Discovering the Magic of St. John's College in Santa Fe

11 May 2024

Tucked away in the high desert, beneath the shadow of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, lies a place unlike any other college in America. Forget sprawling campuses, massive lecture halls, or a buffet of majors. At St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, education takes a sharp turn away from the conventional, offering a journey back in time to the heart of human thought and inquiry.

Imagine spending your undergraduate years immersed in the works of Homer, Euclid, and Plato. Not skimming through summaries or SparkNotes, but engaging directly with the original texts that have shaped Western civilization. Welcome to St. John’s College, where the “great books” aren’t just dusty relics on a library shelf, but living documents that fuel lively discussions and ignite intellectual curiosity.

Founded in 1964, St. John’s College in Santa Fe is the younger sibling of the original St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. Both institutions share a unique and rigorous curriculum known as the “Great Books Program”. This program, rooted in the liberal arts tradition, forgoes specialized majors and lectures, instead inviting students to explore a chronological and interdisciplinary selection of seminal works in philosophy, literature, history, mathematics, science, and music.

The cornerstone of the St. John's experience is the seminar. Held around a table, students and tutors (as professors are called) embark on a shared journey of intellectual exploration. Discussions are lively, challenging, and driven by the students themselves. This emphasis on active engagement fosters critical thinking, articulate communication, and a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of knowledge.

Beyond the classroom, the St. John’s community in Santa Fe thrives on intellectual exchange. The intimate campus, nestled in the heart of the city, becomes a hub for lectures, concerts, and informal discussions that extend late into the night. Surrounded by the vibrant culture of Santa Fe, students are immersed in a world where art, history, and tradition intertwine seamlessly with their academic pursuits.

Advantages and Disadvantages of St. John's College in Santa Fe

Advantages	Disadvantages
Unique and rigorous curriculum	Lack of traditional majors may limit career options
Small class sizes and personalized attention	May not be suitable for students who prefer structured learning environments
Strong emphasis on critical thinking and communication skills	Curriculum heavily focused on Western tradition
Vibrant intellectual community	Can be challenging to adapt to the unconventional learning style
Located in the culturally rich city of Santa Fe	May not offer the same level of research opportunities as larger universities

Stepping onto the campus of St. John’s College in Santa Fe is like stepping into a different world, one where the pursuit of knowledge reigns supreme. It's a place where the echoes of ancient philosophers mingle with the hum of lively debates, and where the quest for understanding shapes not just four years, but a lifetime.