I am going to walk through those numbers with you. They all come from official reports that the institution itself submits to the federal government each year. None of them are my opinion or Alma College's opinion. My job here is to explain what they mean for a family making a decision, not to sell you on the school or warn you away from it.
What kind of school it is, before anything else
Let's start with the basics: Alma College is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution. The Carnegie Classification system, which organizes the country's colleges by what they do, describes it as a bachelor's college with diverse fields of study. It is small and highly residential: at the point in time used by that classification, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-controlled housing, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time. Carnegie also places it in its selective-admission group.
Being highly residential is not a minor detail. It means room and board will probably be a real part of your child's budget, not an optional extra. And that cost is almost never attached to tuition in the glossy brochure. Ask for it separately, with the meal plan included, before comparing this school with any other.
The highest level the institution reports offering is a master's degree, and IPEDS classifies it as an institution that awards primarily bachelor's degrees or higher-level degrees. That is an institutional fact, not a promise that the program your child wants connects undergraduate and graduate study there. If that matters to you, ask about the specific program.
One more thing before continuing: Alma College does not have any of three specific designations in this system—it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three designations. Alma's absence from that list tells you nothing about which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations are available, and, better yet, talk with someone who is already studying there.
Where exactly it is located. Alma, Michigan, is classified as a town, far from large urban areas. If your family does not live nearby, you will need to determine separately where your child would live and how your child would get around. The census code says only that the school is in a town setting; it says nothing about your particular situation.
A small community, with a very small Latino population
Alma College had 1,273 students enrolled in the most recent official count. It is medium-sized: among similar selective private schools, it falls in the middle of the group, neither among the largest nor among the smallest. Of that total, 1,235 are undergraduates and only 38 are graduate students—this is primarily an undergraduate school.
Now, the figure I most want you to see clearly: among Alma College undergraduates, 3 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino. That is a small number. Compared with the 941 similar selective private schools reporting this information, Alma is among those with the lowest shares—nine out of ten of those schools report a higher proportion.
I am not going to soften this or use it to scare you. Having few Latino students does not make the school bad, and having many would not make it good. This number counts who is enrolled today, nothing more. If your child will be one of the few, the right question is not whether to attend or not: it is what groups and support services exist there, and what a Latino student who has already spent time on that campus tells you. The number you see covers the whole school; your child's experience in a specific program may look different.
A couple of other contextual facts: the undergraduate population is almost evenly divided between men and women (52 out of every 100 are women), and there are almost no adult students—only 2 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old. This report does not include information for Alma College on where first-time students came from in the most recent reporting cycle; it simply is not available.
How the academic year is structured
Alma College operates on a 4-1-4 plan: four courses during four months, one month with a single course, and another four courses during the following four months. It is a distinctive calendar, different from the traditional semester system many of us know.
The institution accepts credit from AP exams. It did not indicate that it accepts credit for life experience, and it did report enrolling high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program. It also accepts credit for military training.
Here is a hard truth that can save you disappointment later: saying that the school accepts AP does not mean it will grant credit for every exam your child takes. This information does not tell us what score is required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific program your child is interested in. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
Its degree offerings are widely distributed. In the most recent year reported, Alma College awarded 277 bachelor's degrees across 18 different families of fields of study. No single family accounts for a large share: the most popular was business and management, and even it represented only 19 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. This suggests a school with broad offerings and no single major dominating the landscape. But be careful: 18 families with data do not mean 18 specific programs. A family groups several programs together. Verify the exact program your child is interested in, not the general category.
The student-faculty ratio is 14 students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. That sounds low, and in a certain sense it is. But compared with similar selective private schools, Alma falls in the quarter with the highest ratios—on the high side of its own group. Both things are true at once: the absolute number looks small, while relative to its peers it is on the high side. That is why we compare it with similar schools, not with all schools. And an important clarification: this ratio does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes. Ask the admissions office directly.
