Rollins College
Winter Park, FL, USA

Reviews

Rollins College

Justin from Winter Park, FL

a current student here
5 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
When i started attending this college it was so surreal, everything about his school was perfect. The campus was beautiful, the professors amazing and my peers pretty awesome. The classes are small and have been more focused on the individual students unlike state college.
Tips for prospective students
This is a type of school where everyone seems to know everyone and you can easily make tons of friends. So the number one tip for me is to not be shy, not shy around your peers or your professors.
Academic Rigor
The classes are not to difficult in my opinion but even if they are a little challenging, you can always get a tutor. There is a tutoring center in the middle of campus and the best part about it, its FREE!
Dorm Life
I have a lot of friends who stay on campus, and it is always nice to go up there and visit. They are pretty nice and always people to meet and socialize with.
Food and Dining
There is a two story building where they you can get your food. on the main floor there is a huge selection on what to eat and drink ranging from pizza, chicken, steak or ribs, even sushi. On the bottom floor you can get and stock up on food to bring to your dorm, like milk, eggs, chips, bread and boars head meat.
What to do for fun
There are a bunch of different clubs you can join when you have free time, there are over 50 different clubs ranging from the rock climbing club to the cooking club. The school is 15 miles away from downtown Orlando if you wanted to go to clubs, bars, or malls. You cant forget that Disney world and universal studios is only a few minutes away from downtown Orlando.
Bang for the buck
There is a gym offering a bunch of classes you can take such as yoga, ballroom dancing, zumba, and even work out boot camps.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
There is a day called fox day. For this one day in spring, all of the classes are canceled!! That's right there are no classes for the day, last year there were giant water slides around campus and free food!!
Great for these types of students
Well the ratio of males to females is 40-60. So 60 percent are women and the other 40 percent are males. So guys are outnumbered and finding a girl should be pretty easy.
Clubs and Activities
There are over 50 different clubs you can join so you will never get bored. There is a video game club, rock-climbing club, ultimate Frisbee club, and much much more.
Greek Life
Rollins has 12 different fraternities and sororities on campus. 5 fraternities and 7 sororities.
Campus Safety
On campus there are stations every 100 feet or so where you can call for help if you are in trouble, or even lost and cant find your way somewhere.

Lauren from Rome, GA

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
I feel I made a great choice in picking Rollins College. I'm treated as a person, not a number, and amazing one-on-one interactions with professors. I'm proud to be a Tar (even though most people have to Google what a Tar is : )
Tips for prospective students
While Rollins is sometimes called the Harvard of the South, it doesn't mean we lack personality. My essay for Rollins was humorous and far from dry like the essays that so many of my friends were writing. Good grades and scores are important but are also not everything; I think they'd like to see long-term commitment to an extracurricular or two. If you visit the campus, ask good questions and be polite, but don't be one of those kids who thinks that sucking up to the tour guide will improve your chances of getting in if you haven't already.
Academic Rigor
At Rollins, I always feel challenged in the classroom but never pushed to the brink of my sanity. There's good balance in most everything.
Dorm Life
I like my dorm, but as with most schools, there's a few really obnoxious people that can take away from the experience. I also live on one of the nicest dorms on campus (Ward Hall).
Food and Dining
I LOVE the food at Rollins. There's tons of options and I never feel like I have to resort to unhealthy options because there's nothing else I want to eat. Also, if you don't feel like dining on campus, there's Park Ave right off of campus with tons of great dining options.
What to do for fun
It's fun to attend plays and other events on campus. When there's not much going on, however, there's plenty to do in the area. Because Winter Park is basically in Orlando's backyard, there are tons of places to go within a reasonable driving distance.
Bang for the buck
Rollins has one of the highest tuition rates in the country, but the level of education, experiences provided and the generosity of the college with their scholarship money make it worth the price tag.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Fox Day! During the spring semester, a day is chosen (the students won't know until the day arrives). On this day, a statue of a fox is rolled onto Mills Lawn at about 5 in the morning and classes are cancelled for the day. There's also a huge cookout and generally just a bunch of fun stuff. A great Rollins tradition!
Great for these types of students
I'd like to think that Rollins is great for any time of student. If you want a large school with most classes in large lecture halls where professors will most likely never know you by name, then Rollins isn't for you. Otherwise, come on down for a visit and see for yourself!
Clubs and Activities
There's something for everyone. From serious academic clubs to athletic clubs to political organizations, there's just about everything. There's even Quidditch and, from what I hear, they're starting up the Laughing Club again (they meet at designated times and literally just laugh about nothing for a few minutes).
Greek Life
While I'm not part of Greek life, I do know a bit about it. Rush isn't done until the spring semester and there's no hazing. You can still have a social life if you don't join a sorority or fraternity, and there's presence on campus isn't obnoxious like at some other schools I've visited.
Campus Safety
We might be a very small school, but campus security takes their job very seriously. I never feel unsafe while on campus and I know that if I don't want to walk across campus at night by myself back to my dorm, I can call campo and they'll escort me there.

