John Donne, an English poet and theologian, began his studies at Oxford in 1584 at the young age of 12. Unlike today, it was typical for students to enter college at such an early age during Donne’s time. However, in modern times, American students typically go through 12 years of elementary and secondary school before being considered ready for college.
Penny Brierley, a talented student, found herself in a difficult situation two years ago. At the age of 17, she was tired of the education she had received up until the 11th grade at Holy Savior Menard High School in Alexandria, La. She desired the academic challenge of college but did not want to deal with the pressures of being much younger than her fellow students on campus.
She made the decision to enroll at Simon’s Rock College, a small school located between Boston and New York in the Berkshire Mountains. This unique college is the only one in the country where the entire freshman class consists of high-school-age students. This year, 55% of the incoming class of 115 students have completed the 11th grade, 40% have finished the 10th grade, and 5% were in the 9th grade just last year.
Unlike other colleges that have tried to accommodate a few exceptional adolescent students in their regular undergraduate programs, Simon’s Rock specifically accepts students who wish to begin college early and who are considered "bright, not brilliant." The college selects its students from the academically strong half of all college-bound students. The college aims to provide these students with the opportunity to face a more challenging academic curriculum and help them grow intellectually.
Simon’s Rock is offering a serious alternative to the current state of American high schools, according to Leon Botstein, the president of both Simon’s Rock and Bard College. He argues that many high-school-age students are not being adequately challenged in their education. The increasing enrollment at Simon’s Rock supports this belief, with a 50% rise in the past three years. Despite the annual cost of attending the college being around $12,000, students are still drawn to its unique approach.
There has also been a growing trend nationally of high-school students taking college-level courses, such as those offered through the Advanced Placement program or at local community colleges. Gordon M. Ambach, the commissioner of education in New York, recently proposed the elimination of the 12th grade in the state to address concerns that high school fails to provide adequate challenges for older students.
The dissatisfaction with high school is the primary reason why many students choose Simon’s Rock. Seventy-five percent of the students come from suburban public schools and view high school as a "cultural and intellectual wasteland." Some students have experienced a lack of intellectual stimulation in their high schools, while others have felt ostracized for expressing alternative viewpoints. Many of the students believe that if they hadn’t come to Simon’s Rock, they would have dropped out of school entirely.
According to Nancy R. Goldberger, a clinical psychologist who has extensively studied the cognitive and affective development of Simon’s Rock students, these students tend to be risk-takers. Her research has been supported by grants from the Carnegie Foundation and the U.S. Education Department over the past nine years.
Managing College Work
Faculty members believe that students differ in their ability to handle college coursework. "Some students are well-prepared, just like any exceptional college freshman would be. Others, however, still need more guidance and support," stated Martin S. Silberberg, a chemistry professor. He also emphasized the tremendous growth that students experience in just one year. Last year, 70 percent of students transferred from Simon’s Rock after completing two years, with many gaining admission to Ivy League colleges. It is not uncommon for Simon’s Rock graduates to possess a bachelor’s degree without a high-school diploma.
The number of students who choose to remain at Simon’s Rock and pursue a bachelor’s degree has steadily increased since 1976 when the college started offering the program. These students have the option to specialize in one of seven interdisciplinary majors, including "Arts and Aesthetics," "Intercultural Studies," or "Natural Sciences." It is highly encouraged for them to spend their junior year away from the campus.
Elizabeth B. Hall, who served as the headmistress of Concord Academy from 194-963, established Simon’s Rock in 1964 on her father’s former estate. She aimed to provide a more rigorous curriculum for the intellectually gifted girls at Concord Academy. However, the timing of Simon’s Rock’s establishment wasn’t ideal. The college soon found itself immersed in the counterculture lifestyle of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which posed challenges for a young and vulnerable "alternative" school. "People saw it as a place to send troubled children," remarked Mr. Botstein. Dean Handelman, a respected physicist at the college since 1968, admitted that while Simon’s Rock had its fair share of discipline issues and drug usage, it was not an institution solely for troubled individuals. He reinforced the notion that no sixteen-year-old should be written off.
