ALMA COLLEGE
Alma, Michigan
The College
Alma College highlights personalized education, uncommon opportunities, and extraordinary achievement.
Alma students work closely with dedicated faculty members. The College has a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and an average class size of 18. Independent study and faculty-sponsored research projects abound, and virtually all students find faculty mentors who help them explore and discover, learn, and grow. In addition to twenty-six majors, thirty-two minors, several preprofessional programs, and four graduate degrees, Alma offers students the ability to create their own personally constructed majors called Programs of Emphasis. Alma encourages students to think independently within the framework of a liberal arts education that can be applied to any task or any profession. Alma graduates enter the job market and graduate schools with a personalized education that serves them well as they continue to learn throughout their lifetime.
The College's one-month intensive spring term supports faculty members and students traveling together across the globe. Some examples include high-altitude physiology in the Rockies; economics, photography, or education in Argentina and Ecuador; Shakespeare, medieval literature, or dance in London; and a host of other innovative courses that cross geographic and disciplinary boundaries. During the regular terms, Alma students pursue applications of their liberal arts foundations through overseas study from India to Scotland to Mexico; undertake practicum experiences in nearby jobs or programs in Philadelphia, Chicago, or New York; and embrace uncommonly rich courses that link service with learning. Alma students regularly discover skills, passions, and careers they had not previously imagined
Every April, Alma College celebrates the extraordinary achievements of its students in a special Honors Day celebration of the liberal arts as students present their own research and study. Despite being a small college, over the past several years Alma has had an unusually large number of nationally competitive scholarships to celebrate. Last year, in fact, Alma students garnered five prestigious Fulbright scholarships for international study, three Udall scholarships for work in environmental sciences, a Truman Scholarship for study leading toward a career in public service, and the highly esteemed British Marshall Scholarship for study at Cambridge University. Over a ten-year span, 75 percent of Alma graduates have typically gone on to graduate or professional programs of study.
A Phi Beta Kappa institution, Alma is classified as a selective Baccalaureate CollegeLiberal Arts by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, a distinction held by only four Michigan colleges. Alma is one of only 100 colleges and universities to be named to the Templeton Honor Roll in the Templeton Guide: Colleges that Encourage Character Development.
With an enrollment of nearly 1,300 students, the College employs a full-time teaching faculty of 82 members, of which 89 percent hold the Ph.D. or other terminal degree. Entering first-year students have an average high school GPA of 3.42 and a mean ACT composite score of 24.2 (approximately equivalent to a combined SAT I score of 1140). More than 60 percent of the freshmen students ranked in the top 25 percent of their high school classes, and 27 percent ranked in the top 10 percent.
Eighty-four percent of Almas students live on campus; first-year students and upperclassmen live together in a complex of residence halls and academic theme houses, including the newest, environmentally friendly, apartment-style Wright Hall. Each residence unit is supervised by a full-time director who is assisted by student staff members.
Nourishment for the body and conversation for the soul can be found at Hamilton Dining Commons, International Express, Joe's Internet Caf, and Scottie's Snack Shop. Downtown Alma, a short walk from campus, offers a diverse menu of meals and snacks.
Founded in 1886 by Michigan Presbyterians, Alma College still maintains a relationship with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), but offers an environment that welcomes students of all religious backgrounds. The Alma lifestyle combines academic challenges with favorite activities and opportunities to develop new interests. With nearly 100 student organizations to join, intercollegiate and intramural sports for the competitive spirit, performing and visual arts for creative outlets, and a vital Greek system for active social lives, Alma students have a dynamic cocurricular life.
The Stone Center for Recreation features a climbing wall, a fitness center, four courts, and a suspended three-lane track. The outdoor athletic facilities include a football field with artificial turf, soccer and softball yards, tennis courts, and an eight-lane track. The Klenk Park baseball complex features a scoreboard honoring former Detroit Tiger and Alma Scot great Jim Northrup. Hogan Physical Education Center is home to mens and womens basketball and the College's swimming and diving teams.
Location
Easily reached from Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, Alma College is located in the heart of Michigan's lower peninsula. The city of Alma (population of about 10,000) is well-known as Scotland, USA, for its annual Highland Festival. Alma's relaxed, safe, small-town atmosphere enables students to concentrate on educational priorities, while both the metropolitan and recreational areas of Michigan are readily accessible. Tri Cities and Lansing airports are nearby.
Majors and Degrees
Alma offers four degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science. Departmental and interdepartmental majors are possible. Majors include art and design, biochemistry, biology, business administration, chemistry, communication, computer science, economics, English, exercise and health science, foreign service, French, German, history, international business, mathematical sciences, mathematics, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology and anthropology, Spanish, teacher education, and theater and dance. Interdisciplinary majors may be designed in such fields as American studies, art history, cognitive science, electronics and computer engineering, environmental studies, gerontology, new media studies, public health, and women's studies. Preprofessional programs prepare students for further study and careers in dentistry, engineering, graphic design, law, medical illustration, medicine, the ministry, occupational therapy, and prephysical therapy. Academic minors are available in American studies, art history, Christian education, cognitive science, environmental studies, gerontology, public health, women's studies, and many other fields.
Alma College offers cooperative 3-2 and 4-2 pre-engineering programs with the University of Michigan School of Engineering and Michigan Technological University. A 3-2 program in occupational therapy is offered in conjunction with Washington University in St. Louis.
