Academics
Belmont Abbey College is 鈥渁 small, Catholic, liberal arts college鈥 that boasts a broad and 鈥渃hallenging鈥 core curriculum and intimate classes. Evidence of the school鈥檚 Benedictine tradition is all over the place. Belmont Abbey is 鈥渧ery focused on the Catholic faith鈥 and on 鈥渢rying to teach Catholic principles.鈥 The administration and the professors 鈥渁re very capable and genuinely care.鈥 鈥淚 love all of my professors,鈥 gushes one enthusiastic student. 鈥淯nlike at large institutions, you can really get to know your teachers, and your teachers can really get to know you.鈥 If you fall behind, one-on-one tutoring is available in a number of subjects. BAC was the first school in the country to offer a Motorsports Management concentration in the business degree program. The program includes courses in sports marketing and racing management in addition to traditional business-related course work. Belmont Abbey is also one of the few Catholic colleges in the U.S. that is connected to a monastery. Having 鈥渁 monastery full of monks鈥 on campus is 鈥渞eally cool鈥 and 鈥減retty handy.鈥 They celebrate Mass 鈥渆very day鈥 and the 鈥渄aily common prayer of the monks鈥 is 鈥渙pen to all students.鈥
Student Body
鈥淓veryone is friendly and easygoing鈥 at Abbey and 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to find a close-knit group of friends.鈥 Virtually everyone knows everyone else, too, which can cause 鈥渁 lot of drama.鈥 Obviously, many students are Catholic. However, a substantial proportion of students aren鈥檛 Catholic, and BAC鈥檚 ethnic diversity is noteworthy. There are 鈥渢raditional and nontraditional students鈥 here. 鈥淎ll the students seem to meld together and work well with each other; it doesn鈥檛 matter if they are old or young, male or female, [or of any] race and religious belief.鈥 Typical Abbey students have 鈥渁ttended some type of private school鈥 their whole lives. Many are 鈥渇rom small high schools.鈥 There is a large group of 鈥渁thletes here on scholarships to play a sport.鈥 Overall, 鈥淪tudents are generally happy about being here and very welcoming to all. The ones that are really active in the school鈥檚 politics and [extracurricular] groups are really interested in creating an environment where students can grow into healthy, proactive, successful adults---spiritually, mentally, and physically.鈥
Campus Life
The campus here is 鈥渧ery peaceful鈥 and 鈥渆specially beautiful.鈥 鈥淭he view of the Gothic spires of St. Leo鈥檚 Hall breaking through the evergreens is enough to take your breath away,鈥 enthuses one student. Schoolwork keeps students busy, as do intercollegiate and intramural sports. 鈥淭here are always sporting events to attend around campus.鈥 鈥淪occer is a huge part of Abbey life in the fall, and just as it winds down, basketball season begins, and lacrosse and baseball after that.鈥 Concerts and theater performances are a big hit as well. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to watch your fellow student friends compete and perform, because you know everyone on a personal level,鈥 says one student. Students say Abbey offers 鈥減artying,鈥 but sometimes 鈥淭here isn鈥檛 much of a social life on campus.鈥 鈥淢ost of the time we rent movies from Blockbuster,鈥 says a first-year student, or 鈥減lay board games.鈥 鈥淔or those who like to go clubbing, there鈥檚 a party bus that picks people up [off campus] a few times a week and takes them to Charlotte.鈥 Students appreciate their 鈥渃lose proximity to Charlotte鈥---鈥渙nly a short, 10-minute drive鈥---making it easy 鈥渇or students to sample the nightlife, go out for dinner at a nice restaurant, or shop.鈥
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