintained a healthy balance of study spaces and lounges. 

VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between? To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? 

Caleb: King’s is in the middle of New York City, so it can be the coolest location in the world if you make it that. Students are prone to stay near their neighborhoods or the school and get a limited perspective in the city, but if you get out and explore (like me!), the options are pretty much endless. 

VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes?

Caleb: The college is tiny: just over 600 students. Since it began less than 15 years ago, King’s has tended to almost double at an annual rate, and its population is still growing fast. At the same time, its size is great the way it is – it implies small classes and friendships with pretty much every professor. It also means you know almost everyone.

VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. 

Caleb: Professor Kreeft is a 75-year-old Philosophy professor who is famous around the world. He lives in Boston, but comes to New York every Wednesday to teach at King’s. You’d expect him to be detached and hard to talk to, but he’s actually the opposite. I play chess or ping-pong with him almost every week!

Check out Caleb’s tutoring profile.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.