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Students who attend the College of Ozarks leave feeling academically, spiritually, and monetarily richer, thanks to the solid scholastic programs, Christian beliefs, and 鈥渢he biggest strength ... [getting] to graduate debt-free.鈥� Consensus is that having a combination of scholarships and a work program that requires all undergrads to hold a campus job is a 鈥渉uge asset鈥� because it fosters a 鈥渦nique sense of community鈥� and ensures that students have real-world experience: 鈥淚 personally have jumped around and gained a variety of skills that I can add to my r茅sum茅.鈥� These benefits do come with a measure of strictness in terms of a dress code and curfew, but attendees largely agree that these make 鈥渢he work ethic of the student body unbelievable. As a whole, we are unmatched.鈥� They鈥檙e also balanced with the school鈥檚 Christian background, which 鈥渄oes an amazing job at creating a wonderful environment to grow our relationship with God.鈥� Undergrads are quick to praise their 鈥渆xtremely knowledgeable鈥� professors, and the way in which they can bring 鈥渢opics to life鈥� and 鈥渆asily connect with the students.鈥� Plus, 鈥渕ost professors have found a strong balance between discussion and lecture to create a positive environment and promote student interaction.鈥� Though some undergrads do caution that the 鈥渃lasses and academics are rigorous,鈥� they emphasize that 鈥減rofessors do everything they can to help students succeed.鈥� That interaction goes a long way: 鈥淭hey have prompted [me] to grow in my writing and analytical skills, and have enriched my understanding of the world.鈥�

A sense of community permeates the College of Ozarks鈥� campus and it鈥檚 easy to understand why. As one junior explains, 鈥淲e definitely have a relatively small student body here, which makes everyone feel like family.鈥� This runs deeper than casual kindness: 鈥淧eople here are genuinely concerned about you; they take five minutes of their day to listen to you and give advice.鈥� One area that could stand a little improvement is diversity, with some undergrads acknowledging that the 鈥渟tudent body is fairly homogeneous鈥� and mainly hails from 鈥渋n/around the Ozarks region.鈥� However, they also highlight the fact that the school 鈥渉as its fair sprinkling of international, transfer, and non-traditional students.鈥� Of course, no matter where they鈥檙e from, the vast majority are 鈥淐hristians who... desire to grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.鈥� Most importantly, they tend to lead with kindness and are quick to 鈥渙pen doors, walk people back to dorms, and frequently donate time or money.鈥� As one senior sums up, 鈥淢y peers are so life-giving. We laugh, cry, and learn to be better people together.鈥�

College of the Ozarks certainly lives up to its nickname, 鈥淗ard Work U.鈥� Not only are students 鈥渧ery devoted to their studies,鈥� they also work 鈥�15 hours a week on campus鈥� at one of over 80 work stations. Job placements are wide-ranging and include the Print Shop, the Power Plant, and the school radio station, KCOZ. Of course, these industrious undergrads still manage to make time for extracurriculars, from the 鈥減retty popular鈥� worship nights to intramurals that range from seasons of classic sports and tournaments 鈥渂etween dorm buildings鈥� to 鈥渁 disc golf team...with a huge course going throughout the campus.鈥� Additionally, the Student Union 鈥渄oes a great job of putting on different activities,鈥� including the highly anticipated Mudfest, an annual game of tug-of-war over a mud pit. For more relaxing fare, students flock to events where they can indulge in 鈥渇ree coffee, treats, and live music.鈥� It鈥檚 also just as common to find undergrads taking advantage of their beautiful surroundings. This often entails 鈥渉ammocking,...having picnics, [or simply] strolling around campus.鈥� Best of all, your walk can take you right to the school鈥檚 dairy: 鈥淵ou can go there anytime to pet and feed the calves.鈥� One thing students feel worth emphasizing is that all of this is 鈥済ood, clean, real fun,鈥� thanks to a 鈥渮ero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol.鈥�

College of the Ozarks has a Career Center on campus that is committed to each student鈥檚 success by helping this hardworking bunch choose majors, evaluate career paths, find jobs in various fields of study, and conduct research on potential careers. The college鈥檚 work education program requires students to work 15-hour-a-week jobs during regular school weeks and two 40-hour weeks when classes are out of session. This ensures that students have the opportunity to build their r茅sum茅s and network with employers before they graduate. In addition to gaining valuable experience, this allows students to graduate debt-free. Students also report that 鈥淐ollege of the Ozarks provides students with incredible leadership opportunities.鈥� One such example is the Patriotic Education program, which has a student accompany a veteran of World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War to the historic battleground on which that soldier served. It鈥檚 no wonder that with such a unique approach to education that the school boasts an 88 percent post-graduation employment rate; Payscale.com also reports that 53 percent of graduates derive a high level of meaning from their job.