Enrollment: 1872
Average ACT: 23
Most Popular Majors: Business Administration and Management, General,Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric,English/Language Arts Teacher Education,
Student Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 1
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $17,500.00

School Says - General Information
Aquinas College, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a Catholic, coeducational, liberal arts college with an enrollment of just over 2,500 students. The College enjoys all the advantages of its location in the second largest city in Michigan, and students seize the opportunities offered in one of the fastest growing cities in America. Internships abound, providing hands-on learning experiences for any major. Participating organizations range from Miramax Films for communication internships to Ernst and Young for accounting internships. At Aquinas we have laid the groundwork for the future. By pushing a few keys on a campus computer, you can open the doors to hundreds of libraries and databases all over the world without ever leaving campus. Our newest high-tech learning center is a model for classrooms of the future that provides network plug-ins every few feet. Our core curriculum was designed to give students the critical foundation needed to be successful in an ever-changing world. Faculty bring to the classroom portfolios of academic scholarship and real world experience. Of course, not all learning takes place in the classroom. Students travel overseas to countries such as France, Spain, Ireland, Japan, Germany,and Costa Rica. They are also involved in the many and varied service learning opportunities taking place in locations such as Oaxaca, Mexico; El Salvador; and Appalachia. Students at Aquinas believe in giving back to the community in which they live. Professors at Aquinas believe who you are is just as important as what you choose to do. Scholarship awards are available to students who not only excel academically but who also are leaders, volunteers, activists, and athletes. A private education can be more affordable than you think.

School Says - Student Body
Aquinas College encourages all students to participate in the more than 40 extracurricular organizations that are available, ranging from intramural teams and academic clubs to performing arts activities, student-run publications, and service groups. One such group of note is Insignis, in which students of exceptional academic record participate in social activities in the form of lectures, receptions, and cultural outings based on intellectual interests. The Student Senate is the governing body of the Aquinas students, which votes on issues that are brought before the College's Academic Assembly. The Senate brings many academic, social, recreational, and cultural activities to campus. An on-campus coffeehouse, the "Moose," offers select coffees, a juice bar, and light snacks. Students and faculty congregate in the Moose to relax or carry on discussions that have continued long after class has ended. Weekly, students are treated to live entertainment on campus ranging from eclectic acoustic performers to comedians. A spring theatre festival is also a popular event. Five time all sports trophy recipients in the Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference, Aquinas fields athletic competition for students interested in Baseball, men and womenÂ's basketball, cheerleading, men and womenÂ's cross country, men and womenÂ's golf, men and womenÂ's track, men and womenÂ's soccer, softball, man and womenÂ's tennis, and volleyball.

School Says - Academics
The academic program at Aquinas College follows a unique structure outside of the major/minor course study. This structure maintains certain requirements for each of the four years. Each course exposes students to a broad philosophical theory meant to provide all graduates with an understanding of the human condition. Our core curriculum and liberal arts distribution plan ensure academic competencies that are critical to our ever-changing world. Freshmen are required to take an integrated skills course called Inquiry and Expression. The thematic content of this course is American Pluralism: The Individual in a Diverse America. This semester-long course emphasizes writing and reading critically, oral communication skills, critical thinking, library/electronic research methods, computer utilization, and basic quantitative reasoning. Sophomores take a year-long Humanities course. The junior-year requirement consists of completing the three-hour course Religious Dimensions of Human Existence, with a choice of emphasis in Scripture, Catholic/Christian Thought, or Contemporary Religious Experience. All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language through the "102" level. The general education plan covers Business/Economics, Psychology/Sociology, Communication/Political Science/Geography, Natural World, Artistic and Creative Studies, Mathematics, Technology, History and Philosophy> During the freshman year students begin a career/professional development component, which lasts throughout the four years. Topics include assessment of students' strengths, skills, and interests; development of goals and a learning plan and setting a direction; focus on individual wellness, personal finances, and leadership/team skills; awareness of careers, professions, and graduate study; information on making and maintaining a professional portfolio and resume; participating in a professional/career mentor program; career fairs and networking; and experiential learning (choices include co-op, internship, service learning, service trips, and study abroad). The College follows a two-semester calendar with a summer session. Aquinas also accepts credit through CLEP and Advanced Placement.

School Says - Admissions
The Aquinas College admissions committee admits students on the basis of several factors, including the following: academic preparation,scholarship, character, high school transcript, SAT or ACT score, curriculum, and extracurricular activities. Transfer students must have a minimum 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Each application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis so that all factors can be considered in the final decision. Applicants must remit a $25 application fee. Letters of recommendation are encouraged but not required. Freshman and transfer students are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications submitted via the Internet do not require an application fee. Submit at www.aquinas.edu.

School Says - Campus Life
Aquinas College's campus buildings run the gamut from early-nineteenth-century structures to more modern facilities, but all intermingle nicely to create a charming atmosphere that some call the most beautiful small school in the state. The 107-acre campus is peppered with inviting natural beauties: small ponds, full-grown trees, winding wooded paths, and bubbling creeks. This peaceful campus is set on the edge of Grand Rapids, western Michigan's center of economic, educational, and cultural life and growth. This is a big city with a small-town feel that has amenities to fulfill anyone's interests, including restaurants, entertainment venues, recreational access, and sports stadiums. Other popular points of interest include festivals, special events, and arts attractions. With nearly half a million residents, Grand Rapids is Michigan's second largest city and just a three-hour drive from the state's largest city of Detroit and the Midwest's biggest city, Chicago.

School Says - Cost Aid
The 2003 2004 tuition is $16,400; room and board is $5,494. Other expenses, including books, travel, and personal supplies, average $2,000.Aquinas College awards both merit-based and traditional need-based financial assistance to qualified students who complete the FAFSA. More than 90 percent of entering freshmen receive some form of financial assistance. The College administers the traditional grant and loan programs, including Federal Stafford Student Loans and Federal PLUS Loans. As recognition for achievement in academics, leadership, and service, some students are awarded the Spectrum Scholarship. Students who display outstanding athletic ability are eligible for athletic grants. The College participates in the Facts Payment Plan, which allows students to pay College tuition and fees over a period of time. Part-time employment is available to all students.

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