Resident Degree Program

Questions Asked by Students
About Prescott and Prescott College in General
Academic Process
High School Credits
Transfer Students
Admissions Process
Tuition and Financial Aid
After Graduation

Questions Asked by Parents
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Questions Asked by Students

About Prescott and Prescott College in General:

Where is PC?
Prescott College is located in the pine-clad mountains of Prescott, AZ at an elevation of 5,200 feet. The population of Prescott is about 32,000.

Is PC accredited?
Prescott College is regionally accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS).

What is the College’s student body makeup?
There are approximately 500 students in the Resident Degree Program, split evenly between men and women. About 42% come from the northeast, 19% from the southwest, 17% from the west, 15% from the midwest, 6% from the southeast, and 1% from outside the United States. The average age of new RDP students is 21 and 60-75% have prior college experience.

Is PC appropriate for first year students?
Successful students at Prescott College are self-directed, passionate about learning, and interested in helping to design their own education. Because we do not offer on-campus housing, students need to be ready to handle off-campus living: paying rent, hooking up utilities, shopping for and preparing meals, dealing with roommates, etc. Prescott College has recently added a few dorming options for students seeking more traditional college housing. Chapel Lofts offers housing for 16 students in a converted church about a five-minute walk from campus. The building has a community kitchen and study space, as well as a resident manager.  In addition, students can room in a dormitory at Yavapai College, the local community college. Yavapai College is about 1.5 miles from Prescott College and offers rooms that include a meal plan, study rooms, computer hookups, and free laundry facilities.

The Student Services Office will answer questions and provide advice and strategies to find housing. In addition, Prescott College offers a Guarantor’s Agreement in which the College guarantees to the landlord that the student’s obligations will be met. Students are then responsible to the College for any costs paid on their behalf, plus any additional fees.

What is Wilderness Orientation?
Wilderness Orientation is the first course that all new students (freshmen and transfers) take through the Resident Degree Program. This month-long course offers an introduction to the Prescott College methods of education as well as to backpacking skills and the natural history of Arizona. The first week is spent at a local summer camp preparing for the trip, meeting faculty advisors, and beginning academic orientation to Prescott College. The next three weeks are spent backpacking in remote areas of Arizona. Wilderness Orientation is concluded with a few days of academic orientation once students return from the field. There is time at the end of Wilderness Orientation to find housing, buy books and supplies for the quarter, open a bank account, and relax before beginning quarter courses.

Can I attend PC if I’m not an outdoors person?
Prescott College is primarily a liberal arts college. You may be concerned that PC is only for "outdoorsy" people. However, half of our students graduate in the fields of Arts and Letters and Integrative Studies, which can be as outdoor-related as the student wants them to be. Part of the College’s mission is to graduate students "who demonstrate a commitment to responsible participation in the natural environment and human community." Learning about the natural environment is integrated into the curriculum, but not a necessity to complete a degree.

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Academic Process:

What areas of study does Prescott College offer?
Prescott College has organized its curriculum into six major areas of study: Adventure Education, Arts and Letters, Education, Environmental Studies, Integrative Studies: Cultural and Regional Studies, and Integrative Studies:Human Development. Students often combine two or more areas of study to individually design a study program to fit their needs and interests. Students design their own study program in an area and create course work specific to their program. They also pursue a variety of internships and independent studies to supplement their coursework.

How do I design my own degree?
Working closely with a faculty advisor and the student's Individual Graduation Committee, students file a degree plan about two years prior to graduation. In the degree plan, students identify a competence area (major) and a breadth area (minor). The degree plan outlines the sequence of courses students plan to complete prior to graduation. Both the competence area and breadth area can be anything of your choosing, so long as it is within academic areas that can be supported by the College. You may integrate areas of study to create a degree that is tailored to your interests.

What is a narrative evaluation?
Prescott College describes academic credit through written evaluations that address the student’s level of achievement and accomplishments. Students also reflect on their own learning and articulate a self-evaluation. These evaluations and course descriptions become official documents, making up your permanent transcript. Undergraduate students may elect to have traditional letter grades in addition to the narratives; letter grades are not available in the Master of Arts Program.

How do graduate programs and employers perceive narrative evaluations?
Narrative evaluations provide graduate programs and employers with valuable information. When reviewing Prescott College graduates, graduate school admissions officers and employers see evidence of the qualities they repeatedly cite when describing their ideal candidates: the ability to think independently and creatively, to work collaboratively with others, to be self-directed, and to communicate effectively.

What will my transcript look like?
Your transcript will be thick. It will have a cover sheet that lists your courses, credits earned, and grades (if you elected to have grades). The cover sheet is followed by a sheet for each course that includes a course description, the faculty evaluation, and student self-evaluation. The average length of a transcript for a student that spends four years at Prescott College is 30 pages.

