Relatie from Out of Town Looking for College: Opinion of Belmont Abbey? (Charlotte: school)

[taben]

My neice and her family are looking at colleges this year. My neice is in 11th grade. They have ruled out UNCC and Johsonson S. Smith. They want a small school with an arts program. They are looking at Queens and Belmont Abbey. My neice is an average to below average student. I suspect that her SAT scores will not be stellar.

She can DO the work to an average level, but is not motivated. Her parents are college driven and I think will force her to go to a 4 year residential college. They are looking in their area up north and in our area, Charlotte. She will not need financial aid.

What are your thoughts of Belmont Abbey, academically?

[DuncanMcShane]

Belmont Abbey is really on the rise. About 4 years ago they hired a new president who has been very aggressive. They have grown from about 800 students to about 1300 this year. They have also managed to improve their academic profile (SAT's and GPA) at the same time. They have instituted a new core curriculum that is much more rigid. All that being said, it is still not that hard to get in there. The issue is that it is getting much harder to stay there. They really want to become a first rate Catholic college. While the student body is still only about half Catholic, there is much more of an emphasis upon Catholicism there. I think that non-Catholics feel welcome, but the school is really working to return to its Catholic roots. The best thing to do is visit and talk to students. It is a really lovely little school.

[NC~Mom]

Also check out Davidson College....