Which college offers more individualized study: Arizona State or Sarah Lawrence?

Sarah Lawrence offers substantially more individualized study than Arizona State. Its undergraduate model is built around students designing an interdisciplinary course of study rather than completing a conventional major, and every class combines a small seminar with an individualized conference project. Students also meet regularly with a faculty adviser, called a don, to shape their academic direction.

Sarah Lawrence is particularly suited to a student whose interests cross departments or do not fit neatly into one established field, such as someone combining writing, psychology, visual arts, and social justice. The conference component means that even within the same course, students can pursue different research questions or creative projects. That structure gives independent work a central place in the normal academic experience, not just as an occasional elective.

Arizona State can work well for a student who wants flexibility within a large university. It has an unusually broad selection of majors, minors, certificates, interdisciplinary programs, research opportunities, and online or in-person course options. A student can create a distinctive path by combining fields, pursuing undergraduate research, or using independent-study courses when a faculty member agrees to supervise a project.

However, ASU’s flexibility operates mainly through choosing among many established programs and options. Most students still complete the required curriculum for a declared major, college, and degree, and individualized study tends to require more self-advocacy and advance planning. Barrett, The Honors College can add smaller classes, thesis work, and closer faculty engagement, but it does not make the university’s overall structure resemble Sarah Lawrence’s tutorial-based approach.

For a student who wants personal faculty guidance and coursework routinely shaped around their own questions, Sarah Lawrence is the clearer match. ASU makes more sense for someone who wants broad academic choice, the resources of a major research university, and a defined degree path that can still be customized at the edges.