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Tips for prospective students
The only tip I guess I have for prospective students would be that Rollins is not simply a reflection of the stereotypes it has been given. If you're looking at Rollins at all, I am sure you have heard about our reputation: Rollins isn't a college, it's a country club; everyone is rich and snobby; it's just a party school, etc. You will come to learn in your college search that every school has good and bad stereotypes. Rollins is home to a lot of wealthy people, but it's also home to a lot of people who are not, and wouldn't be here without extensive financial aid (myself included). There are snobby people everywhere you go, just don't surround yourself with them - it's not that hard. And if you ask me, every school in America is a party school depending on who you hang out with. I know people who go out every night, and I know people who never go out. Rollins is super diverse - so my final word to any prospective student is just to come and visit, make your own judgments about it, talk to the students who actually work hard here. If you're looking to come here just for a good time and no work, you're coming to the wrong place. You'll have plenty of fun, but you won't last longer than a year without busting your butt in your classes. Just saying.

PS, we are the best school around if you want to study abroad. Check it out.
Academic Rigor
The gen eds are pretty easy, and you won't lose any sleep over them if you're an intelligent person.

I think the academic rigor of the classes here differs depending on your major. There are a couple majors that are predominantly a joke, and most of the people in them are just in them because they want to maximize their party time. I am a psychology and music double major, and I have to work extremely hard to get A's in my classes. Plus, your education here (and anywhere else, for that matter) is what you make it. You can skate by and just take 12 credits a semester and party all the time, or you can load on the work and the extracurriculars and the jobs, etc. I always have a full class load, plus voice lessons, ensembles, and I just started an independent study for research in psychology that I'm going to be continuing until the end of my time here. Let me just tell you science people - you can't get research experience at other schools like you can here. At big universities, at best you can get a student research ASSISTANT position, which basically means you get to help the professor with research that they're doing - which is freaking awesome, don't get me wrong. But here, you can do whatever you want, and the professors are dying to help you make it happen. Grad schools are going to eat that up. Remember that.
Dorm Life
The dorms are not the best, but they are pretty much what you would expect college dorms to be like, honestly. They're actually way nicer than any of the other college dorms that I've seen in Florida. They all have community style bathrooms, which is the biggest complaint for me. I just don't feel at home if I keep having to lug all my stuff to the bathroom all the time. BUT we have one apartment-style dorm, which I lived in this past year, and it was AWESOME. The apartments have 2 double rooms that each get their own bathroom, a huge living room, a balcony, a kitchen, a dining room, and the bigger bedroom has a walk-in closet. Plus, we lived on the end, so our balcony was over-looking the lake. Million-dollar view there, folks.
Food and Dining
We legit have some of the best food around. Come visit and compare it to other college cafeterias. I had no idea how good we had it here until I went to go visit a friend at her college. Filet mignon, crab cakes, and risotto are common occurrences. And we have a made-to-order sushi bar, complete with really talented Asian sushi chefs. No joke. Not helping the country club stereotype, but I'm not complaining.
What to do for fun
