Saint Mary's College of California: Courses, Admission, Cost

St Mary’s College of California traces its roots to 1863 when it was founded as a Diocesion College for boys. It came under the administration of the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1868. Its location was then changed to Oakland, California. Today, it is a private college that is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. It offers 40 academic majors across streams. It comprises three graduate schools - Economics and Business Administration, Liberal Arts and Science. The average class size is 19. The Student-faculty ratio is 11:1. There are 216 permanent faculty members. The percentage of full-time faculty with doctorates is 95%. The average undergraduate financial aid package is $33,000.The gender distribution in 2018 was Female - 57.4% and Male: 42.6%

The ideals of the college are rooted in the liberal arts and work of Saint John Baptist De La Salle. There are currently 4030 students in the college and the average class size is 19. Besides focusing on academics, the College encourages students to discover and pursue other interests. Every year, students undertake projects such as transforming lives in the Bay area, development projects in the Amazon and many others. These activities take place in January. The college has a Fall semester, a January term and a Spring Semester. The college is located 23 miles from the East of San Francisco.

The campus has a distinct Spanish Renaissance-California Mission-style architecture, visible in its white walls and red-tiled roofs. 55% of the student population lives on campus. The first-year students live on campus. There are four living-learning centres on campus. The College anchors the Collegiate seminar which encourages students to read, discuss and argue, and question. Students organise Wednesday BBQs, retreats, organic gardening and many other activities that make life at the college fun and exciting. The college also comprises a Museum of Art which often showcases artists’ works. Students can get involved in Artists’ Dialogues and more. The college encourages athletics. It also fosters a healthy living environment. Fitness classes and outdoor trips are organised.

Notable alumni of the college include Mahershala Ali, Oscar-winning actor; Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author; Valerie Fleming, Olympic silver medalist; Paul Boschetto, CEO of Abel Services; Matt Ginella, Golf Channel analyst; Joseph Alioto, former Mayor of San Francisco and John Macken, Scientist and inventor with several patents