Alma College-Alma

614 W Superior, Alma, MI 48801

http://www.alma.edu/

School Description

Provided by Alma College-Alma

Alma College is a selective, residential private liberal arts college that highlights personalized education, social responsibility and extraordinary achievements. Devoted exclusively to the teaching and education of undergraduate students, the College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

With an enrollment of 1,384 students (44 percent men and 56 percent women), the College employs a full-time teaching faculty of 86, of which 87 percent hold the Ph.D. or other terminal degree. The student-teacher ratio is 13:1, and no classes are taught by graduate students.

Alma College was founded in 1886 by Michigan Presbyterians. While still maintaining a close relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the College offers an environment that welcomes students of all religious backgrounds.

The College’s attractive campus is located in the city of Alma (population approximately 9,000), located one hour north of Lansing in the center of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

Alma College’s mission is to prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully, and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations.

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Alma College-Alma

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
This article is about Alma College in Alma, Michigan. For the Alma College in St. Thomas, Ontario, see Alma College (St. Thomas).

Alma College is a private, liberal arts college located in Alma, Michigan. The enrollment is approximately 1,300 students, and the college is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Alma College offers four degrees (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Fine Arts) in 28 majors. Academic programs that typically produce the most graduates are business administration, biology, psychology, exercise and health science, and education. Students are encouraged to participate in service learning and study abroad opportunities designed to enhance classroom learning.

The College's stated mission is "to prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations." Alma College was one of 81 schools in the United States selected in 2005 as a "College with a Conscience: 81 Great Schools with Outstanding Community Involvement" by The Princeton Review and Campus Compact.

History

The College was founded by Michigan Presbyterians in 1886, and received funding from lumber magnate Ammi Wright, for whom Wright Hall on campus and Wright Avenue in the city of Alma are named. At one point the mascot was the Fighting Presbyterians, but according to most sources, it just wasn't very intimidating. While still maintaining a close relationship with the Presbyterian Church, Alma College offers an environment that welcomes students of all religious backgrounds.

Rankings

In January 1997, then-president of Alma College, Alan Stone, asked 480 colleges to boycott the U.S. News and World Report Rankings due to the peer assessment survey which counts for 25% of a college's ranking. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, in 1996, Alma College surveyed 158 colleges about the rankings. The result of the survey indicated that "84 percent of the respondents admitted that they were unfamiliar with some of the institutions they had been asked to rank. Almost 44 per cent indicated that they 'tended to leave responses for unfamiliar schools blank.' " Stone stated, "this makes me wonder just how many votes are being considered for each school's academic-reputation ranking." , After a June 2007 meeting of the Annapolis Group, Alma college joined others who would be boycotting the rankings. According to a June 22, 2007 article for the The Morning Sun:

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Midwest
Setting:
Small Town Setting
Type:
Private
Affiliation:
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
Mascot:
Scots

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
1,291
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Available
> More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 21,134
Students Receiving Aid:
95%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 25
Selectivity:
Selective
> More Admissions

Degree Programs at Alma College-Alma

Bachelor's Level Programs

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources

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    • Natural Resources and Conservation See more schools with programs in Natural Resources and Conservation
      • Environmental Studies.
        A program that focuses on environment-related issues using scientific, social scientific, or humanistic approaches or a combination. Includes instruction in the basic principles of ecology and environmental science and related subjects such as policy, politics, law, economics, social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interactions of human beings and nature.
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  • Arts & Humanities

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    • English Language and Literature See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
      • English Language and Literature
        A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.
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    • Film and Theater See more schools with programs in Film and Theater
      • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
        A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions.
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    • Foreign Languages See more schools with programs in Foreign Languages
      • French Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in French philology, Metropolitan French, Canadian French, African and Caribbean Creoles, French regional dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • German Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the German language and related dialects as used in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, neighboring European countries containing German-speaking minorities, and elsewhere. Includes instruction in German philology; Old, Middle, and High German; Plattdeutsch and other regional dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Spanish Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Spanish philology, Modern Castillan, various Latin American dialects, regional Spanish dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.
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    • History See more schools with programs in History
      • History
        A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.
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    • Music See more schools with programs in Music
      • General Music
        A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.
        See more schools with programs in General Music
    • Philosophy See more schools with programs in Philosophy
      • General Philosophy
        A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines.
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    • Religion/Religious Studies See more schools with programs in Religion/Religious Studies
      • General Religion/Religious Studies
        A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior.
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    • Visual Arts See more schools with programs in Visual Arts
      • Art/Art Studies
        Art and Art Studies is a general, introductory program that focuses on the study and appreciation of the visual arts. Students of these two or four year programs receive instruction in art, photography, and other visual communications media.
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  • Business

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    • International Business/Trade/Commerce
      A program that prepares individuals to manage international businesses and/or business operations. Includes instruction in the principles and processes of export sales, trade controls, foreign operations and related problems, monetary issues, international business policy, and applications to doing business in specific countries and markets.
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    • General Business See more schools with programs in General Business
      • Business Administration and Management
        Generally, this program prepares individuals to plan, organize, direct, and control a firm or organization. To aid them in taking a leading role in business, individuals in this program study management theory, human resources management and behavior, accounting and other quantitative methods, purchasing and logistics, organization and production, marketing, and business decision-making.
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  • Communication & Media