Well, as I have mentioned, most people just head 15 minutes away to downtown Orlando to go to all the clubs (mostly on Wednesday and Thursday). I personally don't really like going out. But there are about a gazillion other things to do here - we're like right next to Orlando, hello. Winter Park is beautiful in itself, especially Park Ave and the little side streets that intersect it. So adorable, great shopping and eating. Orlando pretty much has everything you would ever want to do. And Rollins is located on a lake, and we have a beachside pool. So there's always canoeing, paddleboarding, tanning, water skiing, etc. Also, the closest beach is like max 1.5 hours away, which is not bad at all!
Bang for the buck
Hmm, bang for the buck...let me tell you, it is definitely a lotttt of buck. Probably the most expensive school around here. But Rollins totally takes care of me. They're always giving us free stuff left and right, they feed us good food, we live by a lake, we have FOX DAY (look it up!), and you don't have to pay for your cap and gown when you graduate cause that's like pocket change for Rollins. So if you can get enough financial aid, it's a ton of bang for your buck!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Okay, fine, you don't have to look Fox Day up - didn't see this box before. Fox Day happens every year in the spring, usually the first or second week of April. It's when the president picks a random day that is supposed to have beautiful weather, and doesn't tell anyone (literally), and at like 5:30am on that day, he goes out to the lawn and puts this big statue of a fox by the flagpole, and that means that class is canceled for the day! It has become such a huge deal, especially in the past few years. People play Fox Day Roulette weeks before it might happen, people place bets on when they think it will be, people won't do their homework/study for tests that are supposed to be on the day that they think Fox Day will be (which is stupid, btw), etc. And people legit camp out all night on the lawn if they think it's gonna be fox day, and when he finally does bring the fox out, people start running around like crazy at 6 in the morning screaming IT'S FOX DAYYY! and posting facebook statuses and calling their friends to wake them up and make sure they know, and then everyone goes and eats free breakfast in the cafeteria, and then goes and does whatever they want. Beach, Disney World, Universal (we sell discount tickets for all the theme parks), chill on campus by the pool, sleep, or Rollins always has some activities on campus for people who don't want to go anywhere, like slip and slides, giant inflatable twister, and so on. Then everyone comes back to campus by like 5:30 and there's more free food for the fox day barbecue! And then everyone goes and gets ready to come back to the real world for class the next day, cause Fox Day is ALWAYS in the middle of the week. Cruel, I know. But it's our own little holiday, and we get real excited about it.
Great for these types of students
Hardworking, fun-loving, open-minded, people who want to make a difference, people who love to learn and ask questions, people who have great ideas that they need help executing
Clubs and Activities
We have so many clubs I could not even tell you how many there are. One that most people find pretty interesting is the laughing club. They literally get together for like 15 minutes every week and just start laughing. People think they're crazy, but I think they might be on to something.
Greek Life
Eh, I'm not one for greek life, but I guess ours is as good as it gets.
Campus Safety
Our campus safety guys are great (well, most of them). There are a couple of crabby ones, and you won't like them when they give you a parking ticket (which they will, inevitably, sometime during your time here), but for the most part you can tell they genuinely are concerned about the safety of everyone here. If you are in the parking garage at like 11pm and you don't feel comfortable walking back to your dorm by yourself, they will come get you in their little golf cart or in a truck and drive you to your dorm. You can actually call them whenever you want if you need a ride to somewhere on campus. They are really nice for the most part. I even randomly called them a couple of weeks ago because I was creeped out and thought someone might have followed me back to campus, and I wanted to ask their advice on what I should do. They have our backs!

