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Colby College
Waterville, ME
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is one of the oldest colleges in the United States and is internationally recognized for its excellence in academics. With a strong emphasis on intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, Colby offers its students a vibrant and rigorous educational experience that prepares them for successful careers and active citizenship.
At Colby College, students have access to a wide range of academic programs across various disciplines. The college offers majors in more than 58 fields of study, including humanities, sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary programs. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, Colby ensures that students receive individual attention and have ample opportunities for research, mentorship, and intellectual exploration.
Colby College's picturesque 714-acre campus provides a beautiful environment for learning and personal growth. The campus features state-of-the-art facilities, including modern science laboratories, prestigious art galleries, a performing arts center, and a renowned museum that houses an extensive collection of American art. The college also offers numerous extracurricular activities, including over 150 student organizations, varsity and club sports, and a strong commitment to community service, making for a vibrant and diverse student life experience.
Located in Waterville, ME, Colby College is a private four-year college. This educational institution operates on a 4-1-4 calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 6%. The freshman retention rate at Colby College is 90% and the six-year graduation rate is 90%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is January 1. For transfer students, the application deadline is April 1.
Read more about what you can expect if you get into Colby College.
Quick Facts
2,282
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
6%
Acceptance Rate
$66,660
Tuition
10:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
90%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
Discovering as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission increases your chances of getting admitted. How difficult is it to get admitted to Colby College and what are the admission requirements?
According to the most recent data, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,215 in 2024. Colby College has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the student. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is one of the most difficult schools to get into. This renowned institution with a rich history offers an unmatched learning experience to its students.
Test Scores
36% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 18% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 90.91% of the enrolled students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 9% between 1,200 and 1,399 and 1.05% between 1,000 and 1,199. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 96.86 and 3.14 between 24-29.
The new students had an average SAT Critical Reading score of 720 and an average SAT Math score of 745.
Deadlines
The cutoff date for submitting applications to Colby College is January 1. For transfer students, note that the application deadline is April 1.
6%
Acceptance Rate
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. When you create your list of possible schools to attend, don't forget to consider the freshmen retention rate.
As reported in 2024, the freshman retention rate for Colby College was 90%, which is an excellent retention rate only the most prestigious institutions have.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. The six-year graduation rate at this school is 90%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
Student Body
It is never easy to figure out which school is the best fit for you. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by finding out more about the student body.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Colby College in 2024 was 2,282.
That year, the school had an out-of-state student body percentage of 93. There was a total of 2,282 students working towards bachelor's degrees, including 252 international students. 11 students enrolled as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 1,115 male and 1,167 female full-time students in 2024.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
In 2024, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 245, and the number of Black American students was 124. 189 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 163 identified with more than one race. The school also had 2 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 2 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 83 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before submitting an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into account. Here are some details you should know about the expenses at Colby College that the majority of students face.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition fees for this university.
Tuition in 2024 was $66,660 for full-time domestic students. Since this is a private institution, there is no difference in tuition for out-of-state or international students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students reached $2,940 in 2024.
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to consider the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. The estimated expense of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is $850.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What do colleges and universities typically charge for room and board?
In 2024, room and board cost at Colby College amounted to $17,890 a year. If you only needed a dorm room, it cost $9,270 for the 2024 academic year.
Tuition | $ 66,660 |
Room and Board | $ 17,890 |
Book and Supplies | $ 850 |
Total Expense | $ 85,400 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial aid: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Colby College, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 273 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $69,458 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
959 students received some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Colby College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 960. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution reached $2,582,137, and state $134,596. The students of Colby College received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $61,721,520, and external in the amount of $403,599.
$474
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $14,700. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $37,000 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
10:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
In 2024, this ratio at Colby College was 10:1. That means that there were 10 times more students than teachers at this school. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 238. This number included 103 male and 135 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Colby College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Colby College: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about campus life at Colby College.
Its campus is 714 acres in size.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
This school has 125 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The most popular student organization is Colby Dancers, followed by International Club and Student Government Association. Other popular organizations at Colby College are Student Programming Board and Colby Outing Club.
There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. Interested in media and communication? Colby College publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Colby College, there are many amenities that make life on campus comfortable and safe.
There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. The school has electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Women's Center are available to the students of Colby College.
All in all, campus life at Colby College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Colby College.
Career Counselling
At Colby College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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Colby College is located in Waterville, ME.
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Colby College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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According to the latest information, the tuition for Colby College is 66,660 USD a year.
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This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for Colby College is 6%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Colby College is 90%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.