Oglethorpe – small liberal arts college with big city connection

“Education should help students make both a living and a life.” This is the guiding principle of Oglethorpe University, which was founded in 1835 and named for the founder of the state of Georgia, James Edward Oglethorpe. 

Oglethorpe’s 118-acre campus is located in Brookhaven, a popular inner suburb of Atlanta. If you think you may have seen parts of this picturesque campus with its Gothic architecture before, you probably have – Oglethorpe has been the backdrop for several movies and TV shows. Students will enjoy walking (or going for a run) through its beautiful, wooded terrain. 

Here are a few quick facts about Oglethorpe:

Acceptance: 86%

Freshman retention: 77%

Freshmen out of state: 13%

Most popular majors: business administration, psychology, communications, biology

4-year graduation rate: 39%; 6-year: 50%

Student Community Diversity: 26.5% Black, 12% Latino, 9% International

 

Housing: Fifty-nine percent of all Oglethorpe students live on campus in one of seven residence halls. Most rooms are large suites with private bathrooms, but some singles are available. Many students live in Atlanta and commute to campus. The dining hall offers a variety of standard options like pizza, burgers, sandwiches and a salad bar, as well as Mongolian grill and some vegan options. 

 

Academics: All students take the interdisciplinary Core Curriculum program – all classes are sequenced and taken at a specific point in a student’s college career. This program provides a model for integrating information and acquiring knowledge. Students must take several liberal arts and sciences courses that help further develop students’ ability to reason, read and speak effectively. Classes are rigorous and generally small in size – 55% of classes at Oglethorpe have fewer than 20 students. 

Engineering students can take advantage of dual-degree programs with Auburn, Georgia Tech and several others. Oglethorpe’s Compass advising program guides students through all aspects of their first year. A_LAB (Atlanta Laboratory for Learning) coordinates many opportunities for students, including internships, research, service and study abroad programs. Ten percent of Oglethorpe students sign up for one of a variety of study abroad programs. 

 

Similar colleges to consider: Berry, Agnes Scott, Birmingham-Southern, Emory

 

Social: Some weekends students stay on campus and other weekends the campus is pretty much deserted. When students are on campus, there is a strong Greek life scene, with 41% of men and 59% of women pledging, respectively. 

Oglethorpe Day is one of the most popular on-campus events, where the college celebrates its origins with activities such as a tug-of-war between students and faculty. There is a strong nightlife scene with plenty of bars, clubs and cafes within 10 minutes of campus, and many students also frequent the other nearby college campuses to socialize. And of course, Atlanta offers plenty to do with arts, professional sports, and entertainment, including Six Flags theme park. 

Popular road trips include going to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day and New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Florida is another popular destination any time of year. For the outdoorsy student, activities include hiking at nearby Stone Mountain and boating and swimming at Lake Lanier.

Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels compete in Division III sports. The men’s golf team makes frequent NCAA Tournament appearances, and men’s soccer and women’s basketball are recent Southern Athletic Association champions. Basketball games versus nearby rival Emory are among the most popular. 

 

Financial: Oglethorpe has strong socioeconomic diversity with 43% of students receiving a Pell Grant. Every admitted student who completes the FAFSA receives a $1,000 grant, regardless of financial need. 

Oglethorpe offers both need-based and non need-based merit aid. The average percent of need met is 80%, with 21% being fully met. Although the tuition and fees are $62,600, the average financial aid package is $38,800. 90% of students receive some type of financial aid.

Morehouse College – an HBCU where strong academics meet a strong alumni network

Morehouse College is the only historically black 4-year liberal arts college for men and has an impressive roster of alumni,  including Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson. Founded in 1867, this campus features 42 buildings (many of which are historic) on 61 acres near downtown Atlanta. Known as the most prestigious of the HBCU’s, one of Morehouse’s cornerstones is a strong alumni network ready to help with jobs and other opportunities. 

 

Here are a few quick facts about Morehouse:

4-year Graduation rate: 33%, 6-year: 54%

Acceptance: 31%

Freshman retention: 85%

Freshmen out of state: 74% 

Most popular majors: business administration, biology, social sciences

Student Community Diversity: 95% Black, 0.5% Latino, 1% International

 

Housing: Students are required to live on campus their first three years, while seniors find their own off-campus housing. Students recommend Graves Hall for freshmen, which is Morehouse’s oldest dorm, built in 1889. Meal plans are required, which not everyone is thrilled about, but dining services has recently expanded to include more fast-food options and a coffee shop. 

 

Academics: Morehouse’s academics can be described as competitive and rigorous where classmates strive to do their best, while at the same time supporting their classmates. The general education program includes coursework in four major disciplines (humanities, natural sciences, math and social sciences), as well as “the unique African and African American heritage on which so much of our modern American culture is built.” To that end, the university hosts a series of campuswide assemblies called the Crown Forum presented by community leaders and national figures from different industries. In order to graduate, students must attend 6 presentations per semester for 6 semesters. 