In 1970, Simon’s Rock became coeducational. In 1979, the college, with just 100 students and on the brink of financial collapse, was acquired by Bard College, located 50 miles southwest in New York. Since then, Simon’s Rock, now officially known as Simon’s Rock of Bard College, has experienced a resurgence.
General-Studies Curriculum
Enrollment has seen a significant increase, with over 300 students currently attending. At the recommendation of Mr. Botstein, the college introduced a new general-studies curriculum. In 1981, Simon’s Rock expanded its campus by acquiring the nearby Fathers of the Sacred Heart Seminary. Officials also report that the college’s financial condition has improved. Arthur S. Hillman, an art professor who has been teaching at Simon’s Rock for eight years, noted that the students now exhibit greater seriousness and a clearer sense of purpose compared to when he first started.
While remnants of the 1960s can still be observed at Simon’s Rock, such as long hair and Indian skirts being popular attire, there have been some changes. The pungent scent of clove cigarettes, which were commonly smoked by many students, still lingers in various buildings. However, contrary to popular belief, these cigarettes do not have any intoxicating effects. The student handbook explicitly states that swimming nude in Ms. Hall’s ponds is not acceptable, and waterbeds and coed bathrooms are also prohibited.
Two years ago, Simon’s Rock added basketball to its athletic offerings, which already included karate, backpacking, yoga, scuba diving, aerobics, volleyball, and "frisbee golf." The college acquired a court owned by a local seminary for the basketball team. However, there is no football team, stadium, cheerleaders, or fraternities.
The student population also includes a group known as the "Granolas." They are characterized by their affinity for Indian skirts, tapestries, incense, leg warmers (while abstaining from dancing), and not wearing bras. Some even take hitchhiking trips to New Mexico for the winter solstice. Simon’s Rock still has yet to completely assimilate into the cultural mainstream.
Significant Social Freedoms
The college stands out from other "early college" experiments and traditional boarding schools because of its commitment to granting adolescent students substantial social freedoms, along with a rigorous academic program, according to Ms. Handelman, the academic dean. She explains that some students are initially immature and unaware of the responsibilities that come with freedom. On the other hand, society tends to keep adolescents in a dependent state that is more suitable for children. Simon’s Rock aims to provide a structure that allows students to make choices and teaches them about the consequences of those choices.
Ms. Handelman argues that early-admissions programs at traditional colleges often fail to address the social aspect of students’ lives and lack guidance systems. However, simply bringing college courses into high schools is not the solution either, as it does not encourage adolescents to take greater responsibility for their personal growth. At Simon’s Rock, where everyone is around the same age, there is homogeneity and a system in place to ensure that students consider the consequences of their actions. Each student has an academic and residential advisor to regularly meet and discuss their progress. The college closely monitors their grades and behavior. If there is any decline, the college intervenes through the student’s advisor, one of the deans, or the school counseling service.
Students often experience a challenging transition during their freshman year. Miriam Shadis, a sophomore from North Edgecomb, Me., shares that she went through a period of doubt about her abilities. Ronald Vitz, a sophomore from Saugerties, N.Y., acknowledges that students become more mature after the initial year.
According to Sharon Pinkerton, the director of admissions, students who choose to attend Simon’s Rock must possess a strong sense of self and be able to handle less structure. At the college, there are no study halls to fill free time. High school guidance counselors, reluctant to let go of their top students, tend to view Simon’s Rock with skepticism.
Approximately, half of the students in each class receive financial aid, with an average amount of $2,700. The student body includes 7 percent minorities. Simon’s Rock obtains a significant portion of its students through direct-mail solicitations based on the profiles of candidates identified by the Educational Testing Service, a Princeton-based testing organization that sells the names and profiles of students who take its Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Ms. Goldberger’s studies show that the adolescent students at Simon’s Rock have embraced the increased academic and personal responsibilities bestowed upon them. When compared to their college peers in traditional institutions, including Ivy League schools, who are on average two years older, Simon’s Rock students demonstrate greater sophistication in their thinking. They possess a heightened awareness of the complexity of issues, display a higher tolerance for ambiguity, and handle life problems more effectively. They don’t simply accept surface-level statements; instead, they actively listen and engage in meaningful conversations with each other.