Spotlight on New College of Florida

New College of Florida isn't as new as its name might suggest, but it wasn't independent of the University of South Florida until 2001. Since then, the school has found itself at the top of many national rankings of public liberal arts colleges. New College's succes stems from an interesting student-centered curriculum in which the emphasis is on students taking control of their own educations. New College professors do not assign grades, but instead provide students with written evaluations at the end of each semester. Also, the college has no traditional majors -- students explore subjects of interest to them within a program of general studies. Every student at New College must also complete three independent studies and a substantial senior thesis. The openness and independence of the curriculum is not a great choice for the undisciplined, so the college works hard to recruit highly motivated and able students.

The price tag is another reason New College has been so successful. This type of high-quality liberal arts education often requires one to sell the house and a younger sibling. Because of New College's public status, tuition for in-state students was $3,850 in 2007 (Hampshire College, a school with a similar open curriculum, costs nearly ten times that). For more financial and admissions data, check out the New College profile.

And a final draw -- the campus sits on the Gulf of Mexico in Sarasota. So for students who aren't convinced that New England winters build character, a high-quality education can come with palm trees, ocean breezes and sunshine.

Every week I'll be spotlighting an interesting college that might be off the radar of prospective students. If there's a school you'd like to recommend, please post your ideas in the College Admissions Forum. And if you'd like to share your thoughts and experiences related to New College of Florida, I've started a New College discussion in the forum as well.

photo: markus941 / Flickr