Frequently asked Questions

1. Are scholarships and/or financial aid available?
2. What are the classes like?
3. Where do students and teachers live?
4. What qualities do you look for in prospective students?
5. What about free time?
6. Who are the Quakers?
7. What is a Quaker Meeting like?
8. Where do students go after Woolman?

1. Are scholarships and/or financial aid available?
Financial Aid and additional scholarship funds are available to all qualified students.  Our financial aid formula determines the amount that we expect families to pay. Should the remaining amount be less than the financial aid we have available, we will brainstorm with students and parents to obtain other sources of funding. Our financial aid program and flexible payment plans are available to make the cost affordable to all.
Call 530-273-3183 ext. 12 for scholarship and/or financial aid applications.

2. What are the classes like?
The courses are geared to an early college level reading pace followed by written responses and lively interactions in class. Thought-provoking discussions often carry over into lunch conversations with the rest of the community.  The low teacher-student ratio makes it possible for teachers to work with students to maximize personal growth and achievement. Homework takes place every weeknight. Personal, peer, and faculty review are ongoing as teachers are available for tutoring every weeknight and live right next-door if needed on weekends.  Woolman Semester students live the program; it is fully integrated from the reading material and projects to guest speakers, field trips, service work and even the food served at mealtime.

3. Where do students and teachers live?
A circle of cabins on the edge of central campus provides a home to Woolman students for 4 months. The 8 West Side Cabins (pdf-400k) accommodate 2-3 students each in bunk beds. Bookshelves and desk-space for stereos and such are shared alongside a small sofa and a wood stove. Teachers live in neighboring homes adjacent to the cabin area.

4. What qualities do you look for in prospective students?
Students are admitted based on a demonstration of self-discipline, high personal expectations, initiative, perseverance and independence. Students who come to The Woolman Semester are often seeking meaning and purpose in their education and are willing to be challenged to that end.

5. What about free time?
There is one hour of free time scheduled into each day and Saturday morning and most of Sunday are generally unscheduled. Students who are not taking independent study courses have that time free and there is also free time during staff meetings. That said, free time is very limited and at times seems non-existent due to the numerous activities that take place off site. Students tell us that they have never worked so hard, nor loved that work so much. 

6. Who are the Quakers?
The semester is named for John Woolman, an 18th century Quaker abolitionist. Quakerism was founded in the mid-1600's. Friends, as Quakers are more formally known, were active in the early years of colonial America. Quakers are known to "walk their talk" as they are guided by the values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship of the earth. Quakers believe that there is "that of God" in every person. Consequently, Quakers are often found taking leadership in areas of social action. A foundational tenet of Quakerism is that truth is accessible to the seeker. This leads to open-minded teaching and curriculum where assumptions are questioned and critical thinking is expected as each student brings their piece of truth to the discussion.

7. What is a Quaker Meeting like?
Quakers view each individual as capable of connecting to the Spirit. A Quaker Meeting is set in a period of quiet reflection during which one or more participants may share a verbal message for the group to ponder in silence. People of all religious backgrounds, or none, have found themselves comfortable in this setting.

8. Where do students go after Woolman?
Our graduates have gone on to colleges such as Deep Springs, Brown, the UC‚s, Earlham, American College in London, Guilford, and College of the Atlantic. After a semester at Woolman, students often rethink what colleges would best suit them, and sometimes decide to take a gap year before college to do internships and service throughout the world.  Some of our graduates have come back to work as counselors at our own Sierra Friends Camp or as interns at Sierra Friends Center. Whatever path our graduates take, they express increased empowerment to take on challenges, greater ability to accomplish their goals, and a stronger sense of their place in the world and their responsibility to it.