Luisa from Winter Garden, FL

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Rollins is a multicultural school with lots of opportunities.
Rollins has a gorgeous campus.
Rollins has provided me with the support that I need to be successful.
Tips for prospective students
Your professors are great if you need help, so look for them if necessary.
Share your opinion in class. We have discussion-based classes (since we are a small school).
Use your time wisely; there is time for both, fun and work.
Academic Rigor
It depends on the classes you are taking, but overall it is very rigorous.
First-year courses and general education requirements are not as hard as major courses.
There are a lot of tools and resources available.
Dorm Life
The dorms can be a little expensive.
First-year students are sometimes very loud and noisy.
It can also be fun since everyone is living in the same place.
Food and Dining
We have amazing food in here and great variety.
There is a sushi bar.
There is food places open until two in the morning.
What to do for fun
Downtown Orlando is 10 minutes away.
There are lots of on-campus activities all the time.
We have a lake, canoes and sailing boats available to rent for free for students.
Bang for the buck
The campus is gorgeous, the facilities can be used by all students, and there are a lot of opportunities and resources for free.
We get a lot of free food and free t-shirts all the time.
The faculty is extremely nice and helpful.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Fox day!!! --- It is a day in which all classes are cancelled and everyone goes to the beach.
We have two pools and a lake (Lake Virginia)
Great for these types of students
For anyone basically, except for those who are looking for a large school where professors do not even know your name and getting to your next class takes you at least half an hour.
Clubs and Activities
Anything! Sports, laughing clubs, philanthropy clubs, multi-cultural clubs, activist clubs, etc.
If there is something we do not have, you can always start it. The school is very supportive with new organizations as well.
Greek Life
33%of school is greek.
Those involved in greek life are usually not exclusive.
Everyone knows everyone.
Campus Safety
We have very good campus safety.
Campus security is always on the look, and you can even get rides from them for no reason whatsoever.

samantha from largo, fl

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
when i stepped on campus for the first time, i knew it was my dream school. rollins college is the perfect atmosphere for a college student. with the stress that comes from college academics, it's refreshing to have such a beautiful campus and town to enjoy when you need a study break.
Tips for prospective students
my best advice is to visit the school you are interested in a few times before you decide. i visited rollins many times, and discovered new things about the school each time. if you are pleased with the school after a few visits, then you will know.
Academic Rigor
as a science major, academics are quite challenging. but because of the academic rigor, i am confident that i will be ready for my career once i graduate.
Dorm Life
i think rollins college has some of the nicest dorms to offer. any college you go to, the dorm space is quite limited, but it is what you make of it. rollins offers exceptionally nice, clean dorms for their students.
Food and Dining
rollins has some of the greatest food for a college campus in my opinion. our dining hall was rated one of the best dining options in winter park. and if you aren't feeling the cafeteria we have a few cafes with other options as well.
What to do for fun
as our campus is on the lake, there is always something to do. tanning on the docks or taking a boat ride are just a few. and since campus is right by park avenue, the restaurant options shopping is premium.
Bang for the buck
rollins tuition is quite steep. but with hard work, you can receive high academic/athletic scholarships. in my opinion, being a student at rollins has been worth every penny.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
fox day is amazing! fox day is a random day selected by the president in the spring when all classes are cancelled. students usually head to the beach for the day or catch up on their sleep.
Clubs and Activities
rollins has tons of organizations and clubs to join. student government is quite popular.
Greek Life
greek life is definitely prominent on campus. if you are interested, it is a great way to meet new people. but if you aren't, many students are non-affiliated as well.
Campus Safety
i think campus safety does a great job. one time i hurt my ankle and couldn't walk to class, and they drove me to my classes with no trouble. one time my roommates car didn't start and once we called they came in 5 minutes to jump her car.

