New College of Florida in Newsweek’s Top 10 Free-Spirited Colleges

September 8, 2011 — Newsweek ranked New College of Florida the eighth most Free-Spirited college in “The Best Colleges for You,” the magazine’s annual rankings guide online and in the Sept. 5, 2011, issue. Newsweek compiled the list of Free-Spirited colleges based on how much students can design their own majors, the use of written evaluations over letter grades and a student’s personal learning experience as measured by the total enrollment and student to faculty ratio.

New College of Florida’s student/faculty ratio of 10 to 1 fosters a personal learning environment that allows students to work collaboratively with faculty mentors on coursework, research and independent study projects. New College professors provide written evaluations rather than grades, which encourages critical thinking, innovation and creativity, and the effective development of students’ oral and written communication skills.

New College was also listed fifth for Cheapest colleges, a list that includes schools with relatively low tuition and a majority of students receiving financial aid. In the 2010-11 academic year, 94 percent of New College students received financial aid and/or scholarships. The average scholarship or grant award was $10,142 for all students receiving need-based financial aid.

For more information, contact the Office of Public Affairs at 941-487-4153 or [email protected].