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St. John's College - (Annapolis , MD - founded in 1892, approx. 500 undergrads) and (Santa FE, NM - founded in 1967, approx. 100 undergrad.; 90 grad.) - the best-known Great Books College. The reading lists are extensive and at St. Johm's the students read some of the classical authors in Greek. The students develop critical thinking skills by shared dialogue/Socratic method. The students all take the same classes, and there are seminars and tutorials. The shared curriculum connects students to each other and to the books/ideas themselves.
There is a language component so students can read authors in the original language, not a translation. This is an intense, challenging curriculum. It is very formal (think Oxford); requiring comprehensive (master's level-type) examinations. St. John's is a "place of ideas" and a "community of learners (college website). The goal is to make the original sorces understandable by exploring the valuable ideas that they contain.
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