christina from sanford, fl

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
rollins is an inclusive and active campus. there are always activities going on that bring students together and create a great sense of community. academics are very important and professors really care about students as individuals and creating a healthy and inspiring learning environment.
Tips for prospective students
get involved on campus. there are numerous clubs at rollins which you can find at getinvolved.rollins.edu . one of the best on campus entertainment sources is rollins improv player shows. be sure to reserve your tickets or arrive early- seating is limited and the shows are popular.
Academic Rigor
rigor varies by professor. most professors have high expectations but not unrealistically so. whatever you are expected to be able to do, you will be provided with the resources and guidance to accomplish.
Food and Dining
dining selections are diverse and the food is usually very good. the main dining facility- skillman hall- has multiple stations to choose from and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. other on campus dining options include dave's boathouse- a pub beneath skillman hall open for late-night dining as well as during the day, cornell cafe- a popular lunch option in an academic building with chipotle-style wraps and bowls, busch cafe- a small cafe in the science building serving starbucks, bagels, etc., bookmark cafe in the library serving similar things to busch, and a wrap shop next to the bookstore.
What to do for fun
there is always something going on on campus and students receive daily emails with information about active and upcoming events. plays, debates, and improv shows are popular.
Bang for the buck
rollins is very expensive. financial aid is available and most students receive quite a bit from rollins but very few have all of their need met by the school. the education and environment are worth the expense but incoming students should be prepared to search for outside scholarships to supplement rollins financial aid.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
fox day happens one day every spring in which the college president decides that the day is too beautiful to have class. the president places a fox statue in the middle of campus to signify that classes are cancelled for the day. rollins hosts activities on campus to celebrate fox day but many students choose to leave campus for the beach.
Great for these types of students
students who value a liberal arts education and personal relationships with professors will be very happy at rollins.
Clubs and Activities
clubs are very active on campus and are very visible. rarely will there not be at least one organization tabling outside of the dining hall at lunch.
Greek Life
almost half of students are involved in greek life. there are numerous fraternities and sororities to choose from, including some unique to rollins.
Campus Safety
campus safety provides students with a free subscription to rave guardian that connects them directly to campus security in an emergency. there are "blue lights" throughout campus and on the way to the parking garage for emergencies. campus is in a very safe area of winter park.

stephanie from orlando, fl

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
the professors are the best in the business because some of them own companies and bring their real work experience into the class room. the professors have many years of experience in their field before coming to rollins. the assignments are real world assignments preparing you for life after college.
Tips for prospective students
apply for scholarships every opportunity you get because it is a private school and you will not get a surplus of scholarships. each year, the most you will get is exactly what you need unless you have outside scholarships.
Academic Rigor
it is intense and worth it. even though it is intense, the professors will work with you to ensure you can complete your work. most classes often have group projects so ensure you have some flexibility.
Dorm Life
i don't live on campus but the school is beautiful.
Food and Dining
the food is amazing and organic! they often use local farmers and there is a farmer's market nearby. it is very comfortable as well. you can eat pretty much anywhere on campus. if you don't want to eat on campus, there are several restaurants right next to school buildings.
What to do for fun
i'm a gamer. i play a lot of online games.
Bang for the buck
if you're attending the holt school, it is worth the money. if you make use of everything available to you, this is worth the cost.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
the school itself is almost a community. i joke with some friends that you could be homeless and comfortably go to college at rollins. the library is open 24/7 and the gym doesn't require additional payments. food is readily available as well from the cafeteria or nearby stores. the entire campus is one big home. in all honestly, if you're so strapped for money, but you're committed to going to college, you can do it here.
Great for these types of students
rollins is ideal for working students and students fresh out of high school. they have 2 unique programs so be sure to ask about them.
Clubs and Activities
there is also something going on. free food and free swag is given out almost every week. i follow many of the school news papers and i'm a member of beta gamma sigma. education is celebrated and creativity is celebrated through clubs.
Campus Safety
we get regular reports if there is anything wrong on campus. they also have events that help teach students about consent and staying safe on and off campus. safety is a high priority. it needs to be since the campus is so integrated with the community.

Happy Student

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Rollins isn'Â?Â?t just a college, it'Â?Â?s a family! Not only does Rollins help you build an amazing resume and guide you towards a fantastic career, it also gives you a beautiful campus, tons of fun events, and a community of people who are honestly excited to help you succeed in life. You are an important individual, not a number, and (as long as you work and play in good moderation), you'll love just about every minute at Rollins.
Tips for prospective students
Work hard and get involved. You have so many fantastic resources at your disposal here, so take advantage of them!

