Limestone College
College review by Diane Forman
Limestone College is located in Gaffney, South Carolina and is a Christian, non-denominational, small private, Liberal Arts College (859 students). The middle 50% of First-Year Students scored from 410-520 on SAT CR, and 430-550 on SAT Math. ACT scores ranged from 17-22. GPA ‘s range from 2.0 up to3.5 for the most competitive academic scholarships offered.
Limestone offers Associate and Bachelor’s degrees. Most popular majors include business/marketing and education. They also have a strong Athletic Training program with a great lab for their practical training. The professors like to get the students out in the real world with a focus on experiential learning.
Limestone offers 22 D II men’s and women’s athletics (no football team), with strong men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s wrestling and swimming, and women’s softball and volleyball, men’s soccer, and women’s track and field. Weekends on campus are a little quiet since there are a large number of student athletes and they often travel for games. There are a fair amount of commuters as well. Activities include movies, sports, student-led activities and a nearby outlet mall.
The vibe of Limestone is low key. Limestone believes their “sound byte” is a more personalized touch from admissions to graduation and the faculty care about their students.
Limestone College
Support Services
Structured Program-PALS
http://www.limestone.edu/admissions-day-student-admissions/disability-services
Limestone College offers a comprehensive support program for students with learning disabilities: PALS, Program for Alternative Learning Styles. Students who apply to PALS do not have to submit standardized test scores for admission to the college. In lieu of test scores, three letters of recommendations are required, two from teachers and one from a guidance counselor. The students are required to visit campus for an interview with the director. All students in PALS are assigned faulty/staff members who have been trained as Life Coaches. In addition, PALS offers a 3-credit Study Skills course and uses the text On Course. We heard a few of the students speak about their experiences with PALS and they all attributed much of their success to their participation in the program.
There is an additional cost for participation in PALS. All incoming freshmen (or new students) are required to pay the full fee for the first year of services ($5000). PALS provisional students agree to participate in the PALS program for a minimum of two academic years or until they have completed two semesters of non-developmental courses and sustained a GPA of 2.0 or higher. After completion of two semesters of non-developmental courses, with a 2.0 GPA or better, the fee is halved.