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College of the Atlantic - Description, Costs, Financial Aid and Admissions Data

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College of the Atlantic

College of the Atlantic

The Udall Legacy Bus Tour / Flickr

College of the Atlantic Description:

With our increasing interest in sustainability, you can expect to see College of the Atlantic's reputation grow in the coming years. The college has a single major -- human ecology -- but students can approach the subject in a multitude of interdisciplinary ways. What's required is that students focus on the relationship between human beings and their world. Don't expect Division I athletics or high-rise living at this small school, but tourists would pay a lot of money to stay at College of the Atlantic's ocean-front campus in Bar Harbor, Maine. COA has an impressive 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 12. Students come from 38 states and 34 countries.

Sustainability and Student Life:

College of the Atlantic takes pride in their carbon-neutrality, and Princeton Review recently listed College of the Atlantic as one of the "greenest" campuses in the nation (and truth be told, COA pollutes a lot less than other schools on the list such as Arizona State and Georgia Tech). Indeed, sustainability is part of the day-to-day life of students. They don't just study it, but live it -- students help grow some of the food they eat; 90% of meats served are free-range; recycling efforts are robust; and soon all power will come from wind turbines in Maine. COA is a member of the Eco League with four other small colleges that focus on sustainability: Alaska Pacific University, Northland College, Green Mountain College, and Prescott College. Students can easily take a semester or two at one of these other schools.

Admissions Data (2012):

Enrollment (2011):

  • Total Enrollment: 363 (354 undergraduates)
  • Gender Breakdown: 28% Male / 72% Female
  • 95% Full-time

Costs (2012 - 13):

  • Tuition and Fees: $37,701
  • Books: $600 (why so much?)
  • Room and Board: $9,258
  • Other Expenses: $1,080
  • Total Cost: $48,639

College of the Atlantic Financial Aid (2010 - 11):

  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 89%
  • College of the Atlantic Scholarships (Cappex.com)
  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
    • Grants: 86%
    • Loans: 68%
  • Average Amount of Aid
    • Grants: $28,352
    • Loans: $5,650

Most Popular Majors:

Only one option here -- Human Ecology. Students work with faculty to create an interdisciplinary approach to the topic that best fits their passions and interests.

Graduation and Retention Rates:

  • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 87%
  • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 58%
  • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 71%

Data Source (except for SAT scores):

National Center for Educational Statistics

College of the Atlantic Mission Statement:

mission statement from http://www.coa.edu/html/mission.htm

"College of the Atlantic enriches the liberal arts tradition through a distinctive educational philosophy--human ecology. A human ecological perspective integrates knowledge from all academic disciplines and from personal experience to investigate--and ultimately improve--the relationships between human beings and our social and natural communities. The human ecological perspective guides all aspects of education, research, activism, and interactions among the college's students, faculty, staff, and trustees. The College of the Atlantic community encourages, prepares, and expects students to gain expertise, breadth, values, and practical experience necessary to achieve individual fulfillment and to help solve problems that challenge communities everywhere."

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