Academics
A small school with a proud Scottish heritage, Alma College in Michigan strives to create a well-rounded student who "is an expert in one area but still has knowledge in many different subjects." The school works on a 4-4-1 academic calendar, which includes a month-long May term that is typically used for internships or travel classes. Alma offers plenty of avenues for volunteer work, as well as a plethora of "institutional resources for student research, service trips, and networking." "There are many opportunities to study in other parts of the country and world." Most academic programs prepare students for graduate work or their prospective career paths, and the relationships students form with faculty are "lasting and meaningful' and "provide outlets for a lot of research, internships, and connections."
Students say that their "extremely helpful" professors "expect a lot of work out of their students" and "are another special feature on our campus." The Alma College faculty "serve as a wealth of information" and "are more than willing to work with you on not only your academic issues, but personal issues as well." Support systems such as a wellness center, tutoring, and a writing center guide students toward graduation, and a First-Year seminar course gives students a chance to take a class outside of their major. To ensure that students are "fully aware of what is expected of them during their time at Alma College," the school also provides a mentor for each individual student as well as a Four Year Plan to "help guide them as they make decisions about scheduling and choosing a major/minor."
Student Body
The Alma College student body includes "a mix of students from all over the country, and the world." According to students, most are from middle-class backgrounds and enroll at Alma "with a desire and willingness to learn." The school "provides a comfortable place for every culture to stand out in a positive way," and students are "polite, cordial, and very involved within the school." Many students are "very studious" and Alma's challenging curriculum "forces students to try hard and not slack off." Students here are "friendly to newcomers and welcoming to the community" and "tend to have the idea that the busier you are, the better you are." Athletics are "extremely important to the campus community." Alma College's student population is "largely liberal but some students do bring other viewpoints to the classroom."
Campus Life
At Alma College, classes and studying eat up a lot of the hours during the week, but "once you get into your major most of your classes will be at the same time each semester so you get into a routine that is pretty easy to follow." On weeknights "it is common to go to a sporting event as a study break to cheer on peers" (intramural sports are also very popular). Everyone at Alma "tends to be over-involved" and participates in at least two school organizations or clubs. There is an "active Greek life" at Alma that "interacts heavily with the community and on campus." Hometown of Alma, Michigan is "quite small so there isn't a lot to do here" though students say the bowling alley and movie theater are a welcome distraction. Otherwise, people keep busy with the "usual student stuff" in a small town: "Playing games, Netflix, music, [and] card games."
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