Alma College vs Sweet Briar College

Alma College and Sweet Briar College, both esteemed liberal arts institutions, offer distinct educational experiences. Alma, nestled in the heart of Michigan, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Sweet Briar, located in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, stands out with its smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. While Alma excels in the sciences and business, Sweet Briar shines in the humanities and social sciences. Both colleges boast impressive graduation rates, ensuring that students are well-prepared for their future endeavors. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these exceptional institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Alma College	Sweet Briar College
Overview
Location	Alma, Michigan	Sweet Briar, Virginia
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	79.0%	71.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian

Admission
Acceptance rate	68.8%	80.0%
Application fees		$40
SAT range	N/A	1020 - 1260
ACT range	N/A	23 - 27
Students submitting SAT score		18.0%
Students submitting ACT score		14.0%
Total number of applicants	2,908	1,192
Total number of admissions given out	2,000	954
Admitted students who chose to enroll	319	177
Yield rate	16.0%	18.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$54,879	$34,330
Average net price	$24,302	$22,711
Tuition	$43,602	$22,120
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,682 Meal plan: $5,456	$13,880
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $33,081	93.0% Average amount $17,220
Students receiving federal student loan	64.0% Average amount $5,671	44.0% Average amount $4,949
Students taking out private loans	17.0% Average amount $13,784	2.0% Average amount $6,248

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,340 Men 42.4% Women 57.6%	452 Men 0.0% Women 100.0%
Graduate students	13 Men 30.8% Women 69.2%	2 Men 0.0% Women 100.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	9.5%	N/A
International students	2.9%	5.7%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,304	561
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Michigan Illinois Ohio Texas Indiana	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Communication and Journalism	Business Psychology Education Engineering Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	62.8%	41.7%
Dropout rate	37.2%	16.7%
Transferred out	N/A	41.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,983 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $46,056 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,213 Year 2: $37,748 Year 3: $36,758 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,979 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,178 Year 2: $25,596 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,074 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,027 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: N/A Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,918 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,158 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,171 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,189 Year 3: $44,499 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,212 Year 3: N/A

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Alma College vs Sweet Briar College

Alma College

Sweet Briar College

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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