Unity College
New Gloucester, ME, USA

Reviews

Unity College

Jordan from Johnsburg, IL

a current student here
14 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
Unity College is hands on learning based. They put you out in your field of study and relate all subjects to the environment.
Am enjoying being here
Unity is a very welcoming community and is accepting of people's differences. It has become a second family and a huge influence on my train of thought. I am more appreciative of the people in my life, and the beauty of nature.
Bang for the buck
Unity is an expensive school, but it's worth it. With it's small class sizes you have a more personal relationship with your professors and the ability for field work. The marine biology majors go on whale watches, the con law students have to find their way off of a mountain, the wildlife biology students go to moose check stations, and much more. You get a lot of experience as well as an amazing education
Tips for prospective students
Don't be shy or seclude yourself from activities. Unity College has what is called the Deans Cup Competitions. Residence halls compete against each other in fun activities including softball, hall decorations, potato sack races, and much more. It's a really fun place to be, and a great place to learn.
Great for these types of students
People interested in the well being of our environment.

Shelby from Ewing, NJ

accepted here and planning to attend soon
7 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Will learn a lot
Being in a rural area and at an environmental college, OBVIOUSLY you'll learn a lot. Some classes are held outside and the nearby woods offer a great place to learn more about your given major.
Will enjoy being here
When I visited, I loved it from the instant I drove into Maine. I went in March, so there was still snow on the ground and I had to wear a snow jacket, but it was worth it. Unity College really cares about you as an individual and realizes that not everyone will go home for the weekend, so there is plenty to do here. With over fifty clubs and intramural sports to choose from, there will never be an instant where you'll be bored. And with the snow, snowman contests and snowball fights are always in effect! :)
Bang for the buck
Living in New Jersey, I do not think Unity's tuition is that high, but you will definitely love it here. Everyone is very chill and relaxed and there are many times where you will be outside conducting work studies and learning things you just wouldn't if you were in a classroom reading from a textbook.
Tips for prospective students
Be unique. Definitely build up your resume, because on the regular online application process, there is only so much you can fit. But if you do a resume, you can really express you as a person. Don't forget to describe yourself and what you do in your free time as well as volunteer experience because it will definitely help in the long run!
Great for these types of students
If you don't mind the cold, being away from your hometown and family, and love having everyone (including teachers) know you by your first name. Also, if you are passionate about the environment and want to do something to change it, Unity College will be perfect for you!