How long will it take me to graduate?
Prescott College is a four-year college. Transfer students typically spend two to three years to graduate, depending on how much transferable credit they have. To earn a Prescott College degree, students must be enrolled for at least four enrollment periods, which usually takes two years. Students interested in pursuing degrees in Adventure Education should anticipate two to three years.

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High School Students:

Does Prescott College give credit for AP?
Prescott College awards 6 quarter credits for each AP score of 4 or 5, up to a maximum of 30 credits. You must request that the official score report for each test be sent to Prescott College.

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Transfer Students:

What credits transfer to Prescott College?
Prescott College will accept all academic credit from regionally accredited colleges and universities where a grade of C or above was received in college-level courses. Remedial credit is not transferable.

How do my transfer credits apply toward my degree?
Generally, Prescott College requires that 16 courses be related to your competence (major) and 8 courses be related to your breadth (minor). Transfer credit can be used to satisfy these quantitative requirements. It is often to your advantage to design your degree in a manner that best utilizes your transfer credit.

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Admissions Process:

What do I need to do to visit Prescott College?
Call us at (800) 628-6364. We will set up an appointment for a Tour and Information Session, and Interview. If available, prospective students are also encouraged to observe classes and talk with current students. Suggestions for local accommodations and transportation from the Phoenix airport will be sent.

Do I have to come for an interview?
Interviews are not a required component of the admissions process. However, if you are visiting the College, we strongly recommend you have an interview with an admissions counselor. We want the opportunity to get to know you!

What are the admissions criteria?
Since PC is a small private college, the admissions committee is able to employ a highly personalized admissions process. While we do not have stated criteria, admission is based upon a thorough review of your previous academic work, evidence of self-direction, the ability to think independently, and work collaboratively with others. Applicants should show the ways in which they feel that they will benefit from, contribute to, and be challenged by Prescott College’s unique approach to teaching and learning.

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Tuition and Financial Aid:

How much is tuition?
Please see the tuition page for current figures.

How do I apply for financial aid?
To apply for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA becomes available after January 1 for the following academic year. The fastest way to apply is online. You can also find an application at high schools, colleges, and universities. The FAFSA comes with an envelope pre-addressed to the federal processor. Remember to include Prescott College’s Title IV School Code: 013659 (required on the last page of the FAFSA).

How much financial aid can I get?
Student eligibility for aid is calculated partly by federal formulas that determine a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Prescott College has also estimated the total Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA includes all costs associated with attending college including housing, meals, books, supplies, transportation, tuition, and fees. The basic need formula is: COA - EFC = NEED. While we make every effort to meet the need of each student, it is not always possible to meet 100% of demonstrated need.

Do you offer grants and scholarships?
The Prescott College Grant is awarded to applicants who demonstrate the most financial need. The Prescott College Scholarship is awarded based on a combination of academic need and merit. As funds are limited, a timely application is required. An application for the Prescott College Scholarship application can be obtained by contacting the Financial Aid Office at (800) 628-6365

How long does the financial aid process take?
From the time you file your FAFSA to receiving your award takes at least 5-10 weeks. You can expedite the process by applying online. Be sure to keep in close contact with the Financial Aid Office and respond to their requests for additional information in a timely manner. An award is not granted until after you have received an offer of admission.

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After Graduation:

What kind of job can I get with my degree? Can I attend graduate school? What do students do with degrees from PC?
Employers seem especially impressed by the quality of our graduates due to the superior character traits demonstrated by completing self-designed and self-motivated curriculum. Prescott College uniquely prepares students for success in their careers and advanced degree programs.

When we surveyed our graduates about their careers after Prescott College, we found that alumni were involved in diverse professions, including Environmental Scientists, Educators and Educational Administrators, Child Advocates, Directors of Social Services, Energy Policy Advisors, Psychologists, Social Workers, Law Professors, Writers, Journalists, Outdoor Instructors and Guides, Financial Consultants, Architects, Pilots, Organic Farmers, and Computer Consultants. They were employed by firms such as the Audubon Expedition Institute, Boys and Girls Club of America, California State Parks, Johns Hopkins University, Greenpeace International, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, National Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Outward Bound, Patagonia, and the State of New Mexico. Our graduates have attended graduate schools such as Antioch, Cornell, Loyola, and Stanford University.

Read the associate dean's thoughts about graduate school.

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Questions Asked by Parents

It is natural for parents to be concerned about the well-being of their son or daughter. These pages contain many questions commonly asked by parents and are offered as helpful insights into Prescott College, an innovative, nurturing, and supportive institution of higher education.

How would you describe the city of Prescott?
Prescott College is a progressive liberal arts college in a largely conservative area. However, Prescott is increasingly seen as a college town with two other colleges and universities in the community (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Yavapai College). Prescott is also an artist colony, a tourist haven, a ranching center, and a retirement community. Prescott College is often viewed as the environmental conscience of the Prescott area and the nucleus of its progressive thought and action.

