One of the many wonderful aspects about going away to college — particularly a residential campus, where you live, study and hang out with your fellow students — is the opportunity to get to know a diverse group of people.
When you lived at home, your choices weren’t necessarily your own to make. The people you saw at school every day likely had very similar lived experiences as your own. But college attracts different people than those in your hometown, who come to college for different reasons than you.
We’re proud to say that while Alma College has a distinct mission and identity, it offers something for every type of student. The students below were once in your shoes, considering their college choices, and ended up finding a perfect fit at Alma. As you consider what’s really important to you, read to see why Alma ended up being the choice for these students.
Vast array of performing arts
Tyler Hoag
Junior education major
Hometown: Owosso, Mich.
Alma has given me so many opportunities, but with music there are a few specific things that make all the difference. The first is the scholarship. I have a scholarship through the choir that has allowed me to keep pursuing my arts while still being a full-time student. This has also compounded with the fact that the choir and a capella groups are both overload-exempt classes, meaning I can take the classes I need to graduate on time, while still being able to pursue the arts.
Finally, I do not have to have anything related to the arts in my degree to be in the choir. I am an education major, focusing on history and social studies, but for all of my years at Alma I have been able to be a part of the choirs, regardless of my major. This is because the arts programs at Alma exist so that students have an opportunity to express themselves – it’s what makes Alma College so special.
An affordable education
Kara Sutherland
Senior psychology major
Hometown: Riverdale, Mich.
With any college search, the financial aspect was a big concern for me. After searching through numerous scholarships, I discovered the Alma Community Engagement (ACE) scholarship. This scholarship seemed to be a perfect fit for me. I had devoted a lot of time in high school to community service and this scholarship allowed me to attend my dream school, while also being able to continue serving the community that I grew up in.
When I compared Alma with different schools — though the sticker price looked different — Alma ended up being my number one choice in terms of affordability. The financial aid team here has been extremely helpful since I joined the college, answering my questions every step of the way. Getting an on-campus job has helped me make a little money on the side, too!
Opportunities to compete in athletics
Holly Hall
Sophomore business leadership and management major
Hometown: Armada, Mich.
In high school I was a year-round athlete — sideline cheerleading in the fall, competitive cheerleading in the winter, and tennis in the spring. The thought of having to make the choice to only pursue one sport or the other (or neither!) at the collegiate level was heartbreaking. As I looked into Alma more deeply, I found out I had opportunities to continue doing both.
Over the past two years I have been able to significantly improve my time-management skills and find what I truly enjoy doing, which is being involved with sports. I’ve grown as a student and an athlete, and I would not have had this opportunity to grow anywhere else other than Alma.
Easy transfer process
Josiah Murphy
Senior mathematics major
Hometown: Freeland, Mich.
I started my education at a large public university, and to be honest, I found myself a little lost in the shuffle. When you graduate from high school, the opportunity to go to a big-name school might sound appealing, but I came to realize that I wanted something smaller and more personal — somewhere I could pursue my major while also playing my sport, football.
I think I was lucky to find Alma College. The transfer process was really smooth. I didn’t lose any of the credits I had worked to accumulate at my previous institution and the residential aspect of the college is awesome — it’s easy to make friends here. I’m having a great time playing football and looking forward to graduating on time.
