jenjen269

My daughter and I loved Marlboro. Anyone...?

TyTy

As for the graduation rate, as my tour guide explained to me, the graduation rate is actually determined by the amount of students who graduate in four years. Since Marlboro is so small, each student who either takes a year off or an extra year to graduate dramatically effects the graduation rate. Anyways that's what my tour guide said. However, these statistics worry me as well. Just curious, what is your daughters focus? And what other schools has she applied to?

red_cowboyboots

Hi, I'm a current student at Marlboro. I just stumbled onto your post and thought I might give my take. As to the low graduation rate, I think it's important to remember that Marlboro isn't a traditional college. Most of the students that come to Marlboro aren't looking for a fast-track get me in and out program. I know of a lot of people that come to Marlboro and then take a few years off, travel around the world, and then come back. Marlboro is a very rigorous school and it's hard to gage how that's going to affect you until you actually get into the environment. That all being said, that graduation rate is getting better each year. We're getting more applicants and admissions is doing a better job at finding the students that would do well here.

Marlboro is considered a third-tier school for a number of reasons that I believe have nothing to do with the education. The things that U.S. News looks at are odd ways to measure a school like Marlboro. A whole chunk of the ranking has to do with how much of an endowment the school has, how often new buildings are being built, how "selective" admissions is. Due to Marlboro being fairly young and having relatively few alums our endowment isn't anything near Harvard's, we don't have that much reason to build 5 new buildings a year, and Marlboro is really self-selective because of how unique it is. In my opinion (and based on my friends' college experiences) the Princeton review does a much better job of quanitifying specific areas of a college experience. Marlboro is ranked #2 for Best Undergraduate Academic Experience and for something along the lines of great professors.

I hope this clears up any concern. If your daughter has any questions I know there's a prospective student e-mail thingy where interested students can contact current students to ask them all sorts of questions. It's curious@marlboro.edu.

Have a great day!

ndd

just stumbled upon this and thoght to ask if you know anything aobut green mountain college also called a thrid teir scool i just wo the make a difference scholarship there and it is a full 4 year ride. I visited the school and liked it but have some reservations about the quality of education there and it does not have all the majors I may want to apply to. but it is a full scholarship. Do you know anything about GMC--I ask cause it is in Vermont--i have heard great things aobut marlboro and almost applied there. thanks.

oldmarlboroalum

Hi, I hope this helps.

Yes, US News and World Report has a strange way of quantifying things that need to be backed by qualitative analysis. Much of the status relates to financial stability of an institution. In contrast, The Princeton Review rates Marlboro very highly but has much different criteria than the former. I can only share my experience to illustrate why there is a low 4-year graduation rate.

As a Marlboro grad, I finished my "Plan of Concentration" 6 weeks late. My mom was quite mad as she and some of my relatives already purchased plane tickets from Chicago to Vermont for graduation. She didn't understand that even though I had completed my credit requirements, I did not finish my Plan. No Plan. No diploma. Period.

But I cared about the quality of my work so much that I prolonged my final project to make it "perfect." Of course, it fell far from the goal but I did graduate with highest honors. Without technically graduating from Marlboro, I went on to grad school in September (on full scholarship). I came back to Marlboro the following May so that I could "walk" and receive my diploma. So, this is why i did not graduate "on time." Good luck in your choice of schools.

thomasmy

I just wanted to comment here. Marlboro was far and away my first choice in my initial college search. When i visited the campus all i could think about was summer camp and now i am going to St Johns College which also a third tier school withe low grad rate and only ranked 3rd in the academic list. The low grad rate is probably due to the intense work load. It is rightfully rated the 2nd best school in the country in my opinion. It should be said the a low graduation rate may indicate better academics i.e. if its harder to graduate it must be a harder/better school.