College of the Month
COLLEGE of WOOSTER
Location: Wooster, Ohio, a community of 27,000, approximately 55 miles southwest of Cleveland
Established: December 18, 1866
Mascot: ‘Fighting Scots’
After our visit to The College of Wooster, we were very excited to share this brilliant establishment with our students. The College of Wooster-COW is known for its undergraduate research and strong liberal arts based academics. Just as important, the beautiful campus is filled with diverse and curious students. The College of Wooster is a significant option for students looking for a place to nurture their talents and help develop their independence. Be sure to learn more about The College of Wooster as you begin your college search: http://www.wooster.edu, Cheers! Renée and Mary
FUN FACTS
The College of Wooster’s initials are: COW
Every year since 2002, U.S. News & World Report has asked college presidents and deans which colleges provide the best undergraduate research opportunities and senior capstone experiences. Only two have made both lists every year: Wooster and Princeton.
Money magazine has named Wooster one of the best places to live in the U.S., “with a thriving culture and diverse economic opportunities.”
COW has an inn on campus with a golf course, so students get to golf for free.
It also is one of the only colleges in the USA that offers Footgolf: (Footgolf is a precision sport in which players kick a soccer ball into a cup in as few shots as possible.)
COW beat Ohio State University in football in1890.
Wooster holds the national record attendance at a homecoming game for the sport of cricket.
Students receive Tootsie Rolls for turning in their senior year Independent Study. Some students dip the Tootsie Roll in gold to keep it forever. (The COW Independent Study is the culmination of a four-year journey to intellectual independence: a yearlong project.)
The Wooster Band’s uniforms are kilts.
INTERESTING INFORMATION
“Wooster offers an excellent, comprehensive liberal arts education, culminating in a rigorous senior project, in which each student works one-on-one with a faculty mentor to conceive, organize and complete a significant research project on a topic of the student's own choosing.”
95% of Wooster graduates are employed within 6 months.
94% of Wooster graduates are accepted in their top choice graduate school.
HIGHLIGHTED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Wooster is America’s premier college for mentored undergraduate research.
Students can take advantage of opportunities to work with faculty on research projects as early as the second semester of his/her first year.
Each Wooster senior works one-on-one with a faculty mentor to conceive, organize, and complete a significant piece of original research, scholarship, or creative expression.
COW offers performing arts scholarships, but students don't have to major or minor in it.
The Student Investment Club works with four million dollars of college endowment and the Return on Investments goes back into the college’s scholarships.
There are many summer research opportunities.
Wooster has an Entrepreneurship Center.
CAMPUS FACTS
Student-faculty ratio: 11 to 1.
Average class size is 18.
Total enrollment (2017): 2,000.
The make up of the student body is 54% women, 46% men, 20% U.S. students of color and 13% international.
Student population: 37% Ohio residents, 63% non-Ohio residents.
The students hail from 43 states and 54 countries.
Students living on-campus: 99%.
The downtown is walking distance from campus and it is diversified with a chockfull of great restaurants, shops, and national chains like Starbucks, Panera, Chipotle, and Kohl’s, and easy access to outdoor recreation opportunities.
There are two major hospitals near campus.
Smuckers and Rubbermaid are two major companies located in and around town.
There are eight bowling alleys and a pool table room located on campus.
Athletics: 23 intercollegiate teams (NCAA Division III)
ADMISSIONS FACTS
Median GPA 3.66
Median SAT Verbal-610
Median SAT Math-605
Median SAT Writing-605
Median ACT Composite-27.5
Application is located on Common App.
Early Decision I & II: November 1 & January 15
Early Action: November 15
Regular Decision: February 15
· CONVERSATION WITH THE COLLEGE OF WOOSTER
1. What is unique about the College of Wooster that College Quest Advising should share with its students?
Every Wooster senior works one-on-one with a faculty member to conceive, organize, and create a piece of original research, scholarship, or creative expression. This mentored research project, recognized as an Independent Study, gives prospective employers tangible evidence of our students’ independent judgment, analytical ability, creativity, project-management and time-management skills, and strong written and oral communication skills.
Each year since 2002, U.S. News has asked college presidents and deans which colleges provide the best undergraduate research opportunities and senior capstone programs. Only two have made both lists every year: Wooster and Princeton University.
2. What characteristics differentiate an applicant who is a good fit for the College of Wooster?
Wooster is looking for students who are ready to challenge themselves with a broad and open-ended approach to learning. We also find that students who have a variety of interests are successful here. About a third of our students play a varsity sport, a third are involved in music, and a fourth participate in theatre and dance (and many of those populations overlap!). We are always excited when students bring their passion, hobbies, and interests to campus. Some new groups on campus in the past few years are Women’s Rugby, First Generation Students, Woobotics (a non-traditional robotics club), and Greenhouse (a student environmental organization that sets up Free Store Supply Swaps).
Our Admission Committee recognizes that high school is a time for discovery and growth. We also know that high school graduation is not the end of a student’s development. So, Wooster seeks students who have continuously challenged themselves (course rigor is very important in our application assessment) and who demonstrate an upward trajectory of rigor and academic growth. We are most excited about students who wish to immerse themselves in a diverse, global community of learners who are not afraid to take some academic risks along the way.
3. Do you have helpful suggestions for students who are applying to the College of Wooster?
Our staff is eager to connect with students who are applying for admission. Of course, we would enjoy hosting you during a campus visit experience (and highly recommend this), but if that’s not possible, we encourage you to reach out to an admissions representative via phone, Skype or email (we may also be traveling in your hometown area). The more context we have about your experience, interests and abilities, the more effective our holistic review will be of the application.
And, have fun with the college application essay! Yes – our staff is interested in assessing writing skills, but, most importantly, we enjoy a good story. Take advantage of this opportunity to share a story or perspective that illustrates your individualism.
