ripon college intro viewbook
DESCRIPTION
An brief introduction to Ripon College for prospective students.TRANSCRIPT
Ripon
College prepares
students of
diverse inteRests
for lives
of productive,
socially responsible
Citizenship.
Our liberal arts
CuRRiCulum and
Residential
campus create an
intimate learning
Community
in which students
expeRienCe
a RiChly
peRsonalized
education.
Ripon College is counted among
the country’s best institutions for
undergraduate education. While the
methodology among ranking systems may
differ, Ripon consistently receives high
marks for its accomplishments.
Here are a few of the highlights for the 2011 ranking season:
n The Princeton Review included Ripon in its 2011
edition of “The Best 373 Colleges.” Only 15 percent
of American colleges and universities have this
distinction. The Princeton Review praises Ripon for
its friendly, welcoming atmosphere and intensive
preparation for graduate school.
n Ripon is a Tier 1 national liberal arts school according
to the U.S. News and World Report rankings. In
addition to the top tier ranking, Ripon also was
included on its “Great Schools, Great Prices” list.
n Washington Monthly ranked Ripon College
32nd in the nation for liberal arts colleges. Ripon
also received the highest ranking in the state of
Wisconsin. The methodology of Washington
Monthly rankings focuses on the school’s
contribution to the public good in three equally
weighted categories: Social Mobility, Research and
Service.
n Forbes magazine’s “America’s Best Colleges” ranked
Ripon in the top 200 schools nationwide. Forbes’ list
of public and private colleges and universities ranks
the best schools from the students’ point of view.
“I have made lifelong friends here.”
Ripon students come here to discover and nurture their passions while learning how to apply them to life. For a century and a half, Ripon graduates have demonstrated critical-thinking skills, an extraordinary facility with words, and a greater appreciation for diversity. They leave with vast knowledge of themselves and the world around them. But perhaps nothing is as meaningful as the lifelong friendships formed with fellow students, faculty and staff — ever-present companions on the Ripon journey.
Ripon students find that they do much more here than they would at larger schools. The only limits are the
number of hours in a day and the willingness to try new things. Varsity football players join the orchestra.
Radio show hosts captain an intramural inner-tube water polo team. Students find interests here that they never
imagined. The freedom to indulge diverse pursuits shapes who our students are, who they become and how they
pursue their dreams and goals.
“An education is something you can never lose … and that is something Ripon gave me. Ripon has allowed me to grow as a student and even further as an adult.”
Sam Sondalle chose Ripon College over offers from a host of national research institutions for the academic rigor
and the personal attention it offered, as well as the relationships he would be able to build with faculty members. He
did not know he was only scratching the surface of an experience that not only would educate him but prepare him
for life.
In his first year on campus, Sam began independent research with Professor Peggy Stevens on cardiac muscle. He
later developed a close relationship with Professor Mas Iimura, who nurtured his love for teaching and inspired him
to pursue a joint M.D./Ph.D. program instead of medical school alone. When he wasn’t in Farr Hall of Science,
Sam refined his organ-playing skills under the tutelage of Professor Sarah Kraaz. Despite his rural Wisconsin origins,
Sam’s life experience now includes playing an organ in Barcelona, Spain; summer research at the Harvard Stem Cell
Institute; big-city life on the East Coast; and earning a prized Goldwater Scholarship — one of the most prestigious
undergraduate scholarships a student can receive in the sciences.
Sam would be the first to tell you that he’s never looked back after choosing Ripon. He also would be the first to say
that he has been afforded and taken advantage of every academic opportunity he expected from college. What he
didn’t expect was the opportunity to become a lifelong learner. Rare is the high school senior who seeks this attribute
in a college, but rarer still is the Ripon graduate whose passion for learning doesn’t follow them all through their life.
“The respect that my fellow students have for me — for what I want to do — gives me the confidence to do more and to be more involved.”
Ripon students take pride in being good citizens —
locally and globally. Coming from all walks of life, they
quickly learn to embrace their differences and bring
a multitude of talents and convictions to our campus
community.
Opportunities to make an impact abound. On campus,
numerous student organizations, including Black
Student Union, The Network and the Cultural
Diversity Club, afford students of diverse backgrounds
the opportunity to socialize and work together.
Students also have a voice in the decision-making
process of the College through active roles in the
Student Senate and on standing committees of the
Board of Trustees. Involvement in the Office of
Community Engagement is popular among students
who like to volunteer. Students have gone as far as to
run for public office. They are involved and invested in
the Ripon community they come to call home.
