Piedmont is a small private college in Georgia that actively recruits homeschoolers. Founded in 1897, the institution is affiliated with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) and the historically related United Church of Christ (UCC). Piedmont College emphasizes critical thinking, high ethical standards, and respect for diversity. The faculty and students form a community with a rich academic tradition, where anyone with a desire for knowledge is welcome.
Piedmont College has campuses in Demorest and Athens, Georgia. Total enrollment is approximately 2,800 students. The student body represents approximately twenty states and ten countries. Ten percent of the college’s students come from the Habersham County region through Piedmont’s Neighborhood Grant Program. The Demorest campus is a traditional residential campus located in a rural area about 70 miles north of Atlanta in the foothills of northeast Georgia’s Appalachian Mountains. The Athens campus is located near downtown Athens and is designed for commuting students.
Piedmont is a comprehensive co-educational liberal arts college that also offers a variety of career-oriented majors including education, business, and nursing. Piedmont currently offers 42 undergraduate degree programs including Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Bachelor of Science (BS), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. Piedmont also offers graduate degrees in business and education, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Arts in Education (MA), Education Specialist (EdS) and Education Doctor (EdD).
Piedmont College has four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Walker School of Business, the School of Education, and the Daniel School of Nursing. Piedmont encourages study across multiple disciplines, and students can select related courses in different schools to create their own interdisciplinary degree program. Students also have many opportunities to travel as part of their studies at Piedmont. These travel-study programs range from just a few days, to several weeks, to an entire semester studying abroad.
In U.S. News and World Report‘s 2010 ranking of the nation’s colleges and universities, Piedmont College ranked in Tier 1 among regional universities in the 12 Southeastern states. With a student/faculty ratio of 14 to 1, Piedmont is known for the individual attention and one-on-one instruction provided by professors whose first commitment is to their students’ education. Most professors hold a doctorate or the terminal degree in their field. For academically talented students, Piedmont provides opportunities for enrichment and challenge. For those who are not as well prepared academically, the college provides extra academic assistance and encouragement designed to turn potential into achievement.
Piedmont College feels strongly about instilling a sense of moral responsibility in its students. The ethical and spiritual values of the Christian tradition are not merely cherished and preserved, they are actively examined. Piedmont is committed to the compatibility of these values with a diverse and inclusive community that cherishes academic freedom. One of the most important skills that students will develop at Piedmont is the ability to think critically about personal, social, religious, scientific, and political issues. To this end, the college focuses special attention on critical thinking through a variety of activities and programs both inside and outside the classroom.
A portion of the Piedmont College property was once the site of Lake Demorest from 1890-2008, until the body of water became heavily silted. The shallow lake is now a wetlands area for students and faculty to use in their studies, and it provides biology students with opportunities to observe habitats. Athletics offered at Piedmont include: men’s and women’s basketball, golf, soccer, cross country and tennis; women’s softball and volleyball; and men’s baseball. The Johnny Mize Athletic Center, named for the famous baseball player, contains a multipurpose gymnasium and fitness center as well as a museum dedicated to the baseball legend.
Piedmont College normally maintains the following requirements for admission: a high school diploma or GED; twenty-one high school units (suggested units include 4 English units, 2 algebra units, 1 plane geometry unit, 2 same foreign language units, and 1 history unit); and satisfactory scores on the SAT or the ACT (minimum scores on SAT: Math 460, Verbal 500; minimum scores on ACT: Math 19, Verbal 21).
Academically talented homeschool students are encouraged to join the Piedmont learning community. Admission requirements for home educated students are as follows: an application for admission with the required essay; official SAT or ACT scores (alternative institutional testing can be arranged); transcript or portfolio detailing all high school course work completed; and two letters of recommendation from sources outside the home who have knowledge of the student’s academic or extra-curricular achievements. An interview with the student and family may also be required.
All entering freshmen are placed in English and mathematics classes based on SAT scores and/or institutionally administered Math and English placement tests. For students who do not meet the admission requirements, Piedmont admits a limited number of students into a specially designed Program for Academic Success (PAS), which requires applicants to demonstrate their ability and motivation to successfully complete college level work.
If you are looking for individualized instruction in a friendly atmosphere, Piedmont College is the place for you! For more information, visit: http://www.piedmont.edu
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