Elmira College

Statistics

School Says - General Information
Founded in 1855, Elmira College is a private, coeducational, liberal arts college. Elmira, a city of 35,000, is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York.

Campus: 42 historic acres which include 7 classroom buildings, 11 dormitories, 2 administrative office buildings, library, health center, campus center, President's Home and Mark Twain Study. A major athletic facility completes the total campus. Eight college buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Academic calendar: Two twelve-week terms followed in April and May by a unique six-week Term III devoted to travel, field experience, research, independent study, and innovative courses.

Enrollment: 1,200 students, thirteen percent of whom are valedictorians or salutatorians of their high schools or prep schools, from 35 states and 31 foreign countries.

Faculty: All have earned the Ph.D. or the highest degree in their field required for undergraduate instruction; 12:1 student faculty ratio. No classes are taught by teaching assistants.

Average Class Size: 16 students per class; 90% of all offerings have 25 or fewer students; 35% have fewer than 12 students. Elmira ranks in the Top Five colleges in the eleven Northern states for small class size.

Athletics: NCAA Division III in men's and women's intercollegiate sports. Member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association, and the Empire 8 Conference.

School Says - Student Body
Students are welcome to join one of more than 100 clubs or organizations any time during the academic year. During Summer Registration, new students can browse our Club and Organization Guide and sign up to receive more information from club officers. Two Activities Fairs, one during Fall Orientation and another in mid-September, offer the opportunity to meet current club members, ask questions, and see photos of past events and projects.

Some of our clubs and organizations include: Classics Society, French Club, Political Science Club, Silent Voices, Spanish Club, Circle K, Compeer, EC Ambassadors, Orientation Leaders, PAL _ Pupils Assisted in Learning, Red Cross Club, SCOPE, Work for a Cure, Christian Fellowship, Christian Fellowship, Hillel/Jewish Student Association, and the Ski Club.

National Honor Societies include: Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Eta Sigma, Phi Alpha Theta, Alpha Phi Sigma, Omicron Delta Kappa, Beta Beta Beta, Sigma Beta Delta, Lambda Iota Tau, National Residence Hall Honorary, Pi Sigma Alpha, Sigma Theta Tau, Lambda Alpha, Pi Gamma Mu, and Alpha Sigma Lambda.

Elmira is an NCAA Division III college, as well as a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association and the Empire 8 Conference. We field varsity teams in men's and women's basketball, cheerleading, field hockey, men's and women's golf, men's and women's ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis and women's volleyball. National rankings and post-season tournaments have become annual traditions for the Soaring Eagles.

Elmira College offers its students the chance to compete in collegiate athletics at many levels. The goal of the Junior Varsity and Intramural program is to offer students a chance to participate in athletics without the focus on skill level. Intramural sports range anywhere from flag football to ultimate frisbee. The success of our intramural program can be seen every Term III as our students softball teams compete daily.

School Says - Academics
With a faculty-student ratio of 12:1, you will have the chance to express your ideas in class. Debate the nature of the universe with fellow students and professors. And learn from each other: well over half our students are from beyond New York State, representing 35 states, six Canadian provinces and 31 foreign countries. You will end up discussing your future one-on-one with people, who are committed to your success.

The requirements for baccalaureate degrees granted by Elmira College have been established by members of the faculty so that each graduate receives a broad general education, explores different fields of knowledge, examines one or more of those fields intensively, and applies the knowledge acquired in the classroom to realistic and appropriate work experiences.

Special Academic Programs: Interested in becoming a doctor or lawyer? Elmira College offers a variety of academic programs that will prepare students for a range of career choices. Special Academic Programs include: Chemical Engineering, Army & Air Force ROTC, Pre-Law, Pre-Professional Programs, English as a Second Language, a 4+1 MBA Program, and Athletic Coaching Certificate.

Our Distinctive Academic Programs make the Elmira College experience unique. Required community service and internships allow students to grow and gain practical experience in a workplace dynamic. Encore, the College's performing arts appreciation requirement, and off-campus opportunities, such as, the Junior Year Abroad program and the United Nations Semester, expose students to a diversity of experiences not always found in a traditional classroom. The six-week Term III provides students with an exceptional opportunity to immerse themselves into one or two subjects intensely. Additionally (as you probably know by now), Elmira College is one of the best places in the world to study the work and life of Mark Twain.

School Says - Admissions
We offer two admissions plans for freshmen applicants. Early Decision and Regular Admission.

International students may apply only under the Regular Admission program.

Regular Admission
If you are applying to several colleges, here is what you do for Elmira College:
1. Submit a completed application to Elmira College. You can fill out an application online, or print an application that you can send in. We also accept the Common Application and Universal Application.
2. Have your counselor send your official transcript, including senior year courses and grades to date. Have your official SAT I or ACT scores sent to Elmira College.
3. Have at least one letter of recommendation sent to the college.
4. Write a great essay.
5. While not required, we strongly suggest you sit down with an Elmira College admissions counselor for an interview. You can schedule your interview by calling the Office of Admissions at 800-935-6472.