Ripon College is committed to producing informed and
engaged global citizens. We are sharply focused on this
essential aspect of the college experience. Our students
are strongly encouraged to expand their comfort zone
and study overseas. Semester-long, off-campus programs
are available throughout the world. In addition, Ripon
offers three-week programs (Maymesters) that take
students to such places as Jamaica, China, Spain and
Peru. Immersion in a different culture is a powerful
and transformative experience, one that both enlivens
classroom discussion and forever changes how students
view their place in the world.
“I found my passion here.”
Our liberal arts approach allows
students to explore the curriculum and
branch out from the standard courses
taught in high school. With a focus on
communication, problem solving and
critical-thinking skills, students leave
Ripon prepared to succeed in today’s
economy regardless of their academic
major.
First Year Studies (FYS) help
introduce new students to the type
of teaching and academic rigor that
takes place at Ripon. Courses are
interdisciplinary, with exposure to
multiple faculty members — often
outside the student’s area of interest.
FYS students build relationships with
faculty and enjoy weekly speakers and
events outside of the classroom.
Senior seminar courses become a
culmination of the past four years of
work in a particular major. Required
for every major, “senior sem” allows for
students to do a semester-long research
project or internship that gives them
hands-on experience in their field and
becomes a true resumé builder.
“Ripon’s residential character preserves
what we are. It keeps us
more together.”
Our residence life philosophy follows the principle that just as much learning should
take place outside of the classroom as does inside. Ripon’s residential setting creates
the perfect environment for this to happen. Students don’t always realize it at the time,
but the social skills they develop living in a residence hall become an invaluable part
of their experience. While some students embrace weekends as a time to head home,
our students embrace weekends here because Ripon is home.
“The professors here care about what kind of person you are, not just about your grades.”
Ripon’s intimate setting doesn’t attract only
students — it’s the reason many talented faculty
members spend their entire careers here. They
exemplify the principle of lifelong learning and
instill this quality in their students. As such,
a place where they can develop relationships
and interact with students on a daily basis suits
them. They relish their students’ successes and
console them in their setbacks. Like students,
faculty do not come to Ripon to be reclusive
and mysterious, hiding behind closed doors.
They keep their office hours. They participate
in campus activities and groups. Because of
frequent student/faculty interaction outside the
classroom, it doesn’t take long for students to
discover that they have more in common with
faculty here than they could have imagined.
“Ripon, the Community, shaRes the same value set as the College – you Can’t help but
feel the fRiendliness when you step foot downtown.”
To join the College community is to join the greater
Ripon community. The unique quality of town-
gown relations in Ripon began in the mid-1800s and
continues to flourish. It is something we boast about
– not something we hide behind. Whether it’s students
grabbing a late-night coffee at Mugs during a study
break, alumni reminiscing over a Roadhouse pizza, or
community members singing with Choral Union, the
lines between the College and the community aren’t
blurred — they’ve never been drawn.
“I’m not a gut-feeling kind of person, but I had one when I visited campus – I felt like this place could be home.”
There is no way to know if a college is the right fit for you unless you
experience it for yourself. Pictures, brochures, e-mails and all of the other
ways colleges market themselves to prospective students can take you
only so far in your college search. The real personality of a campus can
be experienced only by meeting and talking to the people who give it its
pulse: students, faculty and staff.
We invite you to experience Ripon for yourself. Sit in on a class that
would never be taught at your high school and see how it differs. Chat
face-to-face with a faculty member who could be your advisor. Have lunch
in Pickard Commons with a student who has similar interests. Stroll
from Tri-Dorms to Todd Wehr Hall and feel what it might be like to be
a student here — these experiences will help make your college decision
much easier. We work hard to make Ripon feel like home for our students,
and we believe it could feel like home for you.
“The professors here are always willing to show you the deeper meaning of things, to take your learning a step beyond. I can go as far as I want here.”
Ripon believes in the education it
provides for its students and has
more than 150 years of outcomes to
back it up. A degree from Ripon is
an investment of a lifetime — one
that most students get only one shot
to make. Your college years are the
foundation to become the person
you wish to be. Although you can’t
put a price tag on the experiences
and opportunities Ripon has to offer,
our commitment to making a private
education affordable to all admissible
students, regardless of economic
background, has been part of who we
are since the College’s founding.
Where is Ripon?
“We take great pride in getting to know our students through the admission process and finding out if Ripon is the right fit for them. This is evidenced by our first- to second-year retention rates which consistently reach nearly 90 percent.”
