Spotlight on St. Mary's College of Maryland

This week's spotlight focuses on another great public liberal arts college. Despite what the name might lead one to believe, St. Mary's College is a secular, public college. Its name stems from the fact that the college is located in St. Mary's City on the banks of St. Mary's River. I chose St. Mary's College of Maryland for a spotlight feature because the school offers that rare mix of a small liberal arts college experience with the price tag of a public university. Indeed, with about 2,000 students and a 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio, St. Mary's College is not your typical state school. Academics at St. Mary's are strong, and the college can boast of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and its status as the only Public Honors College in Maryland.

St. Mary's City was first settled in 1634, so the college environment is rich in history. The school's waterfront location has led to some interesting campus traditions including an annual cardboard boat race, a winter swim in the river, and a toss in the pond to celebrate one's birthday. For the college-bound student who isn't keen on the tuition of a private college but wants the personal touch that doesn't exist at a 40,000-student university, St. Mary's College of Maryland is worth a look.

To learn more about St. Mary's College such as costs and acceptance criteria, check out the St. Mary's College profile. If you'd like to share your own experiences with St. Mary's, please drop a line in the St. Mary's discussion forum. And be sure to visit the St. Mary's College website.

Have an idea for a future college spotlight on About.com? Please post your recommendation in the College Admissions Forum.

Photo by dicoplio / Flickr

Other Public Liberal Arts Colleges

• New College of Florida
• Truman State University
• University of Montevallo