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| New College's back yard |
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| front gate |
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| marine biology lab |
New College of Florida, located in Sarasota, Florida, is a
small public school that is called an honors college, which means that it is
run like a private college. This college
of 850 students is best suited for someone who wants the freedom to manufacture
their own learning. Apart from the core
liberal arts courses, students work with the faculty to craft a major that will
address their own personal curiosity and life goals. Students write a “contract” with their advisor for the next
semester that details the classes that they will take, the personal goals that
they are setting for themselves, and what school organizations that student
plans on participating in. A very
interesting thing that makes New College different is that they do not assign
grades for classes taken there. Students
receive a narrative evaluation from the professor at the end of the class that
becomes part of the student’s record.
Students either “satisfy” or receive an “unsatisfactory.” Roughly, this takes the competition for a
letter grades out of the learning process; students are encouraged to really
learn. One question that was asked by
the panel of school counselors was how does the fact that the college graduate
does not have a GPA for professional programs like graduate school, law school
or medical school effect them later on. It turns out that 80%
of New College’s students go on to a post graduate program, so the grading
system is not impeding their graduates.
As with so many of the other schools, New College is located
right on the coast and has a marine biology program that is excellent. If this is an intended major for any SCHS
students, you have many options to choose from.
Pick a school that has the right fit and meets your needs for financial
aid. New College set up great to serve
students who are curious and want to discover more about the things that they
are passionate about. Students who want
a college that will allow them to color outside of the lines will appreciate
this college option. This is a truly
supportive environment for a student who might otherwise get lost in the
shuffle of college but is bright enough to handle rigorous course work.
New College Profile
Cost of attendance- $43,784 per year ($15,000/yr scholarship
goes to out-of-state students)
GPA- 3.71-4.31
SAT- 1200-1360
ACT- 25-30