The Senior Year Paper Trail September 15 Review of Applications Begins
Completed Applications Include:• High School Transcript• ACT or SAT Scores• School Counselor Recommendation • Personal Statement
October 1 Financial Aid Early Estimators Begin for Accepted Seniors
December 15Priority Application Deadline
• Application Fee Waiver Deadline• Priority Admission & Scholarship
Consideration Deadline
January 1Apply for Financial Aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov
Mid-FebruaryScholarship Priority Deadline
March 1Financial Aid Priority Deadline
May 1Priority Date for Enrollment Deposit
There is no typical Ripon student.
Everybody here has a story that
is uniquely theirs, and Ripon’s
admission counselors take great
pride in knowing them.
As you near the end of one wild
chapter, we’ll help you write the
next. Our highly experienced
and dedicated staff is here to help
remove some of the anxiety that
accompanies the college search
and replace it with the knowledge
of what to expect at Ripon. Our
expertise in the field of college
admission and financial aid is
second to none.
To find out more about your
specific counselor, go to www.
ripon.edu/admission/counselors.
We want to hear your story and
find out what your ideal college
looks like. Maybe it looks like
Ripon, maybe not, but until you
visit campus you’ll never know.
Character: Founded in 1851, Ripon College is a four-year, private, residential, liberal arts and sciences college; Phi Beta Kappa chapter
Location: Ripon, Wisconsin, a friendly, safe community of 7,500, 80 miles northwest of Milwaukee and 180 miles northwest of Chicago; the anti-slavery Republican Party held its first meeting in Ripon on March 20, 1854
Faculty: 97% of full-time faculty members hold a Ph.D. or equivalent highest degree in their fields
Students: 1,066 undergraduates from 33 states and 14 countries; 52% female, 48% male; 12% diversity
Academic Profile, Class of 2014:Mid-range SAT scores: 980-1270; Mid-range ACT score: 21-28; average GPA: 3.4
Student/Faculty Ratio: 15:1; average class size is 20; 67% of classes have fewer than 20
Post-Graduate Record: 96% of Ripon students are employed, student teaching or enrolled in graduate programs within six months of graduation
Campus: 26 buildings on 250 acres include academic, residential, cultural and recreational facilities
Residential Life: 92% of students live on campus; theme housing available; guaranteed student housing all four years
Student Life: More than 70 student clubs and organizations include College Days, the oldest continuously published student newspaper in Wisconsin
Red Hawks Intercollegiate Athletics: 23 NCAA Division III Midwest Conference teams: baseball (M), basketball (M+W), cycling (M+W), cross-country (M+W), dance (W), football (M), golf (M+W), softball (W), soccer (M+W), swimming and diving (M+W), tennis (M+W), indoor & outdoor track and field (M+W), volleyball (W); 35% of students participate
Recreation and Wellness: More than 80% of students participate in 14 intramural sports; 3.5 mile system of recreational trails on campus; aerobics, yoga, other personal fitness programs
Comprehensive Fee, 2010-11: $34,851 (includes tuition, room, board and required fees)
Financial Aid: More than 95% of students receive some form of financial aid; need-based and/or merit-based scholarships, grants, loans and work-study from federal, state and institutional sources; merit-based awards range from $1,000 to full tuition annually; average need-based aid package for an incoming student in 2010-11 was $28,384
Historically, Ripon College has been committed to the principles of equal rights and equal opportunities and adheres to nondiscriminatory policies in recruitment, enrollment and counseling students. Ripon provides equal enrollment and educational opportunities for all qualified students without regard to gender, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, age, national or ethnic origin or disability.
MAJORSAnthropologyArtArt HistoryBiologyBusiness ManagementChemistryChemistry-BiologyCommunicationComputer ScienceEconomicsEducational StudiesEnglishEnvironmental StudiesExercise Science
School-Based Physical Education
Community and Recreation Physical Education
Athletic TrainingSports Management
FrenchForeign LanguagesGermanGlobal StudiesHistoryLatin American Area StudiesMathematicsMusicPhilosophyPhysicsPolitics and GovernmentPsychobiologyPsychologyReligionSociologySpanishStudio ArtTheatre
UNIQUE MINORSClassical StudiesDramatic LiteratureEntrepreneurshipEnvironmental BiologyHealthHistoryLaw and SocietyLeadership StudiesMilitary LeadershipMuseum StudiesNational SecurityNonprofit ManagementPhysical ScienceTheatre ProductionWomen’s and Gender Studies
PRE-PROFESSIONALPROGRAMSChiropractic MedicineDentistryEngineeringForestryJournalismLaw and GovernmentLibrary and Information
ScienceMedical TechnologyMedicineMinistryNursing and Allied Health
SciencesOptometryPharmacyPhysical TherapyPhysician AssistantVeterinary Medicine
Office of Admission • 300 Seward St.Ripon, WI 54971-0248
1-800-947-4766 • [email protected] • www.ripon.edu