Editing Colby College (section)

==Academics==
[[File:Miller Library, Colby College.jpg|right|thumb|Designed by [[Jens Fredrick Larson]] and built in 1939, [[Colby College Libraries#Miller Library|Miller Library]] stands at the center of campus.]]

Students choose from courses in 54 major fields and have flexibility in designing independent study programs, electing special majors, and participating in internships and study-abroad programs. Colby emphasizes project-based learning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colby.edu/academics_cs/index.cfm|title=Academics|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref> Colby's most popular majors, by 2021 graduates, were econometrics and quantitative economics (62); political science and government (62); computer science (34); psychology (32); environmental science (30); biology and biological sciences (29); and neuroscience (29).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Colby&s=all&id=161086#programs |website=nces.ed.gov |publisher=U.S. Dept of Education |title=Colby College |access-date=February 1, 2023}}</ref> Volunteer programs and service learning take many students into the surrounding community. Colby employs 216 instructional faculty members, approximately 90% of whom hold a doctorate or other terminal degree.

More than two-thirds of Colby's students spend time studying off-campus before they graduate. The college recognizes credits earned at over 200 off-campus programs in more than 60 countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colby.edu/academics_cs/ocs/index.cfm?clear=y|title=Off-Campus Study|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref> Additionally, studies at four programs locations are recognized for inclusion in students calculated grade-point averages: the International Center for French Studies at the [[University of Burgundy]] in [[Dijon]], France; the St. Petersburg Classical Gymnasium in [[Saint Petersburg]], Russia; the [[University of Salamanca]] in [[Salamanca]], Spain;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://saladeprensa.usal.es/webusal/node/21860|title=Estudiantes destacados de Estados Unidos y Europa se instruyen en los avances más recientes en Neurociencias en la Universidad de Salamanca – Universidad de Salamanca|access-date=7 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207105310/http://saladeprensa.usal.es/webusal/node/21860|archive-date=2016-02-07|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences]] in [[Boothbay Harbor, Maine|Boothbay Harbor]], [[Maine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigelow.org/education/colby-college/ |title=Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences :: Colby College Students |access-date=2014-03-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117225621/http://www.bigelow.org/education/colby-college/ |archive-date=2014-01-17 }}</ref>

Colby also participates in engineering dual-degree programs with the [[Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science]] at [[Columbia University]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://undergrad.admissions.columbia.edu/learn/academiclife/engineering/combined-plan-program|title=Combined Plan Program Experience – Columbia Undergraduate Admissions|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref> and the [[Thayer School of Engineering]] at [[Dartmouth College]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thayer.dartmouth.edu/academics/undergraduate/dual/|title=Dual-Degree Program – Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth|first=Thayer School of|last=Engineering|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref> The programs vary in length and requirements. The Dartmouth College program, which is on a 2–1–1–1 schedule, is the more popular one. 
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:85%; margin:10px; text-align:center; font-size:85%; margin:auto;"
!&nbsp;
!2016<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.colby.edu/admission/college-profile/|title=College Profile|website=Colby College|access-date=7 September 2016}}</ref>
!2017<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.colby.edu/news/2018/03/23/demand-for-colby-rises-among-high-achieving-students/|title=College Profile {{!}} Admissions and Financial Aid {{!}} Colby College|website=colby.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref>
!2018<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.colby.edu/news/2018/03/23/demand-for-colby-rises-among-high-achieving-students/|title=Demand for Colby Rises Among High-Achieving Students|date=2018-03-23|work=News|access-date=2018-04-06|language=en-US}}</ref>
!2019<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=http://www.colby.edu/news/2019/03/19/colby-admits-class-of-2023/|title=Colby Admits Class of 2023|date=2019-03-19|work=News|access-date=2023-04-07|language=en-US}}</ref>
!2020<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url=https://news.colby.edu/story/class-of-2024-admitted-to-colby/|title=Colby Admits Class of 2024|date=2020-03-30|work=News|access-date=2023-04-07|language=en-US}}</ref>
!2021<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|url=https://news.colby.edu/story/class-of-2025-admitted-to-colby/|title=Colby Admits Class of 2025|date=2021-03-26|work=News|access-date=2023-04-07|language=en-US}}</ref>
!2022<ref name=":7">{{Cite news|url=https://news.colby.edu/story/class-of-2026-admitted-to-colby/|title=Colby Admits Class of 2026|date=2022-03-21|work=News|access-date=2023-04-07|language=en-US}}</ref>
!2023<ref name=":8">{{Cite news|url=https://news.colby.edu/story/class-of-2027-admitted-to-colby/|title=Colby Admits Class of 2027|date=2023-03-27|work=News|access-date=2023-04-07|language=en-US}}</ref>

|-
|'''Applicants'''
|9,833
|11,190
|12,313
|13,584
|13,922
|15,857
|16,891
|17,800
|-
|'''Admits'''
|1,838
|1,768
|1,602
|1,295
|1,307
|1,279
|1,258
|1,142
|-
|'''Admit rate'''
|18.7%
|15.8%
|13%
|9.5%
|9.4%
|8.1%
|7.4%
|6.4%
|-
|'''Median SAT'''
|1370
|1420
|1490
|1500
|N/A
|1520
|1500
|1510
|-
|'''Median ACT'''
|31
|32
|33
|34
|N/A
|34
|34
|34
|}

