The college was founded in Annapolis in 1696 as King William’s School and chartered in 1784 as St. John’s College. A second campus was opened in 1964 in Santa Fe. St. John’s is a four-year coeducational liberal arts college with no religious affiliation.
Integrated arts and sciences program based on a chronological study of seminal works of Western civilization. The following curriculum is required of all undergraduates:
B.A. in Liberal Arts
1 to 8
Seminars of 17-21 students are led by two faculty members. Tutorials and laboratory sessions usually have 12 to 16 students led by one faculty member.
The libraries in Annapolis and Santa Fe contain more than 160,000 volumes combined. Each library houses a number of special collections, and both campuses have a music library.
The 36-acre eastern campus is located in the heart of historic Annapolis, which is the capital of Maryland and also a seaport town close to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The 250-acre southwestern campus is in the capital of New Mexico, Santa Fe, at 7,300 feet above sea level in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, offering both spectacular scenery and the cultural attractions of the Southwest.
Each campus keeps its enrollment at no more than 475 undergraduates. The current students come from almost all 50 states and about 20 foreign countries. Students of color make up approximately 10 percent of the student body. The ratio of men to women is 10 to 9.
Students in good academic standing may apply for transfer to the other campus for the upcoming academic year. They must notify the Registrar’s Office of their intention to transfer by the third Monday in February of the previous year. All intercampus transfers must be approved by the deans of both campuses and may be restricted by limitations in various campus resources, such as available space and staffing.
Both campuses offer extensive intramural sports programs and extracurricular art courses. Each has soundproof music practice rooms, an art gallery, and a music library. Major clubs and activities include student government, a newspaper, a yearbook, a film society, drama groups, a literary magazine, and opportunities for community service. The Annapolis campus has easy access to boating, sailing, and crew, while the Santa Fe campus offers skiing, rafting, and rock climbing.
Annapolis students live in eight dormitories: six historic buildings are arranged around a central quad, and two modern dormitories face College Creek. Santa Fe dormitories are small modern units, clustered around central courtyards. About 82 percent of the students live on campus. Freshmen are required to live on campus. Dormitories are coed by floor. There are no fraternities or sororities.
Applicants are expected to have pursued a college preparatory course of study, including substantial sequences in mathematics, foreign languages, and the physical sciences. Requirements include a short set of reflective essays, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts of all academic work. The GED is accepted. SAT or ACT scores are optional, but they may prove helpful. Interviews and campus visits are recommended.
Fall Term:
Early Action I - November 15
Early Action II - January 15
Regular Decision - Rolling after February 15
Winter Term:
Rolling, December 15 preferred
(Winter term applies only to a limited class of freshmen on the Santa Fe campus, who matriculate in January and join the rest of the sophomore class the following fall.)
Middle 50% Critical Reading: 610-700
Middle 50% Math: 550-680
* Combined classes, fall 2012, 57% reporting
Tuition: $44,554
Room and Board: $9,984–$10,644
Required Fees: $450
A typical student budget includes $500 for books, $530 for personal expenses, and a transportation allowance according to the distance of the student’s home from campus.
St. John’s is committed to making its distinctive educational program available to students from families of all income levels. The college offers need-based aid and merit scholarships. All students admitted to the freshman class may qualify for renewable grants and/or scholarships, regardless of their family income.
Founded as King William’s School, 1696; chartered as St. John’s College, 1784; accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680; 215-662-5000), by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (30 N. La Salle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602; 800-612-7440), and by the American Academy for Liberal Education (1710 Rhode Island Ave., NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20036; 202-452-8611). The college is coeducational and has no religious affiliation. St. John’s admits qualified students of any race, religion, or national or ethnic origin, without regard to sex, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Academic facilities and most residence halls are accessible to persons with physical disabilities.