Get to know your professors. They care about you both academically and personally, and are fantastic people overall. Utilize the office hours they provide for you and work on building a strong relationship with them. They're very open and friendly -- I've even heard of students who are so close with their professors that they babysit their kids!

Be willing to come out of your shell, but that shouldn't be too hard. The people at Rollins are so sweet and friendly, you'Â?Â?d probably have to make a serious effort NOT to open up.
Academic Rigor
Rollins has a wonderful balance of difficulty and interesting content. You will be expected to participate in group projects and you must be willing to work hard on your own individual assignments if you want to do well. It'Â?Â?s not easy, but for the most part it isn'Â?Â?t overwhelming if you pace yourself and stay on the ball with your work.

Even better, the classes can be pretty fascinating (especially with the introduction of the new gen ed program)! You can investigate Jack the Ripper, analyze Lord of the Rings, work on 3D animations, and more. It can be hard to pick classes simply because there's too many that are interesting!
Dorm Life
I am an off-campus student so I can't speak from personal experience, but my friends seem to think the dorms are fine. There's some complaints (such as noisiness in the freshman dorms, namely McKean) and concern with roommates, but otherwise the dorms that I'Â?Â?ve seen are pretty comfortable and come with furniture like desks and closets. And although I haven'Â?Â?t been in any dorm rooms in Ward, the lobby is lovely. The freshman dorms seem to be the ones with the most difficulty, but dorms like Strong Hall get a lot of praise from students (and even looking at it from afar, it's gorgeous!).

To keep off-campus students from feeling left out, Rollins has an awesome Off-Campus Lounge. It houses a large television, video game consoles, sofas, a bean bag chair, a computer, and more. Some students come here just to sleep, and others come to hang out (like for Friday night movies). Off-campus students are allowed to bring an on-campus friend with them, so everyone can get involved here.
Food and Dining
The food here is phenomenal! Ranging from filet mignon to heaping plates of pepper steak, rice, and steak fries large enough for two people, they really do spoil you at the dining hall. There'Â?Â?s several stations that serve different foods for each meal every day, so you get a lot of variety and you can sometimes watch the chefs make your food in front of you. They're open to your specifications and their dishes are fantastic.

If the meals of the day and the soup/salad/dessert bar don't interest you, there'Â?Â?s a convenience store downstairs where you can purchase packaged/frozen foods or have a sub made in front of you. If THAT'S not what you're looking for either, there's a mock-Chipotle on campus and several places that sell miscellaneous snacks and beverages.

If nothing on campus that day is appealing, you can walk directly across campus to Park Avenue and go to any number of restaurants, including Panera, Park Ave Pizza, and BurgerFi. There's lots of fantastic food options on campus and off, so you'Â?Â?ll never go hungry.
What to do for fun
Even if you'Â?Â?re not actively involved in any official clubs or activities, you can still go to Rollins events. Sometimes there's inflatable obstacle courses or movies on the lawn, sometimes there's free stuff being given out, and sometimes there's a speaker coming to campus (Paul McCartney, for example). There's also a pool and a lake, where you can swim or take walks or even enjoy a scenic boat tour.

If nothing is going on at Rollins, you can also take a stroll down Park Ave to find something fun to do. There's lots of restaurants and places to get sweet treats, as well as fancy stores if you like to window shop. Park Ave and the campus are both beautiful, so an afternoon spent just walking around is not a bad idea at all if you'Â?Â?re feeling a little down.
Bang for the buck
You definitely get your money'Â?Â?s worth at Rollins! And although Rollins is definitely pricey, most students are given some form of financial aid right away (usually with scholarships).

What you get with this money is delicious food, a beautiful campus, amazing professors, interesting courses, lots of experiences, and more. For example, my business class paid for its students to attend an innovation lab and obtain a certification that normally costs thousands of dollars.