Structured pathways and opportunities
Alma College reports offering study abroad, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, the opportunity to complete preparation there in certain teacher-specialization areas, and state approval of its program for initial teacher certification. If your child's intended program involves teaching or studying outside the country at some point, these are opportunities worth exploring directly with the school.
Getting into Alma College: what it requires and what actually happens
Alma College does not have open admission. It reviews specific parts of an application before saying yes. Of the factors it reports considering, three are required: the high school transcript, the high school GPA, and an English-proficiency exam for applicants required to take one. Other elements are not required but are considered if submitted: letters of recommendation and whether someone in the applicant's family previously attended the school.
On that last point, let me be clear: if no one in your family attended Alma College, do not waste energy worrying about it. Spend that energy on what is actually within your child's control.
One fact worth mentioning: the published undergraduate application fee is $0.
How selective is it in practice? In the most recent cycle, Alma College received 3,975 applications and offered admission to 2,610 students. That is 66 out of every 100. Compared with the other 942 similar selective private schools, that is a common percentage, slightly below the midpoint of the group. Admission is not guaranteed, but it is not a lottery either: the application is reviewed.
But here is the number that really matters for understanding this school, and that almost never appears in the brochure: out of every 100 admitted students, only 13 ultimately enrolled. Put another way, out of every 8 young people who receive an acceptance from Alma College, about one ends up attending. Compared with similar schools, that proportion is on the low side—at seven out of ten similar schools, a larger share of admitted students enrolls.
Do not read that as a mark against the school. The fact that most admitted students did not enroll does not mean the school is bad; the federal record does not explain why each person made that decision. And what others decided does not tell you what the school will offer your child. What I will tell you is this: wait for the letter showing the net price. That is the figure that truly determines whether this school stays on the list.
Alma College reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admission decision, even if applicants submit them. That does not cover scholarships or course placement—ask about those separately if applicable.
About transfers: in the most recent count, 35 undergraduate students arrived at Alma College for the first time after studying at another institution. Compared with similar schools, that number puts Alma in the lower half, although it is a count of people and goes hand in hand with the school's size. How many credits those transfer students received is a separate question to ask the school directly. As for how many Alma students transfer elsewhere, this report does not include that information—it is not available, which does not mean no one does it.
The sticker price: $63,940 per year
At Alma College, among 23 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $18,726. Among 31 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $22,322; among 121 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $26,994. For dependent students, the income band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (23 students) and the average for the highest-income band (121 students) is $8,268. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $24,862.
$18,726 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth requesting the financial-aid letter.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The figure that matters is the financial-aid letter sent to you. In the meantime, use the net price calculator on the school's website.
Financial aid: everyone receives something, and borrowing is common
Here is a notable fact: at Alma College, all degree- or certificate-seeking students received some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the average was $35,497 for the year. That does not mean every student received that exact amount—the average includes those who received much more and those who received much less.
The federal Pell Grant, which is aid for low-income families, reached 21 out of every 100 students.
An average grant or scholarship amount of $35,497 is real money, but it is not a price. What matters is the number left after aid, and that must be requested case by case.
Now the hard truth, without cushioning it: out of every 100 undergraduate students at Alma College, 66 received a federal student loan. That is the majority. Among those who borrowed, each borrowed an average of $6,750 that year. Compared with similar selective private schools, that proportion of students with loans is on the high side—at seven out of ten similar schools, or more, a smaller percentage of students had to borrow.
Financing an education with debt is common here. If your child takes out a similar loan each year during the four-year program, the total comes to around $27,000, not counting interest. That decision should be made before the first signature, not at the end.
And a necessary clarification: that average covers a single year and only federal loans in the student's name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt from private banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt someone has at graduation—that would require adding all four years together, and that number is not in this report.
Alma College also reports offering an installment tuition-payment plan and participating in a Promise program, two mechanisms worth asking about in detail if your family is looking for ways to spread out payments.
