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Summary
Colby College is a private institution that was founded in 1813. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,815, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 714 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Colby College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 18. Its comprehensive cost is $55,700 (2012-13).
Colby College is located in Waterville, Maine. Colby’s campus, home to the 128-acre Perkins Arboretum wildlife refuge, is a State Wildlife Management Area. The school also owns a nearby bog preserve and lakefront property for environmental studies. There are approximately 100 student-run clubs and organizations on campus, ranging from the Colby Ballroom Dance Club to the Society Organized Against Racism. More than one-third of students are members of Colby’s intercollegiate varsity sports teams, the Mules. Intramural and club sports are also popular. The majority of students at Colby live on campus in one of the 25 co-ed, mixed-class residence halls.
Colby has more than 50 majors across its 30 or so academic departments. The most popular majors are biology, economics, English, history, international studies, government, and mathematics. Colby’s 4-1-4 academic features the Jan Plan, a four-week term during which students can pursue an internship, independent study, or focused course work. Past Jan Plan projects have included a Maine Jewish History research project and an internship at Sotheby’s in New York. More than two-thirds of students study abroad, and Colby runs its own programs in Dijon, France; Salamanca, Spain; and St. Petersburg, Russia. Notable alumni include TV personality Billy Bush and senior advisor to President Obama Pete Rouse.
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Celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2013, Colby is not resting on its tradition of academic excellence but is looking forward, improving and expanding resources and opportunities for students. While the economy has forced other schools to retrench, Colby is adding professors and will construct a new science building, is finishing a major addition to its art museum, and recently completed a biomass boiler that heats campus buildings using local forest waste products. In 2011 Colby recommitted to its policy of replacing institutional loans in financial aid packages with grants that don't have to be repaid. Plans are being laid for an interdisciplinary center for the humanities, the environmental studies curriculum has been expanded to encompass marine science and sustainability, and visual arts and writing programs are being enhanced. Rigorous academic coursework during spring and fall semesters at Colby is punctuated by focused and independent study during Colby's Jan Plan, giving students opportunities to indulge their intellectual curiosity. Co-curricular and campus life programs, beginning with orientation and continuing all four years with the Colby 360 plan, optimize learning opportunities in student life. Increasingly the Colby community reflects the diversity of the nation and the world, helping graduates acquire the abilities and experience to thrive in the multicultural 21st-century world. The Colby Connect program uses a four-year sequence of activities to prepare students for careers and advanced study. And the Colby Alumni Network provides resources to help graduates as they set out to make a profound impact on the world. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1813 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | 4-1-4 |
| Setting | rural |
| 2011 Endowment | $611,441,000 |
Applying
When applying to Colby College, it's important to note the application deadline is January 1, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due March 1. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 29.4 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 29.4% |
| Application deadline | January 1 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | March 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Colby College is 10:1, and the school has 68.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Colby College include: Social Sciences; Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; English Language and Literature/Letters; and Physical Sciences. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 94.8 percent.
Student Life
Colby College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,815, with a gender distribution of 47.1 percent male students and 52.9 percent female students. At this school, 94.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 6.0 percent of students live off campus. Colby College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Colby College.
| Total enrollment | 1,815 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Colby College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Colby College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Colby College, 65 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Colby College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 65% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Colby College, 41.2 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $34,993.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Comprehensive fee | $55,700 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | N/A |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
