Snow College: A Legacy of Education and Opportunity in Utah
Snow College, a public community college nestled in Ephraim, Utah, stands as a testament to the power of community and the enduring value of education. Founded in 1888, the college has a rich history of serving the educational needs of central Utah and beyond. From its humble beginnings as Sanpete Stake Academy to its current status as a comprehensive community college offering bachelor's degrees, Snow College has consistently adapted to meet the evolving needs of its students and the wider community.
A Foundation Built on Community
The story of Snow College begins with the vision of local citizens who sought to establish an institution of learning in the Sanpete Valley. Founded in 1888 by Danish members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as Sanpete Stake Academy, the initial school was built entirely with local donations, including "Sunday Eggs" (the proceeds from the sales of all eggs laid on Sunday). This commitment to community support has remained a hallmark of Snow College throughout its history. The school was later renamed Snow Academy to honor Lorenzo Snow and Erastus Snow, distant cousins who were leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
The institution underwent three name changes in a seven-year period, finally landing on what we know it as today in 1923. In 1917, the academy era ended and the school became Snow Normal College.
Growth and Expansion
From its early days as an academy, Snow College has experienced significant growth and expansion. Today, Snow College has grown to over 5,500 students with two campuses in Ephraim and Richfield. Combined, the campuses of Snow serve a six-county area including Juab, Millard, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne Counties. The college offers a wide range of academic programs, including certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees. The Utah State Board of Regents granted permission in 2016 for Snow College to offer a bachelor's degree in software engineering.
Under President Carlston’s tenure of nearly five years, more than 40 new academic certificates and awards were added to the curriculum, including a B.S. in Software Engineering and an Associate of Fine Arts. In January 2019, Bradley Cook was named the next president of Snow College after Gary Carlston announced his retirement. Cook will begin his presidency in May as the college’s 17th president. Previously, Cook served at Southern Utah University as provost and before that as president of the Abu Dhabi Women’s College in the United Arab Emirates.
Read also: The Future of Snow Days in Oklahoma
Academic Excellence and Opportunity
Snow College is committed to providing students with a high-quality education that prepares them for success in their chosen fields. The college offers 64 areas of study ranging from Accounting to Zoology. Snow enrolled 5,514 students in 2018, nearly one thousand more students than in 2013. Among those enrolled, 44% are male and 55% are female.
The college offers associate degrees and certificates. The Horne School of Music has been an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1997 and is also an All Steinway School. The theatre arts program at Snow College is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre and is affiliated with the Juilliard Drama Division.
Snow College has a rich tradition of preparing students to meet their futures since 1888. The two year state-run liberal arts college now has two campuses in Central Utah, one in Ephraim and one in Richfield. Snow College has always been proud of its small size. The school offers personal attention in some of the smallest classes available in higher education. The faculty members enjoy being able to get to know their students on a first name basis, and the students reap the rewards of getting to know their instructors. Snow is also proud to be the least expensive college in Utah.
Students are prepared to either enter the workforce with their associate degree and certificates or move right into the programs at the university level, with junior standing. Some of Utah's biggest universities tell us that Snow graduates transfer to their schools extremely well prepared and motivated. Students who graduate from Snow have little, if any, trouble transferring to any Utah school they choose and being accepted into the top programs in the country.
A Focus on Student Success
Snow College's specific mission is threefold: 1) to educate students, 2) to inspire them to love learning and 3) to lead them to serve others. The college provides a supportive and engaging learning environment that fosters student success. There is a real feeling of 'family' at Snow. Many of Snow's students are representing the third or fourth generation of their family at the college.
Read also: Southern Roots of a Supermodel
In a recent KSL article, Snow was recognized for its programs which allow students to specialize in entrepreneurship through their classes, and through its offering of an entrepreneurship certificate. Snow offers an Entrepreneurship Seminar series as a mentorship opportunity for students during the fall semester that brings an esteemed entrepreneur each week to campus to tell their story and teach business fundamentals for success.
Snow's rural location is a wonderful setting for a college community, far away from the problems common to many urban areas. Students, and their parents, like the fact that Snow is not only a safe and comfortable environment, but it's also known for providing strong academic programs.
Campus Life and Activities
Beyond academics, Snow College offers a vibrant campus life with a wide range of activities and organizations. The performing arts, academic clubs and student organizations offer world-class participation to incoming students that isn't available to freshmen and sophomores at larger schools. The 12 performance groups have been honored across the intermountain west. The athletic programs are consistently ranked among the best in the country. The marketing and forensics teams are perennial national champions. The variety of recreational facilities and intramural sports make enjoying a physical collegiate life easy and accessible.
Snow College athletic teams, known as the Badgers, are consistently highly ranked; its football team went undefeated and won the National Junior College Championship in 1985, with the team inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2010, and finished #2 in 2006.
Affordability and Accessibility
Snow College is committed to making higher education accessible and affordable for all students.
Read also: Scholarship Opportunities: George Snow Fund
Tuition In-State Tuition In-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state's or institution's residency requirements. In-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students residing in the locality in which they attend school and may be a lower rate than in-state tuition if offered by the institution. $4,338 Out-of-State Tuition Out-of-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements. Out-of-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students not residing in the locality in which they attend school. $14,288 Additional Costs Room and Board The weighted average for room and board and other expenses is generated as follows: (amount for on-campus room, board and other expenses * # of students living on-campus. + amount for off-campus (with family) room, board and other expenses * # of students living off-campus with family + amount for off-campus (not with family) room, board and other expenses * # of students living off-campus not with family) divided by the total # of students. Students whose living arrangements are unknown are excluded from the calculation. For some institutions the # of students by living arrangement will be known, but dollar amounts will not be known. In this case the # of students with no corresponding dollar amount will be excluded from the denominator. $5,100 Books and Supplies $1450 Average Net Price By Family Income.
The college offers a variety of financial aid options to help students finance their education.
Aid & Grants Students Receiving Gift Aid Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal gift aid. Federal gift aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution. Students Receiving Grants Percent of undergraduate students awarded grant aid. Grant aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution. Average Federal Grant Aid Per Year Average Institution Grant Aid Per Year Students receiving state aid Average State Grant Aid Per Year Students receiving federal aid Average Federal Grant Aid Per Year Total Needs Based Scholarships/Grants Total amount of grant or scholarship aid awarded to all undergraduates from the federal government, state/local government, the institution, and other sources known to the institution. $7,674,103 Student Loans Students Borrowing Loans Loans to students - Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly to parents. Average Loan Amount Per Year Average Debt at Graduation The median federal debt of undergraduate borrowers who graduated. This figure includes only federal loans; it excludes private student loans and Parent PLUS loans. Median Monthly Loan Payment The median monthly loan payment for student borrowers who completed, if it were repaid over 10 years at a 5.05% interest rate. Students receiving federal loans Average Federal Loans Per Year $4,880.
Admissions and Enrollment
Snow College has selective admissions.
Admissions Key Admissions Stats Institution Type Not for Profit Coed Need Aware This school may consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding admission Level of Institution 4 Year Campus Setting Suburb or town Transfer Students Admitted Admissions Requirements SAT Yes ACT Yes Transcript No SAT Subject Tests No AP Course Credit Yes Dual Enrollment Yes Important Deadlines Rolling Admissions The college has rolling admissions, which means applications are accepted any time throughout the year. Applications Accepted Online Application Admitted Student Stats Students Enrolled By Household Income Admissions Resources.
The college accepts applications online and has rolling admissions, which means applications are accepted any time throughout the year.
