At St. John's, students share a common curriculum centered on reading and discussing 200 of the greatest books in history. Students learn directly from Plato, Austen, Einstein, Woolf, and Du Bois, to name a few. Instead of lectures and majors, all classes are discussion-based exploring philosophy, literature, science, music, language, politics, and more. With a 7:1 student to faculty ratio, the college ranks #5 for best classroom experience and #9 for best undergraduate teaching.

Our welcoming community has fewer than 1000 students on two campuses: one in Annapolis, Maryland, and the other in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Students are free to transfer between the campuses.

The Santa Fe campus, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, is a one-minute walk to some of the best hiking, biking, and skiing in America. Santa Fe is also home to more than 250 art galleries, great food, and live music. Nearly 400 Johnnies embrace the stunning natural environment and rich cultural heritage of New Mexico while reading great books on the placita, hiking 12,000-foot mountains, sculpting in the pottery studio, or socializing in the student-run coffee shop. Popular student groups include the culinary club, musical groups, intercollegiate archery, and the gaming club.

On the Annapolis campus, 500 students experience a historic college town along the Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis is close to Washington, DC, with dozens of nearby museums and cultural offerings. The college was founded here in 1696, making it the third oldest college in the United States, and students embrace long-held traditions such as waltz parties, intramural sports, and the famous annual croquet match against the Naval Academy. Popular student groups include musical ensembles, community service organizations, and the college’s theatrical troupe, King Williams Players.