Learn More; Be More – Fontbonne University
The campus is compact; I could walk from end to end in under 15 minutes. Most academic areas of campus have undergone renovations and technology upgrades. The newest additions are in the Anheuser-Busch Hall where each science lab was designed and equipped for its area of specialization by professors in the department.
Admission
Fontbonne is on a rolling admissions calendar and can be the perfect school for the strong B student. Fontbonne’s middle 50% for ACT scores is 20 – 25 and a most students rank in the top half of their class. Students with ACT scores of 25 or above are invited to join the Honors Program and the Founders’ Scholarship ($10K per year) is designed for applicants with a 3.2 GPA and a minimum of 24 ACT (or a 1620 SAT R+M+W).
Recognized Programs
The most popular and competitive academic programs include:
- Speech Language Pathology
- Deaf Education
- Special Education (teacher certification)
- Dietetics
Fontbonne operates a clinic on campus where Speech Pathology students get hands on expeience. The graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology is highly selective.
Fontbonne offers some dual programs with neighboring Washington University in St. Louis. Currently these programs include Social Work, Occupational Therapy, and Engineering.
Unique Elements
Fontbonne is a smoke-free campus. Students may only smoke in their own cars. Students I spoke to were in favor of this policy and glad not to fight through clouds of smoke at campus hangouts.
Attendance is built into the grading system campus-wide which encourages regular attendance and improved class participation. It is not unusual for professors to call students who miss more than one class in a two-week period.
Fontbonne is part of the Division III St. Louis Athletic League. While the university is small, many students enjoy the opportunity to participate in sports as competitors or spectators.
Fontbonne is the school for students who…
- Wants a small, supportive, family-type atmosphere
- Seeks academically challenging environment that is still welcoming to the student who wasn’t a straight A student in high school
- Specializes in the recognized programs (above)
- Are non-traditional students. Many Fontbonne students are transfers, older students, or students who are working while going to school.
- Desire a Catholic, service-minded university
I got a great feel from everyone I met and spoke with during my visit. Fontbonne isn’t for the student looking for a large school or party atmosphere, but it does offer a supportive environment for the student looking to develop his or her academic talents in a small university setting.
For more photos from my visit to Fontbonne University, visit my Facebook album]]>