Alexandria from Sandy Hook, CT

a current student here
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Unity College is perfect for those who love the outdoors, who seek adventure, and who love everything science and nature have to offer. Even if you aren't outdoorsy (like myself) but you would like to be- Unity helps you get there! If you are an avid hunter, a marine biologist, if you love sports, being involved, having fun, if you are a scientist a psychologist, a farmer, a fisher, if you love ALL animals- or just a select few, then I can guarantee Unity College is the college for you!
Tips for prospective students
The most important tip that I would give any prospective student would be... Do not be afraid to get involved the moment you step on campus! Unity college students love when prospective students are not afraid to come pick up a Frisbee or a guitar and start playing! We encourage you to ask any questions you have no matter how ridiculous you may think it might be because we can guarantee you that at some point we had the same exact questions as you do now. If you are looking for a school with the best name for itself, that is sustainable, and is serious about giving it's students the best education for their major that will ensure a great future career, this is the school for you!
Academic Rigor
Truthfully, the academic rigor for Unity College is challenging. Professors have high expectations for their students, and want the best knowledge and education for them. This includes a decent sized workload at times. Although this may become stressful, it teaches you time management, as well as helps you to gain the knowledge needed to outshine in your major. Our professors have several degrees from places like Harvard and Princeton. They excel in their work and are willing to negotiate with you as well as work with you during private hours to guarantee you understand the material given. Classes are about 20 students or less and they are very hands on. This means field trips whenever possible, or going out into Unity's very own Unity Pond, Sandy Stream, or the forest trails.
Dorm Life
Dorm life at Unity College is fantastic! I personally transferred from a previous school before I came to Unity that was disgusting! I can guarantee to anyone that this school has one of the cleanest dorm buildings I have ever seen. Dorm bedrooms are decently sized, with large spacious windows that over look vivid sunsets and sunrises depending on what size of the building you live on. You are allowed to paint the rooms, add shelves, or add whatever addition you would like to the room as long as the Director of Residence Life approves it first! Fish are allowed, and for those who are 21 & over, all dorms except one (Woodhall) allow alcohol in the room. Most buildings come with a large common room that you are allowed to decorate. They have couches, tables, foosball/air hockey, organic vending machines, a microwave, a convection oven, a sink, and a flat screen TV. The only complaints I have would be that the Resident Advisor take hall sports, and loud music pretty seriously. Another complaint about the building physically would be that the drafts from the windows can be very strong when the wind blows. Also you have to pay for laundry, and the walls are pretty thin. But other than that, dorm life here is not some thing to complain about!
Food and Dining
The food at Unity College is fair. At times students can find the food to be very starchy, filled with carbs, and greasy, but there are ways around it. For example, we have a stir-fry station, a sandwich station, a salad station, and an around the world station that has food from Mexican, to Chinese, to Thai, and Indian, depending on what day it is. Students look forward to our annual Thursday-grill cheese day! And our once a month holiday meals that are DELICIOUS! We do our best to make sure our food is all from local farmers and organically fresh-like our milk! Our cafeteria is small but very inviting. It offers warm colors, large tables, and large private booths. It even has a great selection of music that plays, and a beautiful glass sunroom!
What to do for fun
There is a lot of fun things to do for fun on campus is an understatement. Our school is constantly offering fun activities to do for fun! Every Wednesday we have a coffee house that offers free coffee and tea, and a local band or musician to come play in our Students Activities Center (the SAC). In the SAC alone, we have pool, darts, TVs, couches, food, board games, and a liquor license. On Thursday our school offers a DIY craft that you can come down and make for free! We also have themed dances, karaoke, talent shows, free movies at our local theater, Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball, yoga, hiking trails, ice fishing, kayaking, sailing, we have a bonfire pit on campus that anyone can start up as long as they have permission from campus safety, we have rock climbing in the gym on our rock wall, yoga, girls night at the wellness center, clubs, sports, and much, much more!
