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614 West Superior Street, Alma, MI 48801-1599

Admissions: 800-321-2562 · Financial Aid: 800-321-2562

Email: admissions@alma.edu · Website: http://www.alma.edu

From the College

“A residential college located in the middle of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Alma College offers a personalized education with multiple paths and experiences leading to success. You may create new knowledge through academic research, expand your horizons through a global experience, supplement your academic work with service to others or internships or pursue artistic or athletic opportunities.

“A deep regard for students as individuals is fundamental to an Alma education, with small classes and many opportunities for one-on-one collaboration with dedicated faculty. Alma College recently put its strong student-centered philosophy front and center with the new Alma Commitment, offering a four-year graduation promise and a pledge that each interested student can participate in an experiential learning opportunity, such as an internship, research fellowship or study abroad, backed by $2,500 in Alma Venture funding from the college.”

Campus Setting

Alma College, founded in 1886, is a selective, private liberal arts college that highlights personalized education, social responsibility and extraordinary achievements. Alma's undergraduates thrive on challenging academic program in a supportive, small-college environment emphasizing active, collaborative learning and close student-faculty interaction. Its 125-acre campus is within walking distance of downtown Alma, 40 miles from Saginaw, in the middle of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Alma maintains a close relationship with the Presbyterian Church but also offers an environment that welcomes students of all religious backgrounds. A four-year private institution, Alma College has an enrollment of 1,419 students. In addition to a large, well-stocked library, the campus facilities include: planetarium · science center · center for exercise and health science. Alma College provides on-campus housing with 31 units that can accommodate 1,386 students. Housing options: coed dorms · women's dorms · sorority housing · fraternity housing. Recreation and sports facilities include: baseball, soccer and softball fields · basketball and volleyball courts · football, track and swimming pool stadium · tennis and recreation center.

Student Life and Activities

With 90 percent of students living on campus, there are always plentiful social activities. Popular gathering spots include Stone Recreation Center and Tyler-VanDusen Campus Center. Favorite campus events include Homecoming, All Nighter, Songfest and Honors Day. Alma College has 78 official student organizations. The most popular are: Ambassadors · Union Board · Student Congress · Students Offering Service · College Democrats · College Republicans · Amnesty International · Big Brothers/Big Sisters · Model UN · Pride. Intramural teams include: basketball · dodgeball · softball · volleyball. Alma College is a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (Division III).

Academics and Learning Environment

Alma College has 96 full-time and 70 part-time faculty members, offering a student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1. The most common course size is 10 to 19 students. Alma College offers 32 majors with the most popular being business administration, biology and education and least popular being physics, anthropology and philosophy. The school has a general core requirement. Cooperative education is not offered. All first-year students must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher to avoid academic probation, and a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 is required to graduate. Other special academic programs that would appeal to a B student: self-designed majors · pass/fail grading option · independent study · double majors · dual degrees · honors program · Phi Beta Kappa · internships.

ALMA COLLEGE

Highlights

Alma College Alma, MI (Pop. 9,283) Location: Small town Four-year private Founded: 1886 Website: http://www.alma.edu

Students Total enrollment: 1,419 Undergrads: 1,419 Part-time students: 3% From out-of-state: 12% From public schools: 92% Male/Female: 45%/55% Live on-campus: 90% In fraternities: 24% In sororities: 30% Off-campus employment rating: Good Caucasian: 86% African American: 2% Hispanic: 3% Asian: 2% Native American: 1% Mixed (2+ ethnicities): 2% International: 1%

Academics Calendar: 4-4-1 system Student/faculty ratio: 12:1 Class size 9 or fewer: 26% Class size 10-29: 66% Class size 30-49: 7% Class size 50-99: 2% Class size 100 or more: - Returning freshmen: 84% Six-year graduation rate: 61%

Most Popular Majors Business administration Biology Education

Admissions Applicants: 2,554 Accepted: 1,772 Acceptance rate: 69.4% Average GPA: 3.5 ACT range: 22-27 SAT Math range: 500-630 SAT Reading range: 460-640 SAT Writing range: 16-12 Top 10% of class: 27% Top 25% of class: 53% Top 50% of class: 84%

Deadlines Early Action: No Early Decision: No Regular Action: Rolling admissions Common Application: Accepted

Financial Aid In-state tuition: $34,190 Out-of-state tuition: $34,190 Room: Varies Board: Varies Books: $926 Freshmen receiving need-based aid: 86% Undergrads rec. need-based aid: 83% Avg. % of need met by financial aid: 79% Avg. aid package (freshmen): $25,442 Avg. aid package (undergrads): $24,779 Avg. debt upon graduation: $32,056

Prominent Alumni Kim Taylor, managing director and president, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Clearing; Stephen Meyer, president, Welch Allyn.

School Spirit Mascot: Scots Colors: Maroon and cream

B Student Support and Success

Alma College's Academic Effectiveness Program is designed for students who are struggling academically. A counselor works with each student to figure out the source of the problem and then develop a plan of action. The Center for Student Development also offers “Learning Lunches” each term on the topics of time management methods, note taking, classroom strategies, study skills, test taking strategies, test anxiety, preparing for employment and graduate school and pursuing internship options.

Alma College provides a variety of support programs including dedicated guidance for: academic · career · personal · minority students · non-traditional students · family planning · religious. Recognizing that some students may need extra preparation, Alma College offers remedial and refresher courses in: reading · writing · math · study skills. The average freshman year GPA is 2.9, and 84 percent of freshmen students return for their sophomore year. Among students who enter the workforce, approximately 42 percent enter a field related to their major within six months of graduation. Companies that most frequently hire graduates from Alma College include: AmeriCorps · Deloitte · Dow Corning · Ernst & Young · Hewitt Associates.

Support for Students with Learning Disabilities

If you're concerned about learning disabilities, Alma grants extra time to complete a degree, plus offers: tutors · learning center · testing accommodations · untimed tests · extended time for tests · take-home exam · oral tests · exam on tape or computer · readers · note-taking services · reading machines · tape recorders · early syllabus · priority registration · waiver of foreign language degree requirement. Individual or small group tutorials are also available in: time management · organizational skills · learning strategies · specific subject areas · writing labs · math labs · study skills. An advisor/advocate from the Academic and Career Planning is available to students and this person also sits on the admissions committee.

How to Get Admitted

For admissions decisions, non-academic factors considered: interview · extracurricular activities · special talents, interests and abilities · character/personal qualities · volunteer work · work experience · state of residency · alumni relationship. A high school diploma is required, although a GED is also accepted for admissions consideration. SAT or ACT test scores are required of all applicants. SAT Subject Test scores are not required. According to the admissions office: Minimum composite ACT score of 22 (combined SAT Reasoning score of 1030) and rank in top half of secondary school class required; minimum 3.0 GPA recommended. Academic units recommended: 4 English, 3 Math, 3 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language.

How to Pay for College

To apply for financial aid, students should submit the following: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Alma College participates in the Federal Work Study program. Need-based aid programs include: scholarships and grants · general need-based awards · Federal Pell grants · state scholarships and grants · college-based scholarships and grants. Non-need-based aid programs include: scholarships and grants · state scholarships and grants · creative arts and performance awards · special characteristics awards.