Let me open with some real talk: COA is not for everyone and it shouldn't be. If you are considering it, let me be frank in sharing that the on-campus dorms (where I stayed last week) have composting toilets. This speaks to COA's commitment to sustainability and emphasis on environmental responsibility, but if that sort of thing doesn't ring your bell it should be your first clue that you should explore other schools. (Full disclosure, the toilets actually weren't so bad, just a relevant detail I think prospective students might care about.)
Toilets didn't scare you away? You kept reading! Great, let me share more about this fascinating little gem. COA is a tiny school (under 400 students!) where only one degree is awarded -- a Bachelor's in Human Ecology. Human Ecology, here, is left open to interpretation but the loose idea is that students are tasked with exploring how humans interact with their environment through interdisciplinary courses. Some students concentrate their studies on food systems and sustainable agriculture, others connect music and philosophy, another might eventually pursue Veterinary school after exploring literature and chemistry. Like any liberal arts curriculum, the idea here is that asking deep questions and learning across academic subjects produces intellectually nimble young adults ready to work in a variety of fields. While there are not rigid guideposts providing students ready-made pathways to a degree, there is an expectation that students will have a passion for learning and that passion will grow during their time as a student at COA.
We had the opportunity to visit the college's two working farms (one for animals and one for produce), both of which provide food served in the dining halls. We met with students and professors, all of whom I experienced to be grounded and earnest in their love of learning.
Most impressive, from a college counseling prospective, has to do with COA's age and size in comparison to their endowment. They graduated their first class in the early 1970s and have managed to amass an endowment that lands them in the top 100 in the nation (per student). (Note - this is not to imply that this school is pretentious, snobby, or elite by any stretch. If anything, their frugality and practicality is what keeps their finances as strong as they are). This translates into the ability to meet about 98% of demonstrated need for incoming students, a rarity at a school that is not hyper selective in terms of acceptance rate. Of note, they do not require the CSS Profile (using a home grown institutional form instead) and do offer merit aid up to 50% of the cost of attendance.
Plumbing quirks aside, this school is not the right fit for all students. Bar Harbor is gorgeous in the summer, but know that winters in vacation towns in Maine can be challenging to deal with (due to both the shortened daylight and reduced number of residents). COA copes with that partially by running a trimester system with no classes held between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Be aware that this is also not a party school. When asked about the social scene on campus, the most popular activity was reported to not be parties but potlucks (driven by the fact that the dining hall is not open on weekends and all dorms have full kitchens). With Acadia National Park located nearby, there is also a thriving outdoor adventure scene to be had all year round - with access to great hiking, cross country skiing, and camping. The best candidates are curious thinkers who are ambitious active learners. They do not have any sports teams, but are certainly far from being categorized as a sedentary campus.
One of the other counselors here made note of the intentional nature of this school. Every campus decision occurs through community wide discussion and input. They intuitively care about every detail and are careful not to waste resources. Thank you so much to the College of the Atlantic for their generosity in sharing their campus with me. What a wonderful school to be able to add to the right student's list!
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