Bang for the buck
Aside from the numerous free activities I listed in our what to do for fun category, our school offers all Microsoft word programs for a $15 steal. The school's student activities and the Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) provide trips to places like Bar Harbor, Portland, Acadia, a weekend cottage getaway to Cutler Coast and many more are free! The school offers many chances for each student to gain a taste of the different beautiful places that the state of Maine has to offer. In addition to this, the clubs also offer free trips as well! If students cannot afford items like a sleeping bag, a life jacket, a kayak, a canoe, a hiking backpack, or any other camping item, our OAC is able to supply you with these materials for as long as you need! Our library is also able to supply you with any sort of video making equipment necessary for a certain amount of time as well! Our science building is also willing to give any materials needed for a project, such as vials, alcohol, microorganisms, pipettes, and whatever else you may need. In addition to these, our SAC and local restaurants such as Unity's House of Pizza (free delivery), The Purple Cow, the Amish Bakery, and Spanky's Pizza offer a delicious decently sized portion of food for a decent price!
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Our school is definitely unique compared to most colleges. Some of our traditions include the Polar Bear Run, The Swedish bobsled team which includes a group of crazy goofballs that run around sledding in ridiculous swim wear on every snow day collecting men from each of the dorms and speaking in Swedish accents. Another tradition would include the Hunters & Huggers dinner where we gather together with students and professors to eat locally grown fruits, vegetables, turkeys, lobster, lamb, and veil. We also have our annual Formal Flannel Dance! This is where the men and women get to choose whether they would rather wear a formal outfit to the dance, or their best flannel, jeans, and boots! An unusual location on campus would be our very own Unity Rocks, which is a mini remake of the Stonehenge, surrounded by blueberry bushes, we also have Terra haus which is our very own sustainable dorm building that houses 8 students with a complete kitchen, our shed that houses chickens, and more to come future livestock, as well as a complete archery range, and the Woodsmen Field, used for timber sports!
Great for these types of students
Unity is great for people who are both loud and quiet. It's for the people who love nature, animals, guns, archery, waterfowl, primitive skills, the ocean, the woods, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and many more. This college is great for those who do not enjoy large schools (Unity College has 500 students) but want a small, tight knit community instead. This is a great school for students who want to become involved in spreading awareness about anything such as global climate change, and genetically modified foods or volunteering at countless places such as the Loki Wolf Refuge, Waterville's Humane Society, or the Avian Haven Rehab Center-just to name a few! It is also great for the students who want to learn how to grown their own crops, medicinal herbs, and livestock. If you want one on one time with your professors on a first name basis, small classroom settings, hands on experiences, the taste of different cultures, and to create a great name for yourself with a complete resume, as well as multiple careers already lined up for you when you graduate. This is the right college for you!
Clubs and Activities
We have a wide range of clubs and activities! This includes clubs such as the Marine Biology Club, the Ultimate Frisbee, Primitive Skills, Archery, Herpetology, Beekeeping, Choir, Ice Hockey, Drama, Outdoor Leadership, Search and Rescue, Outing club, Trail Crew, Sugar makers, Wildlife Care and Education, Woodsmen team, FFA, Conservation Law Enforcement (Con Law), Service Squad, Art, Martial Arts, American Sign Language, Curling, Wildlife Society, Earth and Environmental Science, Role Play, and much more! Students are encouraged to create their own clubs in addition to the numerous clubs offered!
Greek Life
Unfortunately, Unity College does not have any sort of Greek Life.
Campus Safety
Campus safety is good at Unity College. You can always find them driving around in their metallic powder blue minivans. They love to get to know the students, and they do their job well. Unity College has an extremely minuet crime rate, so when campus safety does have a crime related situation they are able to do their job well and take the time they need in order to make sure that the problem is solved. They also do nightly rounds around campus and inside the dorm buildings along with the RA's to make sure that everyone is safe and secure. Campus safety gives free parking passes to the students, and allows up to two visitors at a time for each student.