Rollins prides itself on being open-minded and really pushes for its students to get international experience, so it offers tons of abroad programs (including semesters abroad and internships). Rollins ranks among the top ten institutions of its type in the percentage of students it sends abroad.

On top of all that, Rollins is also fantastic at networking and has a large variety of resources for its students (including job searches and a big, four-floor library).
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The most well-known tradition at Rollins has to be FOX DAY! On one random, early morning in the spring semester, the president of the college places a fox statue on the lawn and all classes are officially cancelled for the day. Students go out to the beach or amusement parks, or stay on campus and have fun with inflatable games. Everyone comes back to the campus and has a free barbecue afterwards. Nobody knows when this day will happen except for the president (not even the professors), so you may be saved from having to take a test that day! This event is so popular with the students that there�s actually a camera set up on the lawn so that people can watch out for the fox.
Great for these types of students
Those who are open-minded and willing to work hard are very much welcome in the Rollins community. While there'Â?Â?s admittedly some pretty cool parties that go on, it's a waste of your time and money to attend Rollins if you'Â?Â?re just going to party. You have to be smart and remember to use moderation with work and play if you want to make the most of your time here.

Rollins will pull students out of their shells so if you'd rather be just a small fish in a large sea, a bigger university would be better for you. At Rollins, professors will know you by name, you will be expected to work in groups, and there aren'Â?Â?t lecture halls to escape in. That being said, there are plenty of introverted people here who have a great time, and you might be surprised at how quickly you become a part of the Rollins family. They'Â?Â?ll take good care of you and treat you like a very important individual, not like a number.
Clubs and Activities
There's over 100 student organizations to get involved in, ranging from student government to ecoRollins to rock climbing! Rollins hosts an involvement fair where students can view the available organizations and get more information (and free stuff!). There'Â?Â?s plenty of clubs just for fun as well as clubs for governing, community engagement, and service. If you have a passion, chances are Rollins has a club for you.

As far as activities go, there'Â?Â?s usually something going on at Rollins. In my first semester, I've seen a movie on the lawn, inflatable obstacle courses, free ice cream sundaes, pancake flips, a party by the pool, improv performances and plays, and more!
Greek Life
I am not personally a member of Greek life (yet), but I've heard that it's great and the people I've met who are involved have been really friendly.
Students are not allowed to pledge until the spring of their freshman year, because the college wants students to get involved and not feel pressure or isolation by not being a part of Greek life immediately. There's also a strict no-hazing policy, so there's nothing to be afraid of. Although movies might give you the impression that Greek life is shallow and boring, it'Â?Â?s really anything but! The groups are dedicated and passionate, performing community service and adopting organizations (like Girl Scouts).

Greek life isn't an overwhelming or unsavory presence at all and you won't feel shunned if you'Â?Â?re not a part of it. The people are open-minded and sweet (as with any other club) and they'Â?Â?ll be just as happy to befriend you as they are with their brothers and sisters.
Campus Safety
Rollins takes fantastic care of its students, and your safety is no exception. If at any time you feel uncomfortable or scared, you can contact campus safety and they will escort you to wherever you need to be. There's stations all around campus where you can easily call for someone to come get you. They ride around on golf carts all day and keep an eye on everyone, so you don't have to feel unsafe.

If anything happens on campus or near it, students receive a timely e-mail alerting them of the event and offering some tips to keep themselves safe.

