America's Best Colleges for B Students. Tamra B. Orr
· Website: http://www.agnesscott.edu
From the College
“Agnes Scott College prepares all students to be leaders in a global society through its signature four-year initiative, SUMMIT. SUMMIT provides a liberal arts education within a framework of global perspectives and leadership development. SUMMIT builds on the strengths of Agnes Scott, which for the past 127 years has educated women to think deeply, live honorably and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their times. Students are drawn to Agnes Scott by its excellent academic reputation, exceptional faculty and metropolitan Atlanta location, offering myriad cultural and experiential learning opportunities. With a diverse and growing residential community of scholars, this highly selective liberal arts and sciences college is known for its dynamic and challenging intellectual community.”
Campus Setting
Agnes Scott, founded in 1889, is an independent, liberal arts college for women. Its 100-acre campus is located in Decatur, six miles from downtown Atlanta. Campus buildings are Gothic and Victorian in style. A four-year private women’s college, Agnes Scott College has an enrollment of 902 students. The school is also affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The campus facilities include: art gallery · observatory · science center. Agnes Scott College provides on-campus housing with 350 units that can accommodate 791 students. Housing options: women’s dorms · single-student apartments. Recreation and sports facilities include: physical activities building · swimming pool and diving facility · basketball courts · weight room · track and field.
Student Life and Activities
With 87 percent of students living on campus, there’s always something going on. Popular gathering spots include the Alston Student Center and Eddie’s Attic. Popular campus events include Writers’ Festival, Spring Fling, Black Cat Week, Black Cat Formal, Cultural Events Series, Senior Investiture, Sophomore Family Weekend, Planetarium Shows, Fall Fest and Spring Fest. Agnes Scott College has 69 official student organizations. Popular groups on campus include the Programming Board, Committee of Student Multicultural Organizations, Masala-SACE and Witkaze, the Black Student Association. Athletically-minded students will enjoy intramural sports such as: running · cross-country · cycling · swimming · tennis · triathlon · yoga. Agnes Scott College is a member of the Great South Athletic Conference (Division III).
Academics and Learning Environment
Agnes Scott College has 78 full-time and 39 part-time faculty members, offering a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1. The most common course size is 10 to 19 students, and Agnes Scott College offers 36 majors. The school has a general core requirement as well as a religion requirement. Cooperative education is not offered. All first-year students must maintain a 1.6 GPA or higher to avoid academic probation, and a minimum overall GPA is required to graduate. Other special academic programs that would appeal to a B student: self-designed majors · pass/fail grading option · independent study · double majors · dual degrees · accelerated study · Phi Beta Kappa · internships.
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE
Highlights
Agnes Scott College
Decatur, GA (Pop. 20,086)
Location: Major city
Four-year private women’s college
Founded: 1889
Website: http://www.agnesscott.edu
Students
Total enrollment: 902
Undergrads: 902
Freshmen: 272
Part-time students: 3%
From out-of-state: 46%
From public schools: 76%
Male/Female: 1%/99%
Live on-campus: 87%
Off-campus employment rating: Excellent
Caucasian: 33%
African American: 32%
Hispanic: 9%
Asian: 6%
Native American: 0%
Mixed (2+ ethnicities): 8%
International: 9%
Academics
Calendar: Semester
Student/faculty ratio: 10:1
Class size 9 or fewer: 25%
Class size 10-29: 72%
Class size 30-49: 3%
Class size 50-99: -
Class size 100 or more: -
Returning freshmen: 87%
Six-year graduation rate: 68%
Most Popular Majors
Psychology
Public health
English literature/creative writing
B Student Support and Success
Besides being the setting for the horror flick “Scream 2,” Agnes Scott offers smaller classes, often with fewer than a half dozen students. The school offers “talking study halls,” centers where students can discuss homework assignments as a group. Every student is given an admission counselor who works from beginning to end on the application process. Agnes Scott features a Center for Writing and Speaking, a peer tutoring organization that helps students with both written and oral communication skills.
Agnes Scott College provides a variety of support programs including dedicated guidance for: academic · career · personal · psychological · minority students · non-traditional students · family planning · religious. The average freshman year GPA is 3.0, and 87 percent of freshmen students return for their sophomore year. After graduating, many enter the workforce and approximately 25 percent pursue a graduate degree. Among students who enter the workforce, approximately 40 percent enter a field related to their major within six months of graduation. Companies that most frequently hire graduates from Agnes Scott College include: Clinician · ERISA Pros · Florida Repertory Theatre · Georgia State University · Georgia Tech · Lindamood-Bell · Orlando Science Center · Parkview High School · RRISA · Savannah River Ecology Lab · Teach for America · Theater in the Square.
Support for Students with Learning Disabilities
For students with learning disabilities, Agnes Scott College will grant additional time to complete their degree. LD students will find the following programs at Agnes Scott College useful: tutors · testing accommodations · untimed tests · extended time for tests · oral tests · readers · typist/scribe · note-taking services · reading machines · tape recorders · texts on tape · early syllabus · priority registration · waiver of math degree requirement. Individual or small group tutorials are also available in: time management · organizational skills · learning strategies · writing labs · math labs · study skills. An advisor/advocate from the Office of Academic Advising and Student Disability Services is available to students.
How to Get Admitted
For admissions decisions, non-academic factors considered: interview · extracurricular activities · special talents, interests and abilities · character/personal qualities · volunteer work · work experience · geographical location · minority affiliation · alumni relationship. A high school diploma is required, although a GED is also accepted for admissions consideration. SAT or ACT test scores are required for some applicants. SAT Subject Test scores are required