College of the Atlantic is not for everyone. But for certain kinds of students — the ones who want their four college years to be a challenge, not just a ticket to success; the ones who in high school questioned all assumptions — COA is ideal. If you're that student, we want you to get to know more about us — and, we hope, arrange a visit to Mount Desert Island to meet us.

COA's faculty welcomes the questioners in life. They are passionate about teaching and learning, and relish interacting with students who pursue their individual interests with equal gusto. There is room at COA both for lively discussions and solitary contemplation. There is also an opportunity to expand beyond the campus. Fifty-five percent of COA graduates included international study in their curriculum.

Another hallmark of COA students is that they like to learn from experience, not just from reading about things second-hand — whether modeling clay, or handling marine specimens on the college's research vessel, or helping out at COA's organic Beech Hill Farm, or doing an independent photo-journalism project in the Yucatan. The typical COA student pursues a program of first-hand research and learning closer to that of graduate students at most universities.

COA graduates go on to careers in many fields. But at the end of the day, what sets them apart is that they share a similar sensibility — the ability to question, and the desire to challenge the status quo. If you think that business and politics are creating a world that's just fine, or are intimidated by how hard it is to reform the system, don't come to COA. If you see things that you don't like, however, and can't imagine not pushing for change, then COA would be a great fit for you.

So if you like the idea of small, rigorous classes (in a beautiful place), are looking for a tight-knit community that respects individualism, think far enough out of the box to want your studies to encompass several fields, have always thought about studying abroad at some point, and believe that the world needs you (and you need the world), we encourage you to sign up for more information.