Deep Springs College (DS)

Deep Springs College is a two-year liberal arts program where students literally shape their own education-while there are writing and public speaking requirements, "there are no majors or concentrations, and students are encouraged to explore a variety of topics in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences." The college, which seeks to "prepare young people for a life of service to humanity," enrolls between 24 and 30 students, each of whom receives a full scholarship that covers tuition, room, and board. Deep Springs operates on the three pillars of "academics, student self-government, and manual labor." This unique approach means that students encounter many "unparalleled challenges," which range "from fixing a hay baler in the middle of the night to puzzling over a particularly difficult passage of Hegel." It's "an environment of intense growth and responsibility," as students help run the school and work on the ranch alongside their studies. "Mistakes and flaws are seen as pedagogy in action," explains one student. "See a broken fence or heater? Fix it or learn to fix it." Classes are mostly student-driven discussions; they "aren't so much a transfer of information from professor to student as they are a time for the entire class to push the boundaries of collective thought as far as possible." Participation is foundational to the school, and "how successful Deep Springs is as an institution depends upon the manner in which its students are engaging with its project." While students appreciate the practical skills they gain, they note that the "essence of a Deep Springer's education" is the "self-confidence that emerges from learning to do things one never could have thought possible."

Students say “it takes a unique type of person to even consider Deep Springs, much less succeed and thrive in such an environment.” Fortunately, in such a supportive community where everyone works together, “no one can be totally self-absorbed.” While it may be “impossible to characterize a ‘typical’ student,” Deep Springers are hardworking, “motivated and responsible,” and “committed to a life of service.” Students also tend to be “outdoorsy” and “interested in the arts.” Students here are “committed to the life of the intellect and committed to finding education in our labor program,” says one student, adding that “a life of service, informed by discourse and labor, is a necessary notion to understand in today’s world.”

Life at Deep Springs is "a whirlwind of activity, from labor to class to meals to labor again to meetings to a few precious hours of sleep." To thrive at Deep Springs, "one has to learn how to enjoy people, work, and engagement." Students value the "natural beauty of the desert" and often enjoy hiking in their downtime. Typical conversation topics among students commonly include "what work needs to be done, what decisions need to be made, [and] which classes are most interesting." Or, as one student succinctly describes it, "Sunsets. Hegel. Welding. Jane Austen." Students say that while some people may "find such a lifestyle stressful and unsustainable, we find it meaningful and valuable." Although "life can be intense," students do let loose, albeit in unique ways. For some, that's conversations "on anything from Kierkegaard to Kanye West," and for others, those are "boojies," which are rambunctious dance parties, or even trips down "to the dunes a valley over for a bit of late-night naked surfing down the sand." All of this ensures "there really isn't a dull moment in the Valley."

The academic rigor and work ethic required to get into Deep Springs is well-known, and mandatory public speaking and writing studies serve to further prepare students for life beyond college. The Labor Pillar is an integral part of a Deep Springs education, and all students must work twenty hours a week in an assigned role, building a sense of dedication to community and a strong work ethic that translates to the real world. As students learning to be citizens of the world, many eventually go on to “a life of service” following the completion of a degree. Since Deep Springs is a two-year school, most everyone transfers to a more typical four-year institution, and even though some take a year or two to travel or volunteer after their time at Deep Springs, ultimately, more than 95 percent of students complete a bachelor’s degree and more than half go on to receive graduate and terminal degrees. Of the recent years of students leaving Deep Springs, the most common schools transferred to included Yale, Brown, Stanford, and the University of Chicago.