College Profile:
Spelman College

Spelman College—perhaps you have heard of us from family or friends. Maybe the name is new to you. Let us introduce ourselves. Spelman College, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a small, private, historically black college for women. Founded in 1881, we compete academically with the nation’s top-tier liberal arts institutions.

Spelman College has a rich heritage in preparing women for leadership and service. Listed as one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education in the 2003 edition of The Princeton Review, Spelman boasts such outstanding alumnae as Children’s Defense Fund founder, Marian Wright Edelman; Foreign Service Director, General Ruth Davis; Authors, Alice Walker, Tina McElroy Ansa and Pearl Cleage; and actress, LaTanya Richardson.

Over 83% of the full-time faculty holds Ph.Ds or other terminal degrees and the student-faculty ratio is 13:1. The students number more than 2,000, and represent 45 states and 19 foreign countries.

Spelman has a special mission – to empower women to fully use their talents to succeed and to better the world. Whatever major you choose, in the humanities, the sciences, or the arts, you will find Spelman your most challenging experience yet. Our students tell us it is also their most thrilling. You will come to know an outstanding faculty and staff who care, who push, who help you tap your full potential, who celebrate your victories, and who uplift you during the hard times.

At Spelman, you have the best of two worlds of education—a small women’s college in a larger university environment. Spelman is part of the world’s largest consortium of historically Black colleges—the Atlanta University Center—with six undergraduate, graduate, and professional institutions. The Atlanta University Center includes Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, the Interdenominational Theological Center, and Morehouse School of Medicine. You will have the advantage of undergraduate cross-registration with these partner institutions, the proximity of graduate schools, and the vast resources of the Robert W. Woodruff Library.

For the first two weeks on campus, you are guided through the first-year orientation program. You will learn about Spelman’s history and traditions, gather in classrooms and residence halls for student-led meetings, attend sessions on what to expect and who to call for assistance, take placement exams, register for classes and meet your professors. You can also audition for Glee Club, Dance Theater, and Jazz Ensemble and enjoy socials, block parties and other activities. The capstone of orientation is the Induction ceremony, followed by the opening convocation in Sisters Chapel and the start of your first year at Spelman. From orientation through your final exit interview, all Spelman support services are there for you: the Learning Resources Center, the Writing Center, Academic Assessment and Advising, the Foreign Language and Mathematics Labs, Counseling and Health Services, Financial Aid Services, Career Planning, and Development.

At Spelman, you are right in the middle of the co-ed consortium of the Atlanta University Center. With cross-registration at the AUC schools and interconnecting walkways, there is always a flow of students going back and forth for classes, joint activities, events and Market Friday on Spelman’s campus. You will take excursions to Atlanta clubs, the High Museum, theaters, Lenox Mall for shopping, and picnics in the city parks. Then there are annual campus traditions: Homecoming in the fall, the spectacular Spelman-Morehouse Christmas concert in December, Founders Day in the spring, and Commencement and Reunion Week to close the school year.

There are all kinds of on campus activities, too, from student government to Greek sororities, academic and professional associations to the Spelman- Morehouse Players, the Glee Club, the Jazz and String Ensembles and Dance workshops, plus many opportunities to work on college publications like the newspaper, the yearbook and the literary magazine. Intercollegiate competition on NCAA teams and leisure sports are a growing draw among Spelman women, with the college offering cross country, volleyball, basketball, tennis, and track and field. The swimming pool and exercise gym are popular spots for students who join the wellness and fitness programs.

Spelman’s core curriculum is the fertile ground of the humanities, the fine arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. Other required courses include the African Diaspora and the World, International or Women’s studies, and Computer Literacy. There are lots of choices for majors. Sometimes that choice is difficult, or as one student humorously put it, "I really wanted to graduate undecided, but they wouldn’t let me. Now I’m majoring in history.” Sometimes the course of one’s studies changes in the process. Another student thought she would major in English, then switched to biology. You may attach a business minor to a psychology major. Whatever your professional goals, you will have an advisor to support you and a curriculum that allows you to make informed, personal choices. After all, you are building not only your adult life, but your life’s work.

You can take advantage of Spelman’s dual degree engineering program with some of the finest schools in the country—Auburn University, Boston University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Columbia University, California Institute of Technology, North Carolina A&T, Rensselaer Polytechnic University, Dartmouth College, University of Alabama at Huntsville, and the University of Florida. The combination of a Spelman education and a dual engineering degree from one of these prestigious universities will prepare you for a bright future in the private or public sector in healthcare, industry, or government. Graduate studies or medical school may be your next step. Work opportunities abound.

If you are interested in the Spelman experience, the first step is to apply for admission. Admission to Spelman is highly competitive, and many factors are weighed in the admission decision. Academic credentials are most important. Most students admitted to Spelman have:

• A better than average high school program of study that includes 3-4 years of study in the five major academic areas: English, History/Social Studies, Foreign Language, Science with Lab, Mathematics.

• Taken the highest level of courses available to them (advanced placement, international baccalaureate, honors, advanced, college preparatory, etc.)

• Maintained a solid grade point average, with mostly As and Bs, and very few Cs. The average GPA of admitted students for the five academic areas (not including elective courses) is 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

• Competitive Scholastic Aptitude Test scores (the SAT1) or ACT scores.

To have a complete three-dimensional assessment of you, Spelman considers other aspects of your life in addition to the academic criteria. The admissions committee will also consider your:

• Extracurricular activities & leadership

• Employment

• Community service

• Interest and talents

• Life experiences

• 2 letters of recommendation

• Personal essay

The admission committee will carefully weigh your academic credentials, other aspects of your life, your recommendations, and essay. We are looking for the strengths in these areas, and we hope to admit a first-year class full of bright, interesting and diverse young women.

The world awaits you. You may have a career in mind when you enter and you may change direction over the four years. Whatever turns you take, you will have an exciting and thorough education. At Spelman, nothing you learn is ever wasted. You store experiences that give you power and wisdom later. Try on careers through mentors, internships, shadowing, community service, Sisters Supporting Sisters, research, and presentations with faculty. You become part of an illustrious alumnae group. Spelman women have proudly served in the White House, in Congress, on Wall Street, in the diplomatic corps, in the Armed Services, in the ministry, and in prestigious educational, medical, and legal institutions. Spelman gave them the gift of power to become who they are. We invite you to join them.

We welcome your interest and encourage you to visit the campus. Our admissions office is here to assist in any way we can. We will answer your questions and arrange for a campus tour.

Editorial provided by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, Spelman College’s ninth president. Dr. Tatum is committed to preparing Black women for leadership with excellence in the 21st century. She is a scholar, teacher, author, and seasoned administrator who promises to uphold Spelman’s long tradition of being "Nothing Less Than The Best.”