Goucher College: Global and Intimate

I first learned about Goucher College when I read Loren Pope’s book Colleges That Change Lives. The book offers profiles of 40 “value-added” colleges, where the students who graduate are far better than they were when they entered college. I was happy to visit Goucher College in 2024 and share my observations with you here.

Goucher Academics

With a small faculty-to-student ratio of 8 to 1, Goucher routinely offers small classes. No classes have more than 39 students, and one-third of the classes have fewer than 10.

Goucher’s core program includes a first-year seminar and Complex Problem Exploration. Goucher students are expected to master three areas of proficiency:

· Data analytics;

· Foreign language and culture; and

· Writing.

Goucher students declare their major during the second semester of their sophomore year. Goucher offers particularly strong programs in:

· Creative writing,

· International relations,

· Psychology,

· Biology,

· Business, and

· Dance.

Books Written by Goucher Faculty — Books written by Goucher faculty

Goucher Location

Goucher is located at the edge of Towson, Maryland. The location offers a combination of the best aspects of urban and suburban living. Shopping is available at the edge of the campus, and the University of Maryland, Towson, is only several blocks down the road.

Goucher belongs to the Baltimore Collegetown Network. Beginning in their sophomore year, Goucher students can take up to one course per term on another campus.

Goucher Global Focus

Goucher has a strong global focus. Goucher is the first college in the U.S. to require all students to study abroad. Goucher funds one study abroad experience for every student. Sometimes the study abroad experience is for a couple of weeks, other times it is for a full term or year. Since Goucher students share international experiences, it deepens the sense of global awareness on campus.

Goucher Advising

Goucher has an Academic Center for Excellence (ACE). Even if a student does not understand how to “do college,” Goucher has staff to show them how to succeed. ACE offers both advising services and a program that supports students with disabilities.

Goucher students begin their freshman year with a “success advisor.” Students can receive advice on time management and executive functioning, skills important for college success. Advising changes students after a student declares a major when it switches from a success advisor to a faculty advisor.

Goucher also offers prehealth advising, which can help students navigate a path to medical school and other graduate health programs. In addition, a writing center is available to help students with papers.

Goucher Students

Goucher enrolls approximately 1,000 undergraduate students. It has a diverse student body, and not just in terms of race. About 30 percent of the students are first-generation college students. Goucher offers multicultural dining, and it has a Center for Race, Equity, and Identity.

Despite the diversity, about two-thirds of the students at Goucher are female. Goucher was originally a women’s college when it launched in 1885, and it became co-ed in 1987.

Goucher goes by the name Goucher College, but it could easily opt to go by Goucher University. It enrolls over 700 graduate students, nearly half of the total student body!

While Goucher students may tilt a bit left, they are accepting of different viewpoints. The shared international experiences help the students realize that we are all different.

Goucher Athletics

Goucher has Division III athletics, with around 20 teams. Goucher is unique in that it has an equestrian team. Goucher has 28.5 horses, the .5 of which is a miniature horse. As is often the case, Goucher also offers club sports.

Goucher Housing

Goucher offers a first-year village, which consists of three new attractive dorms. Goucher requires freshmen to live on campus and about three-quarters of the students in total live on campus. Goucher does not have fraternities or sororities on campus.

Goucher Affordability

Before receiving any financial aid, the cost of attendance at Goucher is just under $75 K. Goucher reviews all applicants for merit aid and offers it to all of the students it admits. The average merit aid offer is $32 K. While Goucher does not meet full need, it meets a high percentage of need, just under 90 percent. To learn about state-based financial aid in Maryland, see: https://www.educ8fit.com/post/save-money-on-maryland-tuition.

Educ8Fit Consulting

I work with students and families on the college and graduate school admission process. I help them navigate such complexities as merit aid and international admissions. Please get in touch with Educ8Fit Consulting at either Jim@Educ8Fit.com or College Admission Counseling | Educ8fit Consulting | United States, contact for a free 30-minute consultation.