Academics
Rollins College, a private school in Orlando, offers an academic experience that engages students with “local organizations and charities to bring the work we discuss in class into actual action.” Such opportunities include “working with community members on development projects, working with policy-makers to present and enact change, [and] working in the museum to curate collections of artifacts.” Some majors particularly appreciate that the on-campus child development center allows “hands-on experience for education majors as well as help with research for our psychology program.” Driving that is the way in which “professors get to know students…and pass along wonderful educational opportunities.” The best teachers at the school are especially lauded for the way they “capture the classes attention with their wit, and transfer their wit to the content.” The school also offers financial aid to support studying abroad. This means that all students at Rollins can benefit from “access to summer or winter break study abroad experiences that count towards college credit…[in] amazing places like Singapore, Costa Rica, and London.” The even more specifically “free or low-cost” immersion program further “allows students to go off campus around Florida or other parts of the United States to learn about racial justice, personal wellness, or environmental justice.” Regardless of the setting, this student sums up the general vibe: “almost every single class I have taken has felt like it has a purpose and taught me things that I will be able to utilize in the real world.”
Student Body
From the moment students arrive at Rollins College, they’re meeting people who are “inspiring and are doing big things with their lives.” This stems from a population of “inquirers seeking to gain a better understanding of their surrounding world” and is aided by having “many thriving international exchange outlets [and] so much culture and diversity in every aspect of campus.” It’s also helped by having students from all backgrounds: “I have not met such a diverse group of people from all over the world.” The friendliness goes a long way to make bridges between groups—“No matter where you walk at Rollins you receive smiles”—even with how “prominent” and consequentially “cliquey” Greek life can be or for those students who feel “a lack of diversity.” Overall, the consensus is that students “are very welcoming and it really feels like a community.”
Campus Life
The “beautiful lakeside campus”—which one student describes as “breathtaking” and like a “country club”—is one of the main draws at Rollins. The campus offers students three pools and a host of “free lake activities.” Rowing is one of the popular sports on campus, and many students unwind by renting a paddleboard or kayak for a few hours.
Students love the “really nice housing” on campus and appreciate that “the quality and options for dining,” particularly “the amazing take-as-much-as-you-need dining hall, which is included with the meal plan.” The school also hosts events like movie nights and trivia; the Christmas Party in particular is referenced as “a very memorable night [that] helped destress me before finals.” For those willing to walk off-campus, downtown Park Avenue provides restaurants and nightlife to explore. And, of course, the prime Florida setting brings with it “warm weather, hundreds of miles of beaches, and close proximity to theme parks.”
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