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    • Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
      A program that focuses on the scientific, humanistic, and critical study of human communication in a variety of formats, media, and contexts. Includes instruction in the theory and practice of interpersonal, group, organizational, professional, and intercultural communication; speaking and listening; verbal and nonverbal interaction; rhetorical theory and criticism; performance studies; argumentation and persuasion; technologically mediated communication; popular culture; and various contextual applications.
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  • Education

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    • Teacher Training See more schools with programs in Teacher Training
      • Elementary Education and Teaching
        A program that prepares individuals to teach students in the elementary grades, which may include kindergarten through grade eight, depending on the school system or state regulations. Includes preparation to teach all elementary education subject matter.
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  • Health & Medical Services

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  • Interdisciplinary Studies

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    • Museology/Museum Studies
      A program that focuses on the attitudes, knowledge, and skills required to develop, prepare, organize, administer, conserve, store and retrieve artifacts, exhibits and entire collections in museums and galleries, and that prepares individuals to assume curatorial, technical and managerial positions in museums. Includes instruction in institutional management, acquisition, exhibit design, conservation, packing techniques, and public relations.
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  • Life Science

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    • Biology See more schools with programs in Biology
      • Biochemistry
        Study the chemistry of living systems in these four, six, or eight year programs. Students of biochemistry learn the intricacies of the chemistry of living systems and their chemical pathways and information transfer systems. This program includes instruction in bio-organic chemistry, protein chemistry, bioanalytical chemistry, bioseparations, regulatory biochemistry, enzymology, hormonal chemistry, calorimetry, and research methods and equipment operation.
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      • Biology/Biological Sciences
        Students in this program study general biology at an introductory level. This major provides students with a broad overview of biology and includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.
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  • Mathematics and Statistics

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    • General Mathematics
      A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.
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  • Natural Sciences

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    • Chemistry See more schools with programs in Chemistry
      • General Chemistry
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena.
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    • Physics See more schools with programs in Physics
      • General Physics
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods.
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  • Social Sciences

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    • Anthropology See more schools with programs in Anthropology
      • General Anthropology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs.
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      • Other Anthropology
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    • Economics See more schools with programs in Economics
      • General Economics
        A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.
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    • International Relations and Affairs See more schools with programs in International Relations and Affairs
      • General Political Science and Government
        A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies 0f specific political institutions and processes.
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      • International Relations and Affairs
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of international politics and institutions, and the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy. Includes instruction in international relations theory, foreign policy analysis, national security and strategic studies, international law and organization, the comparative study of specific countries and regions, and the theory and practice of diplomacy.
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    • Psychology See more schools with programs in Psychology
      • General Psychology
        A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods.
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    • Sociology See more schools with programs in Sociology
      • Sociology
        A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.
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  • Technology

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    • Software Development See more schools with programs in Software Development
      • Computer and Information Sciences
        A general program that focuses on computing, computer science, and information science and systems as part of a broad and/or interdisciplinary program. Such programs are undifferentiated as to title and content and are not to be confused with specific programs in computer science, information science, or related support services.
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    • Web Design and Internet See more schools with programs in Web Design and Internet
      • Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster
        A program that prepares individuals to develop and maintain web servers and the hosted web pages at one or a group of web sites, and to function as designated webmasters. Includes instruction in computer systems and networks; server installation and maintenance; web page design and editing; information resources management; web policy and procedures; Internet applications of information systems security; user interfacing and usability research; and relevant management and communications skills.
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Students

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 61%
Men 39%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 94%
Other 2%
African-American 2%
Hispanic 1%
Asian 1%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
In-State 94%
Out-of-State 6%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Michigan 94%
Ohio 1%
Illinois 0%
New York 0%
Virgin Islands 0%
Percent of Students International: 1%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 93%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: No

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Football (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc)
Basketball (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc)
Baseball (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc)
Track (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc)
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
$ 21,134    
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 20,934    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 200    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
$ 3,188 30%  
State and Local Grants:
$ 2,746 86%  
Institutional Grants:
$ 10,248 95%  
Student Loans:
$ 5,837 61%  
Any Aid:
  95%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 81% (Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 13%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 480, Math: 490
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 630, Math: 630
ACT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting ACT Scores: 93%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Composite: 21, Verbal: 19, Math: 18
Top 75th Percentile: Composite: 26, Verbal: 26, Math: 25

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 25.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Not Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Recommended
High School GPA: Required
High School Rank: Recommended
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Not Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Required

College Advice

Yahoo

Question: How good is Alma College?

I was accepted to alma college but now i am having second thoughts after seeing the cost.
27 months ago

Best Answer

I live in Michigan, but I've not attended Alma College. All I can tell you is what I've heard from other people and from my daughter, who is a senior in high school, and was considering going there. Alma College is a private college so the cost is going to be much higher than for a public university. It is also a fairly small college, so that increases the price, too. It has the reputation of being one of the FINEST private colleges you can attend in the state of Michigan. The people who graduate from there have stated they received a superior education and that it was well worth the extra cost to go there. With all the financial aid available today I would not let the cost of attending Alma College sway you from going there. I truly believe that you will get every ounce of education that you pay for.

Photos

  • Image:Almacollege_logomark.png
    Image:Almacollege_logomark.png [source]
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Alma College-Alma
Alma, MI 48801
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