Academics
While this small Georgia school known for its performing arts program just went co-ed, students still see this former all-women鈥檚 college as a 鈥渉istoric college that empowers and shapes young women into leaders,鈥 and students say 鈥淏renau is all about traditions, sisterhood, and being the best you can be.鈥 The 鈥渟mall, close-knit campus鈥 offers generous scholarship opportunities, as well as online and a 鈥減art time and weekend option,鈥 which drew one Nursing major to the school because it allows students to work and attend school concurrently. The professors at Brenau are 鈥渧ery supportive and understanding and are always available when you need them,鈥 and 鈥渢hey care about their students and want to help them succeed.鈥 Students praise the 鈥渁ccessibility of [facilities] and staff [and the] ability to form close professional relationships with professors鈥 and stress that the school is 鈥渁 place of comfort with an emphasis [on] a well-rounded education.鈥 Some students wish Brenau could 鈥渂e more modern鈥 and 鈥渂ring computers into the courses.鈥 In addition to the traditional college student, 鈥淏renau offers education to adults who have been out of school for a long time with assistance to excel.鈥 Some students lament that Brenau鈥檚 teaching style is 鈥溾榢now this鈥 or 鈥榢now that鈥 [with] little discussion鈥 and say that the 鈥渕ath we have is strictly on our own.鈥
Student Body
The typical Brenau student has 鈥渁 sense of hunger for learning and an ability to get along with others.鈥 The sense of community is underscored by one psychology major who says, 鈥淲e are really big on getting to know people especially incoming freshmen.鈥 With the online, part-time, and commuter options, many students, like this business accounting major, say, 鈥淚 take my classes online, therefore I am not on campus or anywhere near campus.鈥 Many students would describe their fellow Brenau students as 鈥渨orking adults,鈥 though for others 鈥淏renau [students] love to study together, hang in the tearoom, go to Mule Camp on karaoke night and have adventures in the bamboo forest.鈥 The 鈥渉ousing could improve鈥 on campus and some students would like to see 鈥渓eniency鈥 in the alcohol policy (Brenau is a dry campus) for 鈥渓egal adults.鈥
Campus Life
On campus, sororities and sports are popular, and students say that weekday activities usually involve 鈥渉omework, [going] to the mall, and [hanging out] with friends.鈥 鈥淔or fun [we] might go to the Gainesville Square, which is just a few blocks from campus,鈥 says one biology major. An international relations major says that it鈥檚 common to 鈥渉ang out with . . . friends [and] people talk a lot about politics.鈥 For a nursing student who鈥檚 a self-described 鈥渁rtist at heart,鈥 free time is spent drawing, painting, reading, and taking photographs. Volunteerism is common鈥斺淢y life is about serving others,鈥 says one pre-nursing student鈥攚ith another student highlighting time spent at a local animal shelter. For students who want to travel beyond the school鈥檚 small hometown of Gainesville, the University of Georgia in Athens is a popular destination, as is Atlanta, which is only an hour away by car.
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