Peter's Hidden Gem Series #2: Earlham College

PETER’S HIDDEN GEM SERIES. #2

FACTS ABOUT EARLHAM COLLEGE

Earlham College is in Richmond, Indiana (population 36,000) located 40 minutes west of Dayton, Ohio, and 4 hours southeast of Chicago, Illinois. It is also 75 miles east of Indianapolis, Indiana.

The college has a primarily residential student body of 670 from 44 states and 55 countries.

Earlham College offers 42 majors, 39 minors and pre-professional programs including the option to create a student-designed major.

Their endowment is $416 million.

73% acceptance rate (average GPA is 3.43 and they are test-optional. They consider a wide range of students (B- to A+)

2026-27 Tuition $56,784

Housing $8,300

Meal Plan $7,462

Fees $980

Total $73,526

Average cost after financial aid (2023-24): $27,107 (often lower depending on household income) for full-time, first-year students who live on-campus

After merit scholarships, most families, without loans, pay less than low 30K’s.

Earlham offers a wide array of scholarships to incoming students. Some of these include:

Art Scholarships

Carleton B. Edwards Chemistry Scholarships

Community Scholars Program

Creative Writing Scholarship

Davis UWC Scholars

Elizabeth Thompson Jewish Studies Scholarship

Heartland Region Scholarships

Hometown Scholarships

Honors Scholarship

INspire Earlham Program

Merit Scholarships (awarded upon acceptance)

Music Scholarships

Quaker Fellows Scholarships

Theatre Arts Scholarships

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS:

Funded Summer Collaborative Research:

As part of Earlham’s student-faculty research emphasis, SCR is a paid opportunity to immerse yourself in cutting-edge scholarship opportunities with like-minded students—all while under the mentorship of a faculty expert.

While many SCR projects take place on campus, some are offered at sites throughout the country and even overseas. Students often present their research at Earlham’s annual Epic Expo and have accompanied faculty mentors to regional and national professional conferences.

Earlham has a rich history of providing SCR experiences for students. Through the generosity of donors, we fund roughly 50 students in 20 projects per year.

August Wilderness Pre-Orientation Program:

Established in 1971, August Wilderness is one of the oldest and most respected pre-orientation programs in the country. This 21-day expedition, coordinated by our outdoor education program, builds confidence and connects you with other new classmates before the start of the fall semester—a great beginning to your four-year Earlham adventure!

Incoming first-year students have the opportunity to go road-tripping “out west” for backpacking in the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Forming lifelong friendships, gaining leadership training, and receiving an introduction to Earlham’s integrated curriculum opportunities (3 academic credits awarded) are just some of the benefits of this unique experience. For many students, August Wilderness starts off a rewarding relationship with the outdoor education program

Anthrozoology Applied Minor:*

f you’re considering a career in veterinary medicine, animal-assisted therapy, farming or conservation — or even if you’re just interested in learning how humans and non-human animals engage with each other in the world — studying anthrozoology is a wonderful place to start.

Anthrozoology, the study of human-animal interactions, is a growing, interdisciplinary field. It covers a wide range of research topics, such as attitudes toward animals, the “human-animal” divide, animal behaviors/cognitions/abilities, wild-animal management/conservation, the roles/uses of animals within cultural contexts, and more.

*Applied minors (AMs) are distinctive programs allowing you to personalize your education and to help you make direct connections between academic interests and co-curricular activities.

Museum Studies:

Earlham College’s museum studies program leverages the extensive collections at the college to train students for the museums of the future. An interdisciplinary faculty from the Departments of African and African American Studies, Ancient and Classical Studies, Art, Biology, Earth and Environmental Science, and History guide students to experience the best of a liberal arts education.

Students explore the history, best practices and critical issues of modern museology, and develop a deep disciplinary knowledge within a subject area of their choice.

Quality Science:

Quality science is a term used in the life science industries, particularly in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences sectors. Quality, as a term used in these industries, means a measure of excellence or a state of being free from defects, deficiencies and significant variations. Quality scientists ensure that a product is suitable for its intended purpose. They increase the reliability, integrity and trustworthiness of the products we use every day.

Other noteworthy programs include:

Art, Nature and Conservation

Contemplative Studies

Film Studies

Japanese Language and Linguistics

Jewish Studies

Neuroscience

Outdoor Education

Peace and Global Studies

Physics and Astronomy

Shakespeare Studies

Sustainable Agriculture

Website: https://earlham.edu/

Link to their visit and virtual tour information: https://earlham.edu/admissions/visit/