Frances from Unity, ME

a current student here
6 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
I have learned so much about animals, which I'm Specializing in, that it's crazy. Go ahead, I dare you ask me a question. It helps that the teachers have all had careers putting the subject that they teach into practice. This helps us want to learn because they can relate it to real life.
Am enjoying being here
I love it here. Most of the classes are outside at some point, there is ALWAYS something to do on a Friday night, and It's small, so everyone knows everyone.
Bang for the buck
I will admit that it is expensive; however, it offers lots of hands on experience. How many other colleges have labs that include handling animals, training them at the animal shelter, learning first aid, rock climbing, ropes courses, camping, farming, building and Lot's more. If you want to do more than learn, Unity is worth every penny.
Tips for prospective students
Just be yourself, you will find friends and have loads of fun.
Great for these types of students
If you love the outdoors, want nature to be your biggest teacher, don't mind the cold, and want to make history in the environmental world, this is the college for you.

Stacey from Danielson, CT

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Unity College is an amazing environmental school that is committed to involving students in their surroundings and their community. This school offers unique programs that no other school can offer, as well as unique opportunities that cannot be found anywhere else! Unity College encourages students to get outside, be active, and take a stand for their beliefs.
Tips for prospective students
When looking at Unity College, do not judge a book by its cover. This school has so much more to offer than what's in the classroom. Most classes are outdoors where you will learn the most about what your instructors are teaching you. Become involved in every opportunity the school presents to you from exercise courses and sports teams to exclusive classes and organized student activities in the Student Center. The school is trying to provide you with opportunities that will help with your career. My main tip is to not pass up this college. Unity College is a place where not only dreams come true, but they also expand.
Academic Rigor
Unity College is the college to help you reach your full potential. The courses there and challenging but affective. Every opportunity presented to you in a classroom has a meaning and will be used in later courses and life.
Dorm Life
Residence hall life at Unity College is a way to expand on your character and comfort within social groups. There is a relaxing atmosphere and your fellow residents become your family. The college is sure to provide you with the necessary items you need in your room and will do their best to make accommodations or improvements. Residence hall life at Unity College becomes your home away from home.
Food and Dining
There are so many options to choose from! Wyman Commons is the main cafeteria of the campus. They make accommodations for food allergies along with having plenty of delicious options during each meal. There is also a tavern style center on campus where you can buy food and just relax with your fellow students. Both places have excellent, friendly staff that do their best to get to know you personally.
What to do for fun
There is always something happening at Unity College! The school provides students with entertainment such as intramural sports, movie nights, and guest speakers. There is a talent show each year as well as dances and poem readings. The fun opportunities are endless at Unity College, you just need to involve yourself!
Great for these types of students
Any students who love getting outdoors will do just fine here at Unity College. Also, students who enjoy becoming involved in the community around them will adapt well to this college. There are limitless opportunities to become an active member in the environment as well as the community.
Clubs and Activities
There are so many clubs to become involved in. All of the clubs are small and therefore, you always feel included. There are no outcasts here at Unity College. The student body is very accepting and therefore, clubs become an exciting part of your schedule because you can interact with students with the same interests as you!

Zachary from Athens, ME

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
If I had to rate Unity College and it was out of 10, I would give it a 10 because I love the small-based community that Unity has for students. You pretty much know everybody at Unity College and there is a lot of events that go on for everyone to do.
Tips for prospective students
Some tips for prospective students would be to ask lots of questions about the school and if you can, talk with current students from the school because we would be the best people to ask since we are a student there and know what goes on for events throughout the year.
Academic Rigor
The academics at Unity are good and can be challenging depending on what major/minor you are going into. Since I am a marine biology major, there is a lot of science/math classes that I have to take, but other than that Unity is a good place for academics in your specific major/minor.
Dorm Life
The dorm life at Unity College is awesome! In any of the dorms that you are in, you pretty much get to know everybody and make new friends everyday. You get treated as a family in a way when living on-campus because of the community-based feeling that there is in the dorms.
Food and Dining
The dining at Unity College is good or mediocre at times, it all depends on what day it is and what they are serving, but every college is different when it comes to food. Unity College does have a meal replacement, so if you do not have the chance to eat lunch/dinner, then you can go up to the Student Center to get meal replacement.
Clubs and Activities
There are a lot of different clubs and activities at Unity College that people can get into. If you are someone that likes theater, then there is a drama club. There are many clubs/activities that are here at Unity College, that you could pretty much get into anything and also start up your own clubs if you get a slip from student government to get signatures from students that may want to join that club that you are trying to get started.

Emily G.

a past student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Unity is a teeny, tiny college for people who love nature & the environment. Whether you're an avid hunter or an animal lover, you'll fit right in. People here are very dedicated to what they care about!
Tips for prospective students
Be ready to go outdoors! Have cold-weather clothes, boots for going in the water/mud, and maybe some gaiters.

Make the most of your NOVA trip. It is an incredible experience and you will make lifelong friends. It's worth missing a shower, I promise.

