berea college is a fun yet challenging institution. it is generally hit or miss with professors as far as teaching ability is concerned. much of the progress attained by students depends on their personal drive and intellectual ambition.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
for those students who know what they intend to major in, take courses required for your major as soon as you come in, and not just general requirement courses. classes at berea are sometimes only offered every other semester or even every two years, so it is important to take classes at specific times in order to graduate on time. planning ahead is key. for students who don't know their intended major, berea does not allow students to declare a major until the end of sophomore year, so use your first year to get some general requirements out of the way and also to explore some fields of interest.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
we're not kidding when we say that this school is tough. it is. students must be enrolled full time and also maintain a labor position which requires at least ten hours of labor per week. most classes are at least an hour and a half long and require a great amount of out-of-class effort. however, the payoff is phenomenal, and it is to be expected that a tier one school such as berea should be academically rigorous.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
the dorms at berea are in need of some improvement, but my experience overall has been relatively positive. freshman year is pivotal and the most fun in terms of dorm life. as the years progress, however, dorm life begins to wear on students. off-campus housing options are available to seniors.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
the food at berea is pretty bad. we have a singular cafeteria and one cafe. both have limited hours and limited menus. there are many options in the cafeteria, but the quality is not the best. however, there are plenty of ways to be creative with the food in the cafeteria to create a relatively nice meal.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
berea is a wonderful town for students. there are many things to do within walking distance and the town is incredibly safe. we have local coffee shops, artisan centers, parks, contra dances, free movies, and a ton of on campus activities. the school is also only fifteen minutes away from richmond, ky, and berea provides a shuttle service for transportation to richmond once a week and to lexington every month. there are also many beautiful places for hiking and camping and beautiful places around town to find and enjoy. you simply have to look!
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
tuition at berea college is free. each student pays part of their room and board based upon their family's income and pays for their own books. tuition is around $25,000 a year, so each student is looking at upwards of a $100,000 scholarship. students are given free laptops when they enter the college which they may keep upon graduation from the school. also, berea has funds set aside for all students to have an opportunity to spend time studying abroad. many students from berea graduate completely debt free, which is something to be said in this day and age.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
the campus participates in a game called humans vs. zombies twice a year. it's like a very large game of tag using nerf guns and all the proceeds go to a charity for children.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
berea is a great place for a student who doesn't think that he or she will be able to go to college based upon monetary difficulties, who is academically savvy and looking for a challenge in the way of schooling. students looking for work experience whilst in college and a guaranteed job, who are interested in appalachia and who like are passionate about the environment would be a perfect match. this is a great school and it's a great place to be.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
you name it, we have it. and if we don't, you can start it. the campus is overwhelmingly student-led, which allows for many independent organization opportunities.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
there are no sororities or fraternities on campus. however, we have some lovely classes surrounding greek culture and the latin language!
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
berea is an incredibly safe town. it is rare to hear of any type of incident on campus. public safety also does an excellent job of ensuring student safety.
berea college is a fun yet challenging institution. it is generally hit or miss with professors as far as teaching ability is concerned. much of the progress attained by students depends on their personal drive and intellectual ambition.
for those students who know what they intend to major in, take courses required for your major as soon as you come in, and not just general requirement courses. classes at berea are sometimes only offered every other semester or even every two years, so it is important to take classes at specific times in order to graduate on time. planning ahead is key. for students who don't know their intended major, berea does not allow students to declare a major until the end of sophomore year, so use your first year to get some general requirements out of the way and also to explore some fields of interest.
we're not kidding when we say that this school is tough. it is. students must be enrolled full time and also maintain a labor position which requires at least ten hours of labor per week. most classes are at least an hour and a half long and require a great amount of out-of-class effort. however, the payoff is phenomenal, and it is to be expected that a tier one school such as berea should be academically rigorous.
the dorms at berea are in need of some improvement, but my experience overall has been relatively positive. freshman year is pivotal and the most fun in terms of dorm life. as the years progress, however, dorm life begins to wear on students. off-campus housing options are available to seniors.
the food at berea is pretty bad. we have a singular cafeteria and one cafe. both have limited hours and limited menus. there are many options in the cafeteria, but the quality is not the best. however, there are plenty of ways to be creative with the food in the cafeteria to create a relatively nice meal.
berea is a wonderful town for students. there are many things to do within walking distance and the town is incredibly safe. we have local coffee shops, artisan centers, parks, contra dances, free movies, and a ton of on campus activities. the school is also only fifteen minutes away from richmond, ky, and berea provides a shuttle service for transportation to richmond once a week and to lexington every month. there are also many beautiful places for hiking and camping and beautiful places around town to find and enjoy. you simply have to look!
tuition at berea college is free. each student pays part of their room and board based upon their family's income and pays for their own books. tuition is around $25,000 a year, so each student is looking at upwards of a $100,000 scholarship. students are given free laptops when they enter the college which they may keep upon graduation from the school. also, berea has funds set aside for all students to have an opportunity to spend time studying abroad. many students from berea graduate completely debt free, which is something to be said in this day and age.
the campus participates in a game called humans vs. zombies twice a year. it's like a very large game of tag using nerf guns and all the proceeds go to a charity for children.
berea is a great place for a student who doesn't think that he or she will be able to go to college based upon monetary difficulties, who is academically savvy and looking for a challenge in the way of schooling. students looking for work experience whilst in college and a guaranteed job, who are interested in appalachia and who like are passionate about the environment would be a perfect match. this is a great school and it's a great place to be.
you name it, we have it. and if we don't, you can start it. the campus is overwhelmingly student-led, which allows for many independent organization opportunities.
there are no sororities or fraternities on campus. however, we have some lovely classes surrounding greek culture and the latin language!
berea is an incredibly safe town. it is rare to hear of any type of incident on campus. public safety also does an excellent job of ensuring student safety.