Monmouth College (MC)

Small Monmouth College is a “quaint” bastion on the liberal arts in western Illinois. It’s affiliated with the Presbyterian Church but pretty much “purely in the name.” A “well-rounded” curriculum offers “a taste of everything.” There are “a lot of double majors.” Most students major in at least one career-focused program like business and education. Hard sciences are popular, too. “A smaller group indulges in the humanities” as well as art and music. Monmouth offers “hands-on experience in scientific research” and “takes time to locate jobs” for graduates. The administration can be “uptight” but it’s fine otherwise. “I feel comfortable going directly to a dean or even the president if there is a problem,” says an art major. The faculty is full of “extremely well-qualified” professors. “Classes are small and are personal.” “Discussions and lectures are very engaging.” “You can interact with your professors a lot easier than in a larger school,” asserts an education major. “The workload is not difficult.” “Only during midterms and finals do you see people freaking out,” observes a sophomore. “My overall academic experience has been pretty good,” reflects a senior. “You can get mediocre grades and pass through Monmouth if that is what you desire, but you can also challenge yourself.”

There are “a lot of people” from Chicago and the Quad Cities as well as many students “from smaller rural and surrounding towns.” Ethnic diversity is meager. Depending on who you talk to, minority students on campus either “don’t seem to have trouble fitting in” or “do not find it enjoyable to remain at Monmouth.” There is a smattering of commuters here but, mostly, it’s your “stereotypical college student.” The majority is “really involved in a lot of extracurricular activities” “I am involved in at least seven,” reckons a junior,” It’s very easy to get involved, which I love.” Overall, students “have a lot in common.” “I would venture to say that the typical Monmouth College student is a jock of some type, involved in a sporting activity,” submits a senior. “Students here generally fit into a clique,” adds a sophomore, “jocks, artsy kids, theater kids, international kids, the politically conscious, the fraternities and sororities, and the music kids.” These different groups “very rarely commingle.”

“Monmouth is a fairly laidback, small-town kind of college, the kind of place where everybody turns up for Homecoming.” The “brick-themed” campus is “charming.” The athletic facilities are “superb.” While some describe their on-campus housing as “amazing,” others tell us “Monmouth could improve the underclassmen dorms.” There are more than 80 clubs and organizations. “Nearly half the campus is involved in at least one intercollegiate sport,” swears a junior. The Turkey Bowl—the annual football game against archrival Knox—is big and “a fierce athletic pride” for every Fighting Scots team permeates. “The entertainment offered by the campus is usually boring, giving off a school-sanctioned vibe.” Mostly, life is dominated by a “really big” Greek scene. “Frat parties are popular,” as are a handful of bars. Monmouth’s “close-knit” atmosphere can be “almost suffocating.” There is “more drama than necessary.” The “small town” location offers “hardly anything to do for fun.” While some students say being “in a smaller town… brings the student body closer together,” others say “we often go else where for entertainment.” Sometimes, students “drive to Galesburg to go to Wal-Mart (which is a sad testament to entertainment in and of itself) or the movie theater.” Macomb (home to Western Illinois University) and both Peoria and the Quad Cities are also reasonably close.