Be social! Say hi to people and start conversations. People here are friendly, so reach out.
Academic Rigor
My biology class is probably the toughest, mainly because I haven't taken a bio class since my sophomore year of high school. Other than that, classes aren't too bad as long as you put effort into them. Most teachers here are very helpful and they're passionate about what they do.
Dorm Life
I was Cianchette, which is very nice! It is an upperclassmen dorm. I transferred there from Eastview, a freshman dorm, because of roommate issues. I got into Cianchette because it was one of the few open dorms. I was very happy here. :)

There aren't any parties on campus, if that's what you're looking for. It's generally pretty quiet during the week.

Everyone in dorms tends to leave their door open, so pop in and say hello! You just might make a new friend.
Food and Dining
The dining hall was usually pretty good! If you don't like the main dishes, the Mongolian Grill is always a good choice. The Student Center also has meal replacement, which is yummy.

If all else fails, there is Unity House of Pizza nearby, which is delicious. There is also a small Chinese restaurant, a Dunkin Donuts, and a few small cafes.
What to do for fun
- If you have time, there are lots and lots of clubs! I wasn't able to join any because of classes and work, which was too bad.

- If you don't see a club you like, it's very easy to start one! You'll meet like-minded people and it's a good thing to put on a resume.

- The week of Halloween, Humans vs. Zombies is a VERY big deal. Bring your Nerf guns!
Bang for the buck
Unity, at least for me, was pretty expensive. Take advantage of any financial aid and scholarships you can get! The education you get is worth it, for the most part. Many classes are now online (my math class, for example, has online homework from a very expensive textbook). This often makes me wonder why I'm paying so much money, when I could just take an online class!

Some classes here, however, are very unique and make the price worthwhile.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Like I said, Humans vs. Zombies is huge here! Be prepared for it.
Great for these types of students
Unity is good for dedicated students who love the outdoors and the environment, and for students who take their work seriously.
Clubs and Activities
So many! When you're a freshman, you'll take The Unity Experience and you'll have to visit the club fair, where you explore all of the different clubs. Take advantage of any opportunity you can, you'll meet new people and have fun.
Greek Life
None
Campus Safety
I walked around campus at night often, because my work-study job got out late, and I never felt unsafe. Keep a flashlight on you, but don't be too scared!

Alyssa from APO AE, NY

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Unity is an incredible place to be; they offer countless opportunies and experiences that are really tailored to me. If I had the chance to redo going to college here, I wouldn't change a thing. I recommend Unity to anyone and everyone that wants to do something with animals or nature.
Tips for prospective students
Procrastination really catches up to you in college so stay ontop of your school work, but make sure there is still you time.
Academic Rigor
The classes are extremely tailored to the major you have chosen and they really help you obtain knowledge that will be useful in the real world and your career.
Dorm Life
I have an amazing roommate and we plan on styaing roommates all 4 years. Living in the dorms is fun but kind of loud at times (what do you expect when there are a bunch of other kids living in the same dorm too). The only downfall is it's expensive.
Food and Dining
I am an extremely picky eater but there are other options if I don't like what is being served. We have a place called the student activities center where I can go to find yummy food to eat.
What to do for fun
There is not much in Unity itself but Maine is littered with lighthouses along the coast, a movie theater in the nearby town, malls, restaurants, mini gulf, and many beautiful trails to walk on relatively anywhere you can think.
Bang for the buck
Unity is expensive but I love going to college there.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
We have a tree planting ceremony for each incoming class and we have a program called NOVA (5 day manditory camping experience used to break the ice between people and give a taste of what Unity is all about).
Great for these types of students
bold, outgoing, adventurous, outdoors, hunters, earth-loving, people interested in animals of any kind
Clubs and Activities
woodsmen (lumber jack events), archery, ultimate frisbee, knitting, Conservation law enforcement club, soccer, volleyball, basketball, the wildlife club, captive care and education club
Greek Life
I'm not sure what this means?
Campus Safety
The president of the college lives on capmus, we have public safety in the middle of campus (they are on duty 24/7), any weapons (i.e. guns for hunting) are locked up in public safety and have to be checked out.