Be brave. Be nosy. Imagine your life after college. Don't just think about how your life will change. Think about how the world will change because of what you do. Be bold.

How does anyone pick a college? Don't panic. Think about what you really want. Ask yourself if your dreams and desires match the priorities of the schools you're considering. Look beyond those brags about celebrity alums or the reputation of a single department.

Get a feel for the place - how students treat one another, whether the intellectual expectations of the school meet your standards. As you're surfing the Web, ask yourself of each school: will this place feed my sense of well-being?

Click around this web site to explore College of the Atlantic. It's a unique place (we know, every school says that). So what makes it different?

For one thing, you'll find a sense of community here that just doesn't happen at larger or more impersonal schools. Each September, everyone gathers for an exhilarating swim from COA's shorefront to Bar Island. (Some take the plunge, while others cheer from shore).

Community isn't a one-shot deal; it's at the heart of daily life here. Walk into the dining hall and you'll often see students having lunch with teachers, deans, and staff. Wander by the community garden, where two students discuss paper topics for their Rural and Community Development class while one picks basil for her pasta dinner (the dorms all have kitchens) and the other weeds his plots.

What about academics? Within COA's major of Human Ecology, you create your own course of study with faculty advisors. When you graduate, you have more to show for it than a transcript with a handful of grades. All COA students are required to create a comprehensive senior project that they present to the entire community. Students have adapted The Lorax into a musical, created a guide for becoming a midwife, and investigated the social organization of finback whales in the Gulf of Maine.

We're looking for imaginative, idealistic, and intellectually curious people who want to make a difference in the world - people who will appreciate COA's unique community and enlarge it with their thoughts, opinions, and spirit.

Intrigued? Call us at 800-528-0025, send us an e-mail, fill out an inquiry card, visit us on campus, or meet with an admission representative when they visit your area.

Islands Through Time is College of the Atlantic's new summer program for high school juniors and seniors. More Information can be found here.