Early Decision
If Elmira College is your first choice college, Early Decision is the program for you. We'll make a decision on your application as soon as it is complete, but you do have to meet the deadlines. There are two Early Decision programs; the first deadline is November 15, and the second is January 15. We promise to notify you of our decision by December 15 for Early Decision I applicants and by January 31 for Early Decision II applicants.

School Says - Campus Life
Elmira, a city of 35,000, is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York. Nestled in the lush, rolling hills of the southern Finger Lakes region, Elmira is a thriving, forward-thinking American community, with fresh air and wide-open spaces in harmony with the modern amenities of a larger city. Nearby, you can attend superb, live entertainment; soar back into American aviation's lofty past; tour historic neighborhoods; investigate Mark Twain's imagination or visit the beautiful lakes that give this region its name.

Within a ten-block radius of the Elmira College campus, there are many restaurants, a performing arts center, a fine arts museum, and shopping. There are about 60 churches, serving most denominations, within walking distance of campus.

Elmira is the place that many scholars say Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) did his best work, penning the American literary classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and many other works in his study. In 1870, Clemens married Elmira College alumna Olivia Langdon of the Class of 1864. In 1983, the Langdon family gave the study and the historic Quarry Farm to Elmira College. Now Quarry Farm is used as a residence for visiting Twain scholars from all over the world. The Center for Mark Twain Studies at Quarry Farm offers year-round educational programs

School Says - Cost Aid
2008-2009 Full-time Student Charges

Dorm Students*
Tuition: $32,000
Room: $5,700
Board: $4,400
Student Activities Fee: $400
Technology Fee: $400
Health Center Fee: $400

* Elmira College is a residential campus. All Undergraduate students, except those who live with parents locally, are required to live on campus.

Town Students
Tuition: $32,000
Technology Fee: $150
Health Center Fee: $400
Student Activities Fee: $400
Special Events Fee: $250Elmira College Financial Aid is based on need and merit. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required and Financial Aid PROFILE is accepted. Grants and distinctive Honor Scholarships are awarded to students based on academic achievement, leadership activity, and financial need. Awards start at $6,000 per year and range up to full tuition for Valedictorians. Students may also be eligible for federal and state grants, loans, and work on campus.

- No student has ever paid the full cost of an Elmira College education since its founding in 1855.

- Elmira College awards more than $10 million each year in academic scholarships and awards.

-100% of students demonstrating need receive financial assistance.

- Elmira College administers more than $36 million each year in scholarships and awards, grants, loans and work study programs.

Students Say - Academics
Elmira College is all about school spirit, students agree, pointing to the ubiquitous octagons (the official school shape) and purple everything ("Our school color is everywhere: the rugs, the walkways, the soap in the bathrooms, the rock salt in winter...the punch for special occasions"). The ever-present school spirit is something a fact that many here find appealing, and a few feel is "a little ridiculous." Undoubtedly the school is best suited to those who long to immerse themselves in community-building traditions. It also helps if they enjoy co-curricular requirements like the Encore Program (students must attend eight performing arts productions each term during freshman and sophomore years) and community service (60 hours during freshman year). Other unique curricular features here include a required Saturday morning writing class for freshmen (generally resented, although some appreciate how it keeps freshmen from going home on weekends) and a six-week short term in April and May called Term III, it's "devoted to travel, field experience, research, independent study, and innovative courses." Students call it "the best thing ever." Elmira "is best known for its nursing and education programs." Business and the sciences are also popular.

Students Say - Campus Life
The city of Elmira "does not give too much to the students. Sure, there are places to eat, mini-malls, and bigger malls, but that can get old. How many times can a college student go out to eat? We're not made of money and can't afford that every week, never mind every night!" Worse still, some here feel the city is "sketchy and unsafe." Others counter "the idea that Elmira is 'sketchy' depends on where your hometown is "says one student." My hometown is a big city, so this area seems really tame to me." Fortunately, "Elmira College knows this" about its hometown and compensates. "Every weekend they set up some comedian or band to come and play." In addition, campus life provides "athletic events all week and movies every weekend, usually ones that were in theaters and are very popular! All in all, there's a lot to do for a small college." Although EC "does not have any fraternities or sororities, people still find lots of ways to get connected. Partying on weekends is common, but it's not rampant. You can choose not to take part in it and avoid it easily."

Students Say - Student Body
There are a lot more females than males at Elmira College, but students tell us "that is slowly changing" as the school pursues diversity more aggressively. Similarly, "the black community is on the rise" here although it still remains quite small. Minority representation arrives mostly in the form of "a rather large international student population." Elmira "loves collecting valedictorians and salutatorians, giving them huge financial aid so they can brag about the ridiculous percentages," thus many here were high achievers in high school. "About half of the population participates in sports of some kind at some level, be it varsity, junior varsity, or intramural." There is also "a large gay community" on campus, and students report the environment is "GLBT friendly."

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