Allegheny College Top Questions

While the school may be quite a drive from Pittsburgh it still has a Pittsburgh feeling to it due to the fact a large portion of the school is from the area. There is a growing number of students who originate from outside Pittsburgh and even the state of Pennsylvania. The campus promotes students to be involved on and off campus and gives students plenty of opportunities to do so. The classes are difficult but not impossible but the course work is intense (not to say that students do not have fun at Allegheny). "Work hard, play hard" is a part of the Allegheny culture and many students learn not to get the two confused. There are only two places to eat on campus but students tend to go to local restaurants to supplement the lack of places to eat on campus. The best part about Allegheny College is they prepare their students for the real world. From freshman seminars to a senior project, students at Allegheny learn how to speak in public and even write dissertations. This small school may not be for some but others will find it a perfect fit.

I would have to say what I really love about Allegheny are the professors. It's amazing to see how excited they get while teaching you something they love. They are also willing to help you with work whenever you need it and are willing to explain material in a variety of ways. If I could change one thing about the campus, I would change the weather. It rains quite a bit here. The school is a smaller school (2,100) but I feel it's just right. You get to know people really well. Anytime I tell people I go to Allegheny I always get positive responses. I spend most of my time on campus in the campus center. It's a building that contains the schools auditorium, music hall, art hall, food court, post office, coffee shop, book store, and student activities offices. It's a great place to hang out. There's always something going on in there. The town itself is pretty small. There's no problem getting to a Walmart or local store to get anything you need. Plus there are many local dining choices along with your common chain restaurants. We're in the same county that holds the largest agricultural fair in Pennsylvania every year so if you ever want to have fresh grown vegetables or homemade jam and peanut butter then you're in luck. Additionally, the maple syrup made in this area is to die for. i love the faculty here. Everyone always tries to make life easier for you so that you can concentrate on on what really matters and not have to be stressed about everything going on thoughout the campus behind the scenes. Often times the administrators have more school spirit than the students. I can't really recall any huge controversies but I think at one point this semester someone wrote something innappropriate on one of the campus building in chalk. There is a lot of school pride. Everyone here is really glad to be a part of the school. Everything about this school is unusual. If you wanted you could even design your own major. Additionally we are an extremely "green" campus. We really focus on recycling and saving evergy. I will never forget my performance of the Putnam County Spelling Bee! The theatre department even made a four foot by six foot head shot of me and hung it up in the window of the theatre building. Students often complain about the weather and the cost of tuition. I'm from the area so I'm use to the weather and the cost isn't always that much. Allegheny really helps students in need. My tuition was initially around a little less than 50,000 and I'm only paying about 4,000 for this year (that's with loans)! However that does includ all of the scholarships I earned on my own as well. My point is though, if you work hard you can come here and not go completely broke.

Allegheny College's mission to promote an engaging atmosphere of discussion is reflected in its policies, faculty, and offerings. While Allegheny students are provided guidance in order to develop, the institution values the autonomy of its students to understand their expectations for their education and to pursue those expectations. The process of the anticipated Senior Project largely reflects this practice. While students are provided with the college's structure and faculty guidance to assist in completing this graduation requirement, both respect the ideas and potential of the student to produce meaningful academic work.

This is a community. It's a small school and you are going to at least recognize most people on campus by your second semester here. It is really easy to get involved, there is a lot of support for new groups and organizations. President Mullen makes it a point to be involved in student life, he often walks around campus to chat with students in warm weather. The education here is unparalleled, in all my years here I have only ever had one professor who didn't live up to the Allegheny standards and the issue was resolved as soon as I took it to the chair of the department. The most often heard complaints are the food (which is decent but not gourmet by any standard) and the housing situations; while the new dorms are really nice there are still not enough rooms to house all the students with a new four year residency plan on the horizon. I would not suggest coming here if you want the big university vibe, because that is not what you will get here. The upside is professors who know you by name and take a personal interest in you as a student and a person.

The size of Allegheny College is perfect. I don't feel that the school is limiting because of its size. The fact that we only have undergraduates makes it easy to get involved in so many great opportunities and small class sizes makes it so easy to get to know your professors. I like that our school is connected to the Meadville community and I still think the small town provides students with great volunteer opportunities as well as jobs an internships.

I came to Allegheny because when I could see myself living there for the next four years. Allegheny College is a small college, its possible to walk around the entire edge of campus in a half hour at a nice leisurely. It many be small, but campus never feels claustrophobic. It is filled with trees, lawns, and beautiful brick walks. It also means that if you wake up ten minutes before class, you can still make it on time. The professors and administrators are really nice and most of them live near campus so you see them around town and about campus. The teacher band Credit/No Credit rocks out occasionally at Grounds for Change (campus coffee shop). Meadville is not your typical college town, but it has a cheap movie theater with special deals, plenty of thrift stores, and a lot of great shops and restaurants like @ The Bank, Tattered Corners, the Market House, Creative Crust, and Mickeys. There is a good relationship between the college and the town, which was important to me when looking at schools. Overall, I love Allegheny, because it is as much a college as it is a community.

The best thing about Allegheny for me has been the activities I have been involved in and the friends I have met here. Also, the professors are amazing- they are all very kind and really want to teach and be there for their students- some even give out their home phone numbers! For me, Allegheny is the right size because you can be anonymous, but you are never just a number to professors of the administration. Most people in PA know about Allegheny, but few people outside PA have heard of it unless they are Alum. I spend a lot of time in academic buildings- doing homework or studying! The buildings and campus in general is pretty well maintained. Meadville is nice, but it is a small town- no mall, no starbucks- but we do have a lot of great family owned places! The administration has angered me some during my time because of some small instances and their lack of response to things, but I suppose they do their best. Our president is a great guy though- very friendly! Allegheny has been great and I will miss it immensely when I leave, but it does have its down sides- only as you spend more time here do those become apparent.

I am absolutely in love with Allegheny. I don't know if it is the beautiful campus, the community setting, the student-professor relationships, or the knowledge that it was this school that taught me that any combination of my passions can be combined to make my dream job a reality. Allegheny's campus is small, but not too small. In my four years at Allegheny I have met a lot of wonderful people; there is always a warm, familiar face to greet you as you walk to class. Thankfully, there is also always someone new to meet, including professors. The professors at Allegheny not just educators- they are mentors and friends. Forming professional relationships where I am challenged intellectually and personally with my professors has helped to complete the sense of community I feel at Allegheny. This makes all the difference.