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Students say getting an education at Coker College is “an extremely positive, nurturing experience.� Undergraduates at this small, private school say their professors are “very approachable, and you can tell that they care about your academic career.� On top of that, the academic experience is characterized by “small classes with lots of individual time with teachers outside (and sometimes inside) class.� In fact, Coker distinguishes itself by maintaining a “roundtable, interactive learning environment,� in which students are expected to participate in discussion. Needless to say, small and discussion-based classes mean there is more accountability for students, and undergrads warn that “the workload is heavy and never slacks off.� Even so, struggling students reassure us that “professors are always more than willing to make appointments, or you can just see them around campus and ask them questions.� More than just a place to get a degree, Coker College employs professors who take a personal interest in their students and help them to “grow and become independent while getting a great education at the same time.� Outside the classroom, faculty and staff truly care about their students, and “If you run into your professor[s] outside of school they will talk to you about anything.�

It’s easy to feel at home on the Coker campus. By all accounts, “The majority of the students here are friendly and outgoing,� and “Since it’s so small . . . people know more people personally, and it keeps things from getting too cliquey.� Politically speaking, the campus is “moderate, with a slight lean toward the right,� and many students could also be described as “very Southern.� Some students express concern that “there is not enough political and religious diversity on campus,� although they note the administration’s efforts to attract a more diverse student body in recent years. Despite their common backgrounds, Coker students say, “Everyone here brings something that is unique� to the campus community. Students are “very accepting [of] new people.�

There are a wide variety of extracurricular activities at Coker College, but “The majority of students here are either involved in theater or play a sport.� When they aren’t on stage or on the playing field, students may be hanging out at the on-campus coffeehouse or in each other’s dorm rooms, studying, and socializing. During the warmer months, students enjoy taking advantage of Coker’s beautiful campus. The school owns a boathouse at a nearby lake; students say, “It’s a nice place to hang out when it’s hot.� Come the weekend, students tell us that, “Coker is not a party school,� although “They do have on-campus parties on Saturdays.� However, most students simply enjoy “hanging out in the dorm rooms or going out to eat.� In the surrounding community of Hartsville, Coker students take advantage of “free Fridays that allow us to bowl, skate, and eat for free,� and many say they like to “go to the local coffee shop, catch a movie for $1.50, or hang out in the local Wal-Mart.