For the class of 2027, Colby College admitted 6% of applicants, accepting 1,142 out of nearly 17,800 applicants.<ref>https://news.colby.edu/story/class-of-2027-admitted-to-colby/. ''Colby.edu''. Retrieved 2023-04-07.</ref> This represents a 12.3 percentage point decrease from the acceptance rate for the class of 2020, which was 18.7%, due in part to the college's decision to waive certain admissions requirements, such as the [[College admissions in the United States|supplemental essay]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-09/colby-college-frugality-fades-as-debt-load-doubles|title=Colby College Just Doubled Its Debt Load|last=McDonald|first=Michael|publisher=Bloomberg News|date=9 February 2015|access-date=2016-08-08}}</ref> and by increasing financial aid commitments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.colby.edu/admission/commitment/|title=The Colby Commitment {{!}} Admissions and Financial Aid {{!}} Colby College|website=colby.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-04-06}}</ref>

===Rankings===
{{Infobox US university ranking
| USNWR_LA = 25
| Wamo_LA = 24
| Forbes = 89
| THE_WSJ = 
}}

The 2024 annual ranking of ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' rates it the 25th best liberal arts college (tied with the [[University of Richmond]] overall in the U.S.), 8th for "Best Value," tied at 7th for "Most Innovative" and tied at 36th for "Best Undergraduate Teaching" among liberal arts colleges.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/colby-college-2039/overall-rankings |title= Colby College Rankings |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Washington Monthly]]'' ranked the college 24th in 2024 among 194 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. based on its contribution to the public good, as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 Liberal Arts Colleges Ranking |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024-college-guide/liberal-arts/ |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=Washington Monthly |language=en-US}}</ref>  ''[[Forbes]]'' in 2019 rated Colby 75th overall in its America's Top Colleges ranking of 650 military academies, national universities, and liberal arts colleges, and 32nd among liberal arts colleges.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/colleges/colby-college/?list=top-colleges |title=America's Top Colleges |magazine=Forbes |date=August 15, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Kiplinger's Personal Finance]]'' places Colby at 46th in its 2019 ranking of 149 best value liberal arts colleges in the United States.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/school/5788/colby-college/ |magazine =Kiplinger's Personal Finance| title=Kiplinger's Best College Values: Colby College Ranking |date=July 2019}}</ref> Colby College is [[Higher education accreditation in the United States|accredited]] by the [[New England Commission of Higher Education]].<ref>{{Citation|title=Maine Institutions – NECHE|publisher=[[New England Commission of Higher Education]]|url=https://www.neche.org/institutions/me/|access-date=May 26, 2021}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Niche (company)|Niche]] gave the college an "A+" for academics, administration, food, campus quality and diversity, a "B" for campus housing, health & safety, and athletics, and a "C+" for local city, and off-campus housing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://colleges.niche.com/colby-college/|title=Colby College|website=Niche.com|access-date=2016-04-20}}</ref> In Niche's official rankings, the college placed 16th for liberal arts and 46th overall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://colleges.niche.com/rankings/best-liberal-arts-colleges/|title=Best Liberal Arts Colleges - College Rankings|website=College Rankings and Reviews at Niche.com|access-date=2016-04-20}}</ref> Colby was ranked 29th in the country by ''Parchment''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.parchment.com/c/college/college-rankings.php?page=2&perPage=25&thisCategory=LAC|title=Parchment Student Choice College Rankings 2016 {{!}} Parchment - College admissions predictions.|website=www.parchment.com|access-date=2016-04-22}}</ref> Colby was also named one of "25 New Ivies" by [[Newsweek]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/americas-25-new-elite-ivies-108771|title=America's 25 New Elite 'Ivies'|first=Newsweek Staff On 8/20/06 at 8:00|last=PM|website=[[Newsweek]]|date=20 August 2006|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref> named to the list of the top ten environmental programs by the 2010 Fiske Guide,<ref>[http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/26/2106767/top-10-environmental-studies-programs.html Top 10 environmental programs] ''The Kansas City Star'' {{dead link|date=July 2023}}</ref> and ranked 13th by the 2011 [[Sierra Club]] rankings of "America's coolest schools."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/201109/coolschools/all-schools.aspx|title=- Sierra Club|access-date=7 December 2016}}</ref>