Nicole from Naples, FL

researching this school
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Beautiful, tree-covered campus on Lake Virginia. It's located in Winter Park, a nice, lively town a little bit north of Tampa. The mascot is the Tar, an old word for sailor.
Tips for prospective students
Apply early, visit and contact coaches if interested in sports.
Academic Rigor
The classes are seminar-styled in which students and teacher (never a T.A.) sit in a round table and participate in a discussion. It is very obvious if you did not read or prepare.
Dorm Life
Dorms are okay, not too big. There are single's available, but most freshmen dorms are doubles. Each floor is divided in two wings; each wing shares a common bathroom with showers. Free laundry available.
Food and Dining
Students need to purchase full meal plans as freshmen, but have lots of choices to choose from.
Bang for the buck
Somewhat pricey; get as many scholarships as you can. Take advantage of the free kayaking, bicycle rentals, canoeing, pool and gym.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Fox day- look it up, it's great!
Great for these types of students
International Business majors
Greek Life
Rush is in the spring of Freshmen year, therefore you can move in sorority/fraternity house the following year.
Campus Safety
Very safe, emergency phones everywhere. To get into a building, students need to scan school I.D which will only unlock their dorm building.

Cass from Florida

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
- Rollins has a beautiful campus with multiple spots to relax and do homework or hang out with friends while also accessing wifi (even in the middle of the lawn).
- The faculty and staff have a genuine care about your well-being and will go out of their way to make sure that their students are succeeding.
- The variety of classes offered to undergraduate students include a variety of interests in order that students enjoy their classes while fulfilling the general education requirements.
Tips for prospective students
- Bring shower shoes because the showers are communal in most underclassmen dorms
- Do not get overwhelmed by the social scene on the weekends and evenings there will be plenty of Jay Gatsby and Mitch Buchannon parties throughout your time here
- Ask for help if you need it, Rollins offers a variety of free services for students in order that they succeed
- Do NOT believe everything you read on Rollins Confessions/College Confessions, most of that is extremely untrue
- Small class sizes = professors know if you didn't do the reading/assignment
Academic Rigor
Since Rollins is a liberal arts college, as a student, you will take courses in all fields in order to obtain a well-rounded education while fulfilling your electives and general education requirements to graduate. Also, class sizes are small and most professors are very discussion oriented so be sure to stay on top of readings and assignments in order to actively participate and receive a good grade in the course.
Dorm Life
Adjusting to sharing a living space with someone can be difficult but the summer before your freshman year begins, Rollins sends a housing packet for you to fill out with your individual lifestyle preferences. There is no grey areas with most of the questions so be sure to fill them out to the best of your abilities about which thing you prefer (studying at night or day, etc.).

Once on campus, there will be amazing activities that your RA hosts, GO TO THEM. They're great community builders and a lot of fun usually with a lot of free things :).

Be prepared for loud noises in the hallways, especially on Fox Day ;)
Food and Dining
There is only one option for the meal plan so hopefully you like to eat. The main dining hall has interesting, different options each evening however, there are other eating locations on campus in addition to Dominos and Park Avenue Pizza delivering to campus using your meal plan money.
What to do for fun
There is so much for students to do on campus because different student organizations host events almost on a daily basis (usually notified through Facebook or the daily email). In addition, Park Avenue is wonderful to walk around and Winter Park Village is about a mile up the road (there is a complementary shuttle that runs on Friday evenings to and from the WPV). Also, there is something to do downtown if that is what excites you, Jay Gatsby and Mitch Buchannon are the wonderful Rollins (anonymous students) party planners.
Bang for the buck
Rollins offers so many opportunities and things for the students it is definitely worth the money!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Fox Day - Spring Semester. Classes Cancelled. Day of Fun. Enough Said.
Jumping/Being thrown in Lake Virginia on your birthday - at least once before you graduate (be prepared, it will happen to you at least once)
Great for these types of students
Rollins is an extremely diverse campus with a multitude of student types and to fit everyone's different needs/desires/passions, there are over 140 student organizations that one can join as an undergraduate student :)
Clubs and Activities
There are more than 140 student organizations on campus and each provide different wonderful services for students
Greek Life
Greek life at Rollins is extremely inclusive, does NOT haze (do not believe everything you hear), and is very welcoming to the overall college community. They host a variety of events, parties, service events, and overall are very campus and service oriented.
Campus Safety
ALWAYS around and willing to give you escorts to wherever you are going whenever needed.