What are the housing options for students?
Because Prescott College does not have a residential campus, students must find their own housing in the area. The Student Services Office is a clearinghouse for information on available housing. The office regularly advertises for student housing within the community; receives information from and makes referrals to the local property management companies; and posts local newspaper housing ads, along with student ads for roommates, on our housing board.

For those who seek more traditional college housing, there are two options available to students. A privately owned dormitory located just .4 miles from campus has room for 16 students. The building has a community kitchen and study space as well as a resident manager. In addition, students can room in a dormitory at Yavapai College, the local community college. Yavapai College is about 2.5 miles from Prescott College and offers rooms that include a meal plan, study rooms, computer hookups, and free laundry facilities.

How are credits and grades awarded?
With some exceptions, six quarter credits are awarded for each course. Thus, full-time students earn six quarter credits for a block and eighteen to twenty four quarter credits for a quarter. For each course or independent study, the student and the instructor work out an individual learning contract consisting of a description of the course as well as the objectives and goals the student will fulfill. Credit is awarded based upon the successful completion of the learning contract. Prescott College has a performance-based student evaluation system. Both the student and the instructor write a narrative evaluation of the student’s work reflecting the student’s achievements. Those narrative evaluations then become the student’s narrative transcript for an enrollment period. In addition, while letter grades are discouraged, students can request a letter grade for any course or independent study.

How can a parent know how well the student is doing academically?
The narrative course evaluations written by faculty are put in the student’s mailbox after each block and quarter. Evaluations can be mailed to the student over the summer if the Registrar’s Office is notified. By Federal law, evaluations and transcripts are confidential and are the property of the student. As such, these documents cannot normally be sent to parents directly, but rather must be requested by the student.

What credits transfer to Prescott College?
All college-level credits earned at an accredited institution are accepted for transfer if a grade of "C" or better was earned and/or narrative evaluations reflect satisfactory work.

How easily do Prescott College credits transfer to other institutions?
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools regionally accredits Prescott College. As such, credits from Prescott College are fully transferable to other colleges and universities, though each institution has its own guidelines for accepting transfer work in general. The Registrar’s Office is available to communicate with any college or university that needs clarification of the narrative transcript or any ungraded credits. It has been our experience that narrative transcripts are well accepted in higher education.

Who monitors the progress of Resident Degree Program students?
A student’s academic life is monitored in three ways. First and foremost it is monitored by the student’s advisor. Second, the faculty with whom the student chooses to take courses monitor class progress. Third, the staff and administration that oversee the Resident Degree Program, mainly the College Registrar, the RDP Associate Dean, and the RDP Dean, monitor the satisfactory progress of all students.

Whom should I contact concerning financial aid questions?
Students who have difficulty in meeting the costs of college should apply for assistance through the Financial Aid Office. The College administers a number of grants, loans, and work-study programs to assist students whose resources do not cover their total educational costs. Approximately 43% of our students receive some type of financial aid.

Whom can the student go to for help if things become overwhelming?
The Students Services Office is available to students for problem solving and support. The staff assists students in many areas, such as academic problems, job needs, or housing issues. Prescott College also has a professional counselor ready to assist students with personal problems, or make an appropriate community referral.

What career planning is available to students?
The Student Services Office maintains job listings and internship possibilities for students. During the year, workshops on job searches, resume writing, and interview preparation are offered to students anticipating the need for such skills. The Student Services Office is available to students for one-on-one career counseling consisting of interest identification, role-playing interviews, and resume review.

Will the student get enough of a traditional education at Prescott College to be accepted into a graduate program in the student’s field of study?
Prescott College students have an excellent track record for getting into the graduate programs of their choice. First of all, it is important to recognize that much of the curriculum content, especially on the introductory level, is similar to curriculum studied by undergraduates preparing for graduate school at more traditional colleges. What is different at Prescott College is the approach to learning. Small class size results in students learning the foundations of their chosen field more effectively, with substantial motivation to pursue advanced studies. Also, the quality of independent study available to students allows them to focus on specific academic interests in ways that are compatible with graduate study programs. (There are, however, some technical and professional fields that our curriculum cannot prepare students adequately for graduate work unless their undergraduate course of study is supplemented through study at other institutions.) Above all, it is the students’ skills as learners that seem to set them apart. Genuine motivation to do advanced academic work and a demonstrated ability to envision, plan, and carry out an independent project are probably the two most highly valued attributes in the graduate admissions process.

How do graduate schools and employers view Prescott College?
Prescott College is viewed no differently than any other regionally accredited college or university. Students successfully compete for admissions to graduate schools and with perspective employers.

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