 

Traditionally, STEM fields at Morehouse have been strong, although business and economics have recently risen in prominence. One of Morehouse’s gems is their engineering 3-2 program, which works in conjunction with Georgia Tech and other larger universities. The cinema, television and emerging media studies major is growing in popularity and a new major in Chinese studies is now available. For the student interested in participating in research, there are plenty of opportunities in the sciences, including a research partnership with NASA. 

 

Similar colleges to consider: Davidson, Furman, Howard

 

Social: One of the most celebrated events is homecoming week, which is a joint effort with sister school, Spelman. This event is one of the largest at any of the HBCUs. Morehouse has four fraternities, which attract just 3% of students. Other crowd-drawing events on campus include football games, concerts, movies and religious programs. 

 

The Maroon Tigers compete in Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, with track and field being a recent conference champion. The basketball team has enjoyed some recent success as well. During football season, students road-trip to Hampton, Howard and Tuskegee. 

 

Financial: Morehouse offers need-based merits scholarships and 126 athletic scholarships. Although the tuition and fees are $47,700, the average financial aid package is $28,800. 80% of students receive financial aid.

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Drexel University – co-op education at its best

If you are more tech-minded and looking to get a leg up on your career, Drexel with its co-op curriculum may be the place for you. Set in one of the now more desirable parts of downtown Philadelphia, Drexel University’s 123-acre, 20-block radius campus is adjacent to UPenn. Students will have their choice of plenty of restaurants, clubs, and places to shop, all accessible with the city’s public transit system. For those who like to stay in shape, how about getting your playlist queued up and heading for the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum like Rocky? 

 

Here are a few quick facts about Drexel:

4-year Graduation rate: not reported, 6-year: 71%

Acceptance: 77%

Freshman retention: 88%

Freshmen out of state: 59% 

Most popular majors: mechanical engineering, computer science, business administration, health professions

Student Community Diversity: 7% Black, 6.7% Latino, 11% International

 

Housing: The majority of freshmen live in one of nine co-ed residence halls while most upperclassmen reside in nearby apartments or fraternities houses. About 22% of the overall undergraduate population lives on campus. There are two main dining centers which serve food that is described as “adequate.” Foodies will be happy to hear that they can often find various food trucks parked around campus to grab a quick lunch. 

 

Students can also feel safer knowing that the dorms, library and physical education center are restricted to students with IDs and Drexel’s campus enforces strict policies to limit the amount of alcohol brought onto campus. 

 

Academics: Drexel is known for its innovative co-op program which combines high-tech academics with paying job opportunities for undergrads. Students alternate between periods of full-time study and full-time employment for their 4-5 year program. This adds up to 6-18 months of job experience, before graduation. In order to achieve this, Drexel operates year-round on a quarter system instead of semesters. Freshman and senior years (of a 5-year program) are completely on campus and the other three remaining years alternate between study and work.

 

All first-year students are required to take courses in English composition, math and two 1-credit courses: one that introduces university resources, and one on civic engagement in the local community. The Drexel Engineering Curriculum integrates math, physics, chemistry and engineering to help ensure students are well-rounded and able to write as well as design. Each freshman is assigned a “personal librarian” to help them best make use of the library’s extensive resources. 

 

Drexel’s professors are praised for their accessibility, and unlike many other universities, teaching assistants only run labs and study sessions. Fifty-five percent of all classes have fewer than 20 students. 

 

Similar colleges to consider: Penn State, Syracuse, University of Pittsburgh, George Washington University

 

Social: Because so many live off campus and there is so much to do in the surrounding city of Philadelphia, campus tends to be a bit deserted on the weekends. Friday-night movies on campus are cheap and dorms often sponsor floor parties. Drexel has a moderate Greek life scene, with 14% of men and 13% of women pledging. 

 

While it can be difficult to get students involved in activities, what with the amount of schoolwork and co-op assignments, Drexel still boasts 18 Division I teams, which compete in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Dragons do not have a football team, but their men’s and women’s basketball, crew, and soccer teams are strong. Do not make the mistake of assuming Drexel’s students don’t have school spirit. They make a show of “sacrificing” blue plastic chickens in demonstrations against their rivals, the University of Delaware Blue Hens. 

 

Financial: Drexel offers need-based financial aid, as well as non need-based merit scholarships, and a small number of athletic scholarships.The average percent of need met is 84%, with 33% being fully met. Although the tuition and fees are $75,000, the average financial aid package is $41,000. 100% of students receive some type of financial and and/or scholarships.

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