Berea College

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School Description

Provided by Berea College

Berea College is distinctive among institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1855 as the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, Berea charges no tuition and admits only academically promising students, primarily from Appalachia, who have limited economic resources. Berea’s cost of educating a student exceeds $23,000 per year.

Berea offers rigorous undergraduate academic programs leading to Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 28 fields. All students work at least 10 hours per week in campus and service jobs in more than 130 departments.

The College has an inclusive Christian character, expressed in its motto "God has made of one blood all peoples of the Earth." Berea's primary service region is the Southern Appalachian region, but students come from all states in the U.S. and in a typical year, from more than 60 other countries representing a rich diversity of colors, cultures, and faiths. About one in three students represents an ethnic minority.

Berea continues to build upon a distinctive history of 150 years of learning, labor and service, and find new ways to apply our mission (the Great Commitments) to contemporary times by promoting kinship among all people, serving communities in Appalachia and beyond and living sustainably to conserve limited natural resources.

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Berea College

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Berea College is a small liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky (south of Lexington), founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,500 students. Berea College is distinctive among post-secondary institutions for providing low-cost education to students from low-income families and for having been the first college in the Southern United States to be coeducational and racially integrated. Berea College charges no tuition; every admitted student is provided the equivalent of a four-year, full-tuition scholarship (currently worth more than $90,000).

Berea offers undergraduate academic programs in 28 different fields. Berea College has a full-participation work-study program. All students are required to work at least 10 hours per week in campus and service jobs in over 130 departments. Berea's primary service region is the Southern Appalachian region, but students come from all states in the United States and more than 60 other countries. Approximately one in three students represents an ethnic minority .

History

Founded in 1855 on the abolitionist principles of John Gregg Fee (1816-1901), Berea College admitted both black and white students in a fully integrated curriculum, making it the first nonsegregated, coeducational college in the South and one of a handful of institutions of higher learning to admit both male and female students in the mid-1800s. The College began as a one-room schoolhouse that also served as a church on Sundays. Although the school's first articles of incorporation were adopted in 1859, founder John Gregg Fee and the teachers were forced out of the area by pro-slavery supporters in that same year. Fee spent the Civil War years raising funds for the school and returned afterward to continue his work. In 1869, the first college students were admitted, and the first bachelor's degrees were awarded in 1873.

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Southeast
Setting:
Small Town Setting
Type:
Private
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
1,511
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Available
> More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 516
Students Receiving Aid:
100%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Selectivity:
Most Selective
> More Admissions

Students

General
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 58%
Men 42%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 74%
African-American 19%
Other 5%
Hispanic 1%
Asian 1%
Geography
In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 61%
In-State 39%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Kentucky 39%
Tennessee 11%
Ohio 9%
Alabama 6%
Georgia 4%
Percent of Students International: 7%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 91%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: Yes

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NAIA
Sports Include: Basketball (Kentucky Intercollegiate Ath Conf)
Baseball (Kentucky Intercollegiate Ath Conf)
Track (Kentucky Intercollegiate Ath Conf)
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
$ 516    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 516    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
$ 3,252 82%  
State and Local Grants:
$ 1,304 35%  
Institutional Grants:
$ 21,096 100%  
Student Loans:
$ 1,974 29%  
Any Aid:
  100%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 27% (Most Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 25%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 510, Math: 503
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 638, Math: 618
ACT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting ACT Scores: 73%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Composite: 21, Verbal: 21, Math: 18
Top 75th Percentile: Composite: 25, Verbal: 26, Math: 24

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

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

Degree Programs at Berea College

Bachelor's Level Majors

College Advice

Yahoo
A few weeks ago I decided to enroll at Berea College and now I'm starting to regret my decision. I'm a really good student, and I'm not 100% positive that it's as academically competitive as the school I turned down (The College of Wooster) which I couldn't afford ($11,000+ in loans every year after financial aid). I decided to go to Berea because I was offered a full tuition scholarship (as are all admitted students), it is focused a lot on service and because it was a small, private liberal arts school, which I really wanted. My problem is looking back, I feel like my father pressured me into Berea because it's where he went. We don't have a lot of money, and I think I got scared about college debt. I do like how Berea does have more of a lower economic background atmosphere (something I want after being the only blue-collar kid in an upper middle class school). I like Berea a lot, but I'm just not positive it'll get me into the best grad school. Am I just freaking out or what?
18 months ago
Best Answer
I think you need to, at least, take a test drive of the school, for a semester or so. You are freaking out a little it sounds. College is a huge step, and nerves are definitely getting the best of you. I think you should go and see how you like it once classes actually begin. If it's not what you wanted then transfer. You're a good student and if you keep your status, transferring to a university of choice wouldn't be hard later on. You'll be fine, I just think you should give it a chance. It'll all work out either way. Best of luck in your future!

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