Academic Programs
The College operates on a 4-4-1 calendartwo 4-month terms in the fall and winter and one 1-month term in the spring. During the spring term, there are opportunities for international study as well as for on-campus instruction and research. In keeping with Alma's philosophy of educating the whole person, the College requires that all students complete liberal arts courses spanning the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The B.A. and B.S. degree programs require the completion of 136 credits; the B.F.A. and B.M. degree programs, 148 credits.
Highly qualified students are challenged by Alma's honors program, featuring a specially designed freshman course that explores the methods of communication used in the liberal arts disciplines. The honors concept extends throughout the four years at Alma.
Alma accepts credits earned through the Advanced Placement (AP) Program and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (I.B.) program, and examinations designed by Alma's academic departments.
Off-Campus Programs
Numerous opportunities for international study are available through the College, including offerings in Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Scotland, South Korea, and Spain. A wide variety of options for housing, including placements in private homes, are featured. Alma's Program of Studies in France, a cooperative venture with the prestigious Alliance Franaise in Paris, can accommodate any studentfrom beginner to advancedfor periods of time ranging from one month to one year. Students considering careers in international business may enroll in an international marketing or multinational business administration seminar held in Wollongong, Australia. Two spring term courses must be successfully completed, one of which must be a designated S course. These courses take advantage of the spring term format and cross-geographical, cultural, or disciplinary boundaries. Internships provide Alma students with experience related to their educational or career goals. On-the-job experience may be arranged in many fields through work in businesses, industries, and government and community agencies.
Academic Facilities
Twenty-six main buildings with up-to-date facilities and an outdoor sports complex are arranged around a scenic central mall on Alma's 125-acre campus. It is a short walk to the fully automated library, which houses more than 261,400 volumes. The Dow and Kapp Science Centers provide research and instructional facilities for biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and physics. Swanson Academic Center houses classrooms and faculty offices. The Eddy Music Building, Clack Art Center, and Remick Heritage Center for the Performing Arts offer rehearsal, exhibition, and performance space for art and design, music, theater, and dance. The Colina Library Wing houses stacks and additional study areas for students. The McIntyre Center for Exercise and Health Science has labs for cardiovascular physiology, human anatomy, and human performance testing.
Instruction at Alma is supported by computer technology. Students are encouraged to bring their own computers to the campus to best utilize available services. Access to the Internet, the campus network, the library, e-mail, and a variety of printers is available in all of Alma's eight residence halls. Student computer labs in academic departments throughout the campus provide access to Macintosh and IBM-compatible PC systems as well as Sun SPARCstations and Silicon Graphics UNIX systems. Computer classrooms in the library and Swanson Academic Center are staffed by student assistants.
Costs
Tuition for 200405 was $19,786. Room and board costs for the fall and winter terms totaled $7032. Students who attend during the spring term pay a $265 tuition charge and a $482 board charge but no room charge. A student activity fee of $200 is charged each year, and a charge of $273 for the Preterm is added to freshman-year costs. Books, supplies, and personal expenses (including travel, clothing, and entertainment) are estimated at $1400 per year.
Financial Aid
At Alma, students can achieve scholarship recognition regardless of need on the basis of outstanding scholastic achievement. Several academically competitive scholarship programs provide awards for eligible students, including a full tuition scholarship for National Merit Finalists. The College also offers performance scholarships in recognition of individual talent, as well as grants, loans, and deferred-payment plans. Up to 400 campus and community jobs are filled by Alma students yearly. To apply for aid, students are required only to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 15 of the year of prospective enrollment at Alma.
Faculty
A look at Alma's faculty shows a diversity of backgrounds; 89 percent of the 82 full-time faculty members hold the highest degree in their field. Superior undergraduate teaching is the first priority of Alma's faculty members; no graduate students teach classes, nor are there television lecture courses at Alma. Classes at Alma are small; the faculty-student ratio is 1:13. Faculty members are accessible and willing to assist students. They are also recognized as scholars in their fields; their research has been supported by such organizations as the Michigan Council for the Arts, the National Science Foundation, the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars (Fulbright scholarships), and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Student Government
Alma encourages students to build leadership skills through involvement in student government and campus organizations. Members of the Alma College Student Congress represent all major student organizations as well as individual students. This group works as a liaison with the administration to implement or revise campus policies, develop a budget and coordinate the expenditure of student activity fees, manage the campus radio station and student publications, and resolve problems. Alma's Union Board, composed of students representing each residence hall, oversees most of the regular entertainment scheduled on campus. As a residential campus, Alma is governed by rules prohibiting academic dishonesty, gambling, cohabitation, infringements on others' rights, illegal use of alcoholic beverages and drugs, and damage to personal property.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, applicants should have an average of B or higher in high school and a composite score of 22 or higher on the ACT or a combined score of 1030 or higher on the SAT I. All applicants are encouraged to schedule an admission interview on campus. Transfer students must have earned an average of C or higher at their previous institution. No more than 62 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of course work completed with a grade of C or better may be transferred to Alma. International students are asked to submit records of previous schooling and must show competence in English through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Application and Information
Students may apply at any time after completing their junior year of high school. Freshman applicants should send the completed application for admission along with a $25 nonrefundable application fee, high school transcripts, and ACT or SAT scores. Students are required to submit a recommendation from their high school guidance counselor. Early action applications are due by November1. Transfer students should submit transcripts from each institution attended, the completed application for admission, a $25 nonrefundable application fee, and a Transfer Recommendation Form from the last institution attended. Applications are handled on a rolling basis; students should hear about admission decisions within three weeks after sending an application and records. Alma College's nondiscrimination policy includes age, color, creed, gender, national origin, physical ability, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
All records and forms should be mailed to:
