Ripon College

Established in 1851, Ripon College is a national leader in liberal arts and sciences education and Wisconsin's best-value private college, devoted to ensuring every student realizes their unique potential. Students receive a top-notch private education at a net price similar to a public state school. Ripon's five-course Catalyst curriculum is designed to provide the essential skills sought after by today's employers while allowing maximum freedom to choose their own path of study. The core requires only 20 credits and upon completion each student earns a Concentration in Applied Innovation. This one-of-a-kind academic flexibility offers the opportunity to complete multiple majors and minors, engage in experiential study, play sports and hold internships – all in four years. Students are overwhelmingly satisfied with the amount of personalized attention they receive from devoted faculty and staff throughout their time on campus. Within six months of graduation, 98 percent of alumni are employed, in graduate school or student teaching.

Ripon is a member of the prestigious Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM). We compete athletically as part of the Midwest Conference and offer 21 NCAA Division III varsity teams. Our new $23.5 million Willmore Center provides students with state-of-the-art facilities to train and work out, and it boasts the best NCAA indoor track in Wisconsin. To find out more, visit ripon.edu/willmore-center.

Ripon has a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1, and the average class size is fewer than 20 students. As a matter of fact, 76 percent of classes at Ripon have fewer than 20 students and 92 percent of classes have fewer than 30 students.

From pre-professional programs to paintballing, Ripon College hosts more than 60 student-run clubs and organizations. Students at Ripon are encouraged to lead the programs, supported by the Student Senate's activity fee. This allows students to collaborate together in conceiving, organizing, marketing and developing unique activities.

In addition, Ripon offers a variety of intramural sports throughout the year, including: kickball, dodgeball, flag football, indoor soccer, inner tube water polo, basketball, bowling, volleyball and aerobics.

Ripon's NCAA Division III Intercollegiate Teams compete in the Midwest Conference:

Men's varsity sports: baseball, basketball, cross-country, cycling, football, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field.

Women's varsity sports: basketball, cross-country, cycling, dance, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball.

A typical Ripon student is described as "laid-back and friendly." One student cautions, "You have to plan extra time in between classes because you're guaranteed to be stopped by someone you know along the way to talk for a few minutes." Students are "outgoing, personable, and motivated," "involved in multiple clubs," and may "hold more than one internship at a time. From Student Senate to Ultimate Frisbee to volunteering in the community, there is never a lack of activities in which one can participate." Students are "always looking for something new and exciting to do, and [are] ready to volunteer their time and energy to someone in need."

With its "tight-knit and welcoming community," Ripon conveys "a friendly environment conducive to learning, fun, and overall personal growth." It is "not uncommon to sit down to lunch with a professor, or even go over to their house for tea." Life at Ripon has proven blissful for one student who now says, "I cannot remember a time when I wanted to be anywhere else." Besides a "strong academic core," Ripon College has "many successful sports teams," and Greek life "is abundant." Greeks host events and are a big part of many students' life. Partying "is evident but not huge by any respect." "Since Ripon College is in a small town, the college sets up a lot of events on weekends for us to take part in!" "The small-town feel of Ripon forces you sometimes to create your own fun, which usually makes for the best memories." "Being close to several metropolitan areas (Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and the Twin Cities), there is rarely a weekend when people are not getting off campus to go explore." But if you are looking for snow days to figure into your schedule, then Ripon may not be for you "because most professors will keep classes going even in negative temperatures with two feet of snow."