Bar Harbor, ME · Private · 353 undergraduates · rural
College of the Atlantic
Moderately selective
One degree for all students—human ecology—used as an interdisciplinary framework rather than a single narrow major.
Institutional profile
Established Solid in academic standing, and solid in student experience.- Admission
- 65% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 65%
446 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$40,264 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets College of the Atlantic apart
Academic design
There are no conventional departmental silos driving the undergraduate degree; students assemble a course of study within a human-ecology framework and often combine science, environmental studies, arts, policy, and community work.
Campus pattern
The waterfront Bar Harbor campus and proximity to Acadia National Park turn the Maine coast into a recurring field site for ecology, food systems, marine study, art, and community projects.
Defining feature
One degree for all students—human ecology—used as an interdisciplinary framework rather than a single narrow major.
Can I get in?
65% admitted
Start with academic preparation, then show why this particular academic and campus environment fits you.
Recent applicant pool
446About 65 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for College of the Atlantic, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What College of the Atlantic weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
There are no conventional departmental silos driving the undergraduate degree; students assemble a course of study within a human-ecology framework and often combine science, environmental studies, arts, policy, and community work.
Make the fit specific
One degree for all students—human ecology—used as an interdisciplinary framework rather than a single narrow major.
Account for the tradeoff
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and make the school-specific case concrete.
No application fee recorded
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at College of the Atlantic
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
One degree for all students—human ecology—used as an interdisciplinary framework rather than a single narrow major.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
What is campus life like?
College of the Atlantic beyond the classroom
The waterfront Bar Harbor campus and proximity to Acadia National Park turn the Maine coast into a recurring field site for ecology, food systems, marine study, art, and community projects.
A defining academic feature
There are no conventional departmental silos driving the undergraduate degree; students assemble a course of study within a human-ecology framework and often combine science, environmental studies, arts, policy, and community work.
What shapes an ordinary week
The waterfront Bar Harbor campus and proximity to Acadia National Park turn the Maine coast into a recurring field site for ecology, food systems, marine study, art, and community projects.
What changes the experience
One degree for all students—human ecology—used as an interdisciplinary framework rather than a single narrow major.