Founded
The college was
founded in Annapolis
in 1696 as King
William’s School and
chartered in 1784 as
St. John’s College.
A second campus was
opened in 1964 in
Santa Fe. St. John’s is
a four-year, coeduca-
tional, liberal arts
college with no
religious affiliation.
Curriculum
Integrated arts and
sciences program
based on a chronologi-
cal study of seminal
works of Western
civilization. The
following curriculum
is required of all
undergraduates:
Seminar:
(4
years) philosophy,
theology, political
science, literature,
history, economics,
psychology
Mathematics:
(4
years) geometry,
astronomy, analytic
geometry, calculus,
relativity
Language:
(4
years) ancient
Greek, French, English
composition, English
literature, poetry
Science:
(3
years) biology,
chemistry, atomic
theory, physics
Music:
(2
years) choral
singing, theory,
composition
Degree Granted
B.A. in Liberal Arts
Faculty-
Student Ratio
1
to 8
Class Size
Seminars of 17 to
21
students are led by
two faculty members.
Tutorials and labora-
tory sessions have
12
to 16 students led by
one faculty member.
Libraries
The libraries in
Annapolis and
Santa Fe contain
more than 160,000
volumes combined.
Each library houses
a number of special
collections, and
both campuses have
a music library.
Location
The 36-acre eastern
campus is located in
the heart of historic
Annapolis, Maryland.
The 250-acre campus
in Santa Fe, New
Mexico, offers both
spectacular scenery
and the cultural
attractions of the
Southwest.
Annapolis:
Population: 50,000
Nearest Metro Area:
Washington, D.C.
(32
miles);
Baltimore
(27
miles)
SantaFe:
Population: 62,000
Nearest Metro Area:
Albuquerque
(57
miles)
Student
Enrollment
Undergraduate
enrollment ranges
from 425 to 475 on
each campus. Students
come from all 50 states
and about 20 foreign
countries. Students
of color make up
approximately 10
percent of the student
body. The ratio of men
to women is 10 to 9.
Diversity
Statement
The aim of the
education offered by
St. John’s College is
the liberation of the
human intellect. This
is an education for
all, regardless of a
person’s race, ethnic-
ity, sex, religious
beliefs, country of
origin, economic
background, age,
disability, or sexual
orientation.
By reading great
books and struggling
together with the
fundamental ques-
tions that they raise,
students and their
teachers learn from
their differences and
discover more deeply
their shared humanity.
In this and other
ways, a diversity of
background and
experience enriches
our community of
learning. Because it
offers an education for
all, St. John’s College
has sought and
continues to seek to
make its program of
study known and
available to people of
diverse backgrounds.
Campuses
Students in good
academic standing may
apply for transfer to the
other campus for the
upcoming academic
year. All intercampus
transfers must be
approved by the deans
of both campuses and
may be restricted by
limitations in campus
resources.
Student Life
Both campuses offer
extensive intramural
sports programs
and extracurricular
art courses. Each
has soundproof
music practice rooms,
an art gallery, and
a music library.
Major clubs and
activities include
student government,
a newspaper, a
yearbook, a film
society, drama groups,
a literary magazine,
and opportunities for
community service.
The Annapolis campus
has easy access to
boating, sailing, and
crew, while the Santa
Fe campus offers
skiing, rafting, and
rock climbing.
Residence Halls
Annapolis students live
in eight dormitories:
six historic buildings
are arranged around
a central quad; two
modern dormitories
face College Creek.
Santa Fe dormitories
are small modern
units, clustered around
central courtyards.
About 82 percent of
the students live on
campus. Freshmen
are guaranteed a room
on campus. Dormito-
ries are coed by floor.
There are no fraterni-
ties or sororities.
Admissions
Applicants are
expected to have
pursued a college
preparatory course
of study, including
substantial sequences
in mathematics,
foreign languages,
and the physical
sciences. Require-
ments include a short
set of reflective essays,
two letters of recom-
mendation, and
transcripts of all
academic work.
Students may apply
using The Common
Application with
supplement, available
either online at
commonapp.org or,
for a printable version,
from the St. John’s
St. John’s
College
Facts