Coker University

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.”