For students seeking a laid-back and friendly, but intellectually challenging and content rich college experience, Elmira College (EC) is the school they are looking for. Located in a small city in the south central area of New York State, this college has a tradition of scholarship and egalitarianism that will be attractive to many students seeking a quality small private college to attend.
The school was founded in 1855 and was the first college in the U.S. to offer bachelor
| Overall Score (about) | 86.8 |
| Total Cost On-Campus Attendance | $55,050 |
| Admission Success rate | N/A |
| SAT 75%ile scores | 1150 |
| Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty | 11 : 1 |
| Retention (full-time / part-time) | 78% / N/A |
| Enrollment Total (all students) | 892 |
Application deadlines are in November for early decision and in March for regular admission. There is no transfer application deadline, and applications are reviewed as slots become open.
About 80 percent of students who apply to the college are accepted by admissions officials.
Elmira is selective regarding admission. The average high school GPA of a new students is around 3.35, the average SAT ranges around 1010 to 1130.
Prospective students are highly encouraged to set up a visit to the school before applying. Overnight visits can be arranged through the university’s admissions office.
The university does charge an application fee.
This school has a small, close-knit student body of less than 1,500 students. The rural setting, emphasis on tradition and small size predictably makes EC a fairly conservative school. The student population is essentially a go-along to get-along crowd and many form lifelong friendships there.
Most students are residents of New York state or come from other northeastern states. More than 70 percent of students are female, perhaps a lingering tradition of the school
This college is an NCAA Division III college and is part of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, as well as the Empire 8 Conference and United Volleyball Conference.
EC has teams in men’s and women’s basketball, cheerleading, field hockey, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s volleyball. Junior varsity teams are offered in 10 sports to widen athletic opportunities for students.
The teams make a good showing in national championships. The college’s women’s ice hockey is very popular and well-respected and recently made an appearance in the NCAA semi-finals. In 2007, the women’s cheerleading team won a national championship. The men’s soccer team recently competed in Empire 8 playoffs.
These teams are nicknamed the Soaring Eagles and the school’s colors are purple and gold.
Being more than 150 years old, this college has a solid sense of its identity and traditions. The school has a connection to famed American author Mark Twain. Twain had a farmhouse near the college (now owned by the school) where he worked on many projects, including A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
College tradition is drummed into students heads from the moment they set foot on campus. Students are expected to memorize and sing the school’s alma mater song at athletic and other events.
One quirky tradition is that its president swims across the college’s pond each year for the college’s “You Gotta Regatta” race.
As mentioned before, the college has a very strong tradition of public service, and many students participate in community outreach and other programs that go above and beyond what the college requires.
For an annual Mountain Day event, a fire truck picks up students and takes them to the college president’s home, where they serenade the residence with traditional Elmira songs until the president agrees to cancel classes and allows a free day for volleyball and picnics on the school lawns.
It has been claimed that EC was a stop along the route of the Underground Railroad, a route that escaped slaves took to freedom prior to the U.S. Civil War. Some believe that the basement of Cowles Hall was a safe house for runaway slaves. W. Charles Barber, who wrote a history of the school, has debunked this theory.
It’s also widely claimed that the college’s Tompkins Hall is haunted. Students and faculty have often claimed to hear someone falling down the stairs.
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