Centenary College of Louisiana

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Students Say - Academics
With fewer than 1,000 undergraduates, Centenary College of Louisiana certainly qualifies as a small school. In fact, there are only a handful of elite undergraduate institutions smaller. That said, smallness has its virtues. As one student notes, "The small size of the student body gives students the opportunity to receive individual attention in class, be involved in many organizations and hold leadership positions outside of class." It also fosters "a community atmosphere" in which "professors really care about you emotionally and academically," along with providing "a lot of one-on-one help and projects." Premedical sciences are said to be excellent (nearly 20 percent of all students major in life sciences), as are business studies, music, and communications. Academics are "extremely rigorous and thorough," so much so that "no one graduates without expanding their knowledge base." As at many small schools, "the professors are absolutely wonderful. They're engaging, knowledgeable, and really care about what they're teaching and about their students." The school places a premium on such high-caliber teaching skill. "Bad teachers do not last long around here," one undergrad assures us. The down-side of a small school, of course, is that certain limitations are an unavoidable fact of life. Some "miss the perks a bigger school [has to offer] like more classes and a better cafeteria."

Students Say - Campus Life
Campus life centers around athletics, clubs, and Greek life at Centenary, where "the real trick is finding that one thing that you love (be it sororities, radio, theater, whatever) and excelling at it. The school has a lot of opportunities for responsible individuals." There's the "awesome" radio station, for one, and lots of lectures, internships, and mentoring opportunities. And while "There are occasional events on weekdays, including sports games," when it comes time for fun "life at Centenary revolves around the weekend" and "includes going to some of the local attractions, to a movie, to dinner, or to either one of the sport teams' house or a fraternity house." Because the cam- pus is officially dry, "those unwilling to hide their contraband alcohol...normally just hang out in residence hall lobbies and watch movies" or they "go down to the fraternity houses (which allow alcohol)." Hometown Shreveport "doesn't offer many options for students, especially students under 21. It's definitely not a 'college town.'" Another student explains, "There is not a lot to do in Shreveport besides shopping, but there are many opportunities to do so in the surrounding area. There are not too many local music shows, but the Shreveport Opera and community theaters are worth the time."

Students Say - Student Body
For such a small school, Centenary does a good job of drawing a diverse mix of interests and backgrounds. Here "You can find everything from far right- wing ministry majors to highly liberal individuals actively involved in campus organizations promoting gay rights" as well as "a large and diverse number of international students, most notably from Europe and Hong Kong." What you won't find is a lot of minority students; "There are very few minorities on this campus," one student observes. Most students here "are overachievers or hard workers, whether it is in an academic sense or in an extracurricular sense." Though many note that the student body is "generally white, middle-class, and religious," they are also quick to point out that it also accommodates "a lot of gay and lesbian students, and overall, the campus is very accepting and supportive of these students."

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