Fast Facts

A national leader in the arts and sciences, New College specializes in student-centered learning through collaborative curriculum development and independent research. We have earned many accolades and distinctions, among them a place in Loren Pope’s book, Colleges That Change Lives, and a ranking among the top five public liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World Report for three consecutive years (2006, 2007, 2008), including No. 1 in 2007.

New College At-a-Glance

Based on 2007 Entering Class.

Degree awarded: Bachelor of Arts
Enrollment: 767 students
Student-faculty ratio: 10:1
Average class size: 18
Number of courses offered: 260
Number of U.S. states and D.C. represented: 38
Number of foreign countries represented: 21
In-state/out of state ratio: 76/24
Independent study projects completed annually: 934
Average high school GPA of incoming freshmen: 3.94
Average SAT score of incoming freshmen: 1321
Number of full-time faculty: 74
Percent of faculty with Ph.D or highest degree in field: 99%
Tuition costs: Florida resident $3,834; non-resident $21,687
Room & Board: $7,035
Percent of financial need met for all students: 97%
Accreditation: Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Institutional budget: $22.7 million

History and Character

A public, independent liberal arts college recognized nationally for academic excellence and value
Founded in 1960 as a private college; modeled after New College, Oxford (England)
Charter class enrolled in 1964 and graduated in 1967
Joined the State University System in 1975, as part of the University of South Florida, with which it shared its campus
Achieved independence as the 11th member of the State University System in 2001 and was designated by the Florida Legislature as the "Honors College for the State of Florida"
In 2006, relocation of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus to a new site gave expression to a bold new master plan, underwritten with $250,000 in state funds

Four Principles

Throughout the history of New College, four principles have defined the College's educational philosophy:

Each student is responsible in the last analysis for his or her own education.
The best education demands a joint search for learning by exciting teachers and able students.
Students’ progress should be based on demonstrated competence and real mastery rather than on the accumulation of credits and grades.
Students should have from the outset opportunities to explore areas of deep interest to them.

Faculty & Academics

New College’s unique academic program allows students the freedom to pursue their own special areas of academic interest. In addition to formalized classes, students meet individually with faculty mentors to develop seminars, tutorials, independent research and off-campus study experiences to further each student’s academic goals.

All classes are taught by faculty. New College emphasizes collaborative learning and faculty-guided student research. In addition to highly interactive classes and seminars, students work one-on-one with faculty or as part of small tutorial teams to design specialized research or study in their areas of academic interest.

Because New College believes that learning should be a highly personalized and individual experience, students receive detailed narrative evaluations rather than grades from their professors at the end of every course. Students also work one-on-one with faculty to research and write a senior thesis, the culmination of their academic program.

Honors

New College of Florida’s emphasis on student-centered learning produces some impressive results. Here are just a few honors and awards the College has received lately:
The nation’s #1 value in public higher education (Princeton Review, America’s 374 Best Colleges, 2006 edition);
The nation’s #1 ranked public liberal arts college (U.S. News & World Report, America’s Best Colleges, 2007 edition);
One of the nation’s 45 Best Buys in Higher Education (Fiske Guide to Colleges 2006);
The nation’s #3 ranked per capita producer of Fulbright Scholars among all four-year bachelor’s colleges (Chronicle of Higher Education, October 2005).

Location

Our 110-acre campus is located in northern Sarasota County, near the Sarasota International Airport. Our main Palmer campus lies along the Gulf of Mexico on the former estate of circus magnate Charles Ringling in Sarasota, Florida. Across the Tamiami Trail (US 41) and linked by overhead pedestrian bridge is the East Campus, hub of student and residential life. The Caples campus, home to the Caples Fine Arts Complex and Environmental studies, is located on Bay Shore Road just south of the Ringling Museum.

New College is located just one hour south of Tampa, and 10 minutes by bus or bicycle from downtown Sarasota, which Money magazine named one of the country’s “best places to live.” Cultural and recreational resources abound, including the Ringling Museum of Art, located next door to campus, and the white sand beaches of Siesta Key, named by the Travel Channel as one of the country’s premier beach destinations.

Campus Life

More than 50 ever-changing and evolving student groups and organizations on campus, with interests ranging from politics and religion to academics, sports, hobbies and food. Two current campus favorites are the Ben & Jerry’s Devotional Society and the Anarchy Death Sticks Club (knitting for charity)
No fraternities or sororities
Weekly student-run newspaper, The Catalyst, as well as a college-affiliated community radio station (WSLR)
Diverse guest lectures, theater and dance performances, art exhibitions, and musical events are regularly held on campus
The Four Winds Café and student “walls” (parties) offer informal opportunities for students to get together, dance, talk, and play music

New College of Florida