Marlboro College

Listed in the book, “Colleges that Change Lives,” Marlboro College in Marlboro, Vermont offers a unique, individualized, student-governed approach to education and student life. With a faculty advisor, students at Marlboro devise their own individualized course of study culminating in a final project. While students at Marlboro aren’t saddled by specific course requirements, they are required in each year of study to master certain learning skills. However, they are allowed to master these through any number of course options which include courses in the arts, literature, languages, natural and social sciences. Marlboro also has a graduate school, which offers master’s degrees in such fields as education and business. Student life at Marlboro is also student-centered. As a small, residential college, Marlboro’s campus is referred to as a “town,” and students and faculty gather for monthly town meetings where they discuss and make decisions about campus life. While Marlboro’s mission and practices may be outside of the mainstream, they have nonetheless received mainstream recognition from publications like Princeton Review. Admissions requirements include transcripts and recommendation letters. However, standardized test scores are optional. Tuition at Marlboro includes room and board as well as tickets to the Sundance Film Festival. Financial aid is available through numerous sources to those who qualify.

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