<p>What’s the best way to find out what the academic environment of a school is without visiting? For example, are the students cut-throat grade grubbers or intellectuals that learn for the sake of learning? Is the grading on a scale (so you compete against your classmates) or its it simply a points system (# points earned / total possible points)? None of the colleges that I’ve looked at online details this information. Any tips?</p>
<p>Ask students who go to that school what they felt like the environment was like. Perhaps, you could find blogs run by students from the school or other forum posts by students from those schools. Some schools might have ways to contact current students, or there might be admissions talks where current students answer questions.</p>
<p>That being said, at most schools, there’s going to be a mixture of all of the above. Some students are going to be hyper focused on their GPA, while other students are more interested in learning the material. Some classes might be curved, while others aren’t (though in my experience, most professors curve in the students’ favor, rather than against them).</p>
<p>I will say at any school there is going to be a mixture. At some schools some people are only focused on completing the class, while others have to have a 4.0.</p>