Campus life: housing, ROTC, sports, and the library
Alma College has institution-controlled housing with a reported capacity of 1,314 students. Not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there—but that does not indicate whether a specific program may require it. The school also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week under its largest plan. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available when your child needs it: request the year's rate, the housing-application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child will be placed on a waiting list, all in writing.
There is an ROTC opportunity, and the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. The Navy and Air Force are not marked in this report. That does not mean access to other branches is impossible—it means you need to ask directly.
Alma College competes in intercollegiate sports and is affiliated with the NCAA. The report confirms NCAA or NAIA membership for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to compete, the membership belongs to the school and is not a guaranteed place for your child: contact the coach of the relevant sport directly and ask about roster availability, division, and whether athletic scholarships are available.
Regarding distance education: Alma College offers it, but not at the undergraduate level. In the most recent count, 0 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes online. If your child needs schedule flexibility, do not count on that option here, at least not as confirmed for the undergraduate level.
The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary lending. Its annual spending reached the threshold recorded by the federal government ($100,000), although the exact figure is not reported here.
Finally, Alma College reports combined academic and career counseling services, employment services for current students, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military families, and a published web address for services for people with disabilities. The reporting of these services confirms that they exist in some form; it does not confirm their quality or how accessible they are in practice. Ask about that directly.
What happens if your child gets in?
For me, this is one of the most important parts of the article, because this is where you can see whether a school delivers on what it promises.
First-year retention: of a cohort of 334 first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students, 255—76 out of every 100—were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar schools, Alma falls slightly below the midpoint of the group. More stayed than left, and that matters. But remember: not returning is not the same as dropping out. In this number, someone who transferred to another college and is still studying elsewhere counts the same as someone who stopped studying altogether.
Graduation: of a cohort of 408 first-time, full-time students who entered in 2017, 260 had graduated from Alma itself within six years. That is 64 out of every 100, more than half. At four years, the figure falls to 51 out of every 100—a difference of 13 percentage points between the shorter and longer time frames, which tells you something real: many students who graduate from Alma College take more than four years to do so. Compared with similar selective private schools, this rate is above the group's median.
One clarification worth keeping in mind: this count follows only students who entered for the first time and attended full time. It does not include transfer students or those who began part time. If your child enters under different circumstances, request the rate for that group.
At eight years, the window broadens: of an annual cohort of 381 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, 63 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Alma College by the August 2023 reporting date. Within that same group, one fact deserves direct attention: among students who received a Pell Grant, only 52 out of every 100 graduated within those eight years, 17 percentage points below students who did not receive Pell.
That gap does not tell you what will happen to your child if your child qualifies for Pell. It tells you that it is worth asking, specifically and in writing, what Alma College provides for those students: whether they have an assigned advisor, whether emergency aid is available, and whether institutional aid renews automatically each year or students must qualify again.
What you now know, and what is still up to you
You now know Alma College in greater depth than the brochure would have provided: its size, its community, its academic calendar, how it admits students, how much it costs at the sticker price and how much families like yours have paid, how it distributes aid, and what happens to students after they enroll.
This is one piece of the map, not the entire map. What your child wants to study, how far away your child is willing to live, and how well that student-faculty ratio fits your child's way of learning—those are things your child must work out. And what your family can and is willing to pay, after seeing the actual financial-aid letter rather than before, is something you must decide together.
Your child's responsibility is to investigate the exact program of interest, contact the coach if your child wants to play, and talk with current students. Your responsibility is the paperwork, the FAFSA, reading the financial-aid letter carefully, and asking the uncomfortable questions before signing anything. Neither of you should do the other's work alone.
Alma College is neither the answer nor the question. It is a real college, with real numbers, that you can now place on the table alongside everything else your family knows and this article could not know.
The information in this article comes from official data reported by Alma College to the US Department of Education's IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 reporting cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Alma College or the US government, and this article is not a substitute for direct verification with the institution's admissions or financial-aid office.