Berry College

The campus is very beautiful. I can't think of a prettier place. For the most part, the students are friendly. Also for the most part, so are the staff. It is very challenging. It really does focus on the head, hands, and heart concept which it thrives upon. The strongest complaint is that they are very picky in regards to what classes they accept; moreso than the average university. They do not have an articulation agreement with any schools due to the arising problem of what they will accept and vice versa. All transfer English 102 work has to be evaluated by previous essays written at your previous college. It is then reviewed by a panel of the English department. To put it into perspective only 20% of students transferring English 102 work in this semester (fall 2003) received Berry's credit for that class. Berry has give or take a few on average 2000 students. I would estimate only 50 to 75 transfers. So out of the transfers only 20% were up to par with Berry's standards. If they deem your class as non-transferable you are required to enroll in Berry's English 102 (only at Berry) then next semester! Advice: Be very careful of the classes you take. Meet with your advisor regularly and make sure that the classes you are taking are definetly the classes you have to have! Also, you are required to attend cultural events in order to graduate (24 if you are here for 4 years and 12 if you are a two year transfer.) This is still my first semester here, (after being at a community college for 2 years)so I am still in the process of working out all of the kinks. I am from Alabama and commute daily, and seriously if I had been aware of everything before I made the commitment to come to Berry, I would have more than likely attended Auburn, UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) or any other highly accredited Business school. My major is in Finance and I believe I would have chosen a college which offered a Finance degree instead of a Business Administration degree with a concentration in Finance. Also, being that it is a private institution it is rather pricy compared to public universities ($15,600 a year just for tuition, nothing else included) Overall this comment is aimed toward the neutral standpoint. I am ok with where I am at right now; however, if I had known some of this stuff I believe I would have went to another institution.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2005

Useful Schoolwork: A+, University Resource Use/ spending: B

Berry College is a place to learn. If you want to go somewhere to be serious about your degree, this is a good choice. You should just be aware that it is not the typical University experience. There is no Greek life, most dorms are single-sex, and it's actually a dry campus. However, there are abundant apartments off-campus, and several bars in town. It's located in Rome, Georgia - which is a very small town. It has the small town charms such as fairs, small concerts, some theatre, white Christmas lights on trees and bridges year-round, and lots of wide-open country. I think the first Starbucks will be opening this year. It's a quiet area, and lots of students go to Atlanta or Chattanooga for fun - about an hour to either city. There are lots of clubs and team sports, I'd recommend crew (rowing). There are also a number of Christian clubs and a lot of outreach. Some people find the Christian atmosphere oppressive, I would have to disagree. You can participate if you want, or do your own thing. I found nearly everyone to be kind and helpful. There are 3 chapels on the 28000 acre campus. My degree, horticulture, was cancelled much like someone else described the computer science program in their comments. It was a very frustrating experience that I still harbor resentment over. Even after going through the chain of command from the ground up, twice, I was not told the whole truth. I was told the program was expanding when I first visited only to become one of the last graduates with a BS in horticulture. The experience made me realize that to get a very thorough education I needed to make it happen on my own. There are numerous opportunities for students to become leaders at Berry. There is also a fantastic study-abroad program. I spent a year in England that changed my life. By becoming president of a club and doing a little travelling, you can work your way into organizations outside of Berry, nation-wide. That is how I made great contacts who I still use for recommendations. The faculty at Berry are great. I loved my professors and was able to talk to them about any subject, any time. Thanks to the hard work I put in at Berry and abroad, I now have a prestigious position at a leading organization in my field.

4th Year Female -- Class 2002

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Social Life: D+