A Homeschool Perspective on Classics at Franklin & Marshall

Stacy Ruland '02

As a student at Franklin and Marshall, I felt that homeschooling gave me a tremendous advantage in my academic experience. Homeschoolers know the skills of self-discipline and motivation. I was not intimidated by the amount of responsibility that I had to accept at college. Many traditional students are accustomed to very structured school environments – sometimes they find it difficult to organize priorities in the “unstructured” college lifestyle. In this respect, I felt that I was completely prepared for the independent, yet nurturing, environment that F&M provides.

My interest in Latin and the Classics began in high school when I had the opportunity to take a college level Latin class. Upon acceptance to F&M, I immediately enrolled in Latin 201. The first thing that I noticed about the other Classics students was their passion for learning. There are no unenthusiastic students taking Latin Prose Composition! The attitude towards academics made me feel very comfortable- homeschoolers tend to be very active and interested in the learning process, and it was wonderful for me to find a similar niche at college.

As a homeschooler, I also had very close interaction with my teachers - my classes were usually one-on-one, and certainly no more than four students. The Classics Department at F&M offers the same level of interaction, both with small class sizes, and one-on-one instruction. Over the course of my four years at Franklin and Marshall, I got to know my Classics professors especially well. Whether I wanted to talk about a complex Latin passage, test preparation, or my future aspirations, my Classics professors were always available.

Extracurricular activities were also a very important part of my homeschooling experience. Through the Classics Department I was given the opportunity to participate in numerous trips to museums and historic sites. As a sophomore, I was the winner of the Summer Study Travel Award. I used this scholarship to travel to Greece for three weeks to study Ancient Medicine.

Having graduated from Franklin and Marshall in 2002, I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to be a part of the Classics Department. Learning about ancient languages and history has taught me to expand my horizons both analytically and globally. As I look towards my own future, I am thankful each and every day for taking the time to learn more about the past.