Birmingham-Southern College

"What all of this says is that Birmingham-Southern is a high-quality, caring place where a person from any part of the country would not only be comfortable but would grow intellectually, morally, and personally."
-Loren Pope

CHARACTER

• Four-year, private liberal arts college founded in 1856 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church

• A liberal arts education of distinctive quality; a sheltering institution for Phi Beta Kappa since 1937

• Academic calendar of two semesters and a January Interim term, an intensive program of experiential learning that offers students unique opportunities to be further enriched through on- and off-campus projects, independent study or research, foreign study, and challenging and unusual internships

• Beautifully landscaped residential campus located on 192 acres near downtown Birmingham, Alabama, featuring modern academic and student life facilities, including a campus center, fitness center, science center, humanities center, suite-style residence hall for men, and fraternity row, all of which have been constructed since 1998. An Admission Welcome Center and phase one of both an Urban Environmental Park and a Football Complex were completed in fall 2007. An on-campus apartment complex for students also now is available.

WORTH NOTING

• The 2008 Fiske Guide to Colleges includes Birmingham-Southern among 26 private colleges and universities nationwide named as a Best Buy for the "quality of the academic offerings in relation to the cost of attendance."

• The Princeton Review includes Birmingham-Southern as one of the Best 366 Colleges in the country and as one of America's Best Value Colleges.

• Birmingham-Southern has been recognized as one of the nation's top 30 colleges by The Washington Times, as well as in Choosing the Right College: The Whole Truth About America's Top Schools, Best 201 Colleges for the Real World, Washington Post staff writer Jay Mathews' "100 Colleges Worth Considering," and Kaplan Publishing's The Unofficial, Unbiased, Insider's Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges. BSC has also been included among "America's Best Christian Colleges" by Institutional Research and Evaluation Inc.

• Each year, Birmingham-Southern ranks #1 in Alabama and among the nation's best in percentage of all graduates accepted to medical, dental, or health-career programs; the college also ranks high nationally in graduates accepted to law school. Birmingham-Southern has a distinguished record of job placement as well.

ENROLLMENT

• More than 1,340 students from 29 states and 8 foreign countries, including 47 National Merit Finalists

• 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio

• More than 70% of students participate in volunteer service-learning projects, including several ongoing efforts and national or international trips during Alternative Fall Break, Alternative Spring Break, and January Interim Term.

• Academics-based Leadership Studies program, Honors Program, Foreign Languages Across the Curriculum, expanding study abroad opportunities, and a wide range of internships and undergraduate research opportunities

FACULTY & ACADEMICS

• More than 96% of full-time faculty hold the most advanced degree in their field.

• Five bachelor's degrees in more than 50 programs of study, interdisciplinary and individualized majors, and master's degrees in Public and Private Management and Music. A new Urban Environmental Studies major is in place for Fall 2008.

• The general education plan known as Foundations expands the liberal arts mission to address the talents and skills students need to be successful in an increasingly complex and technological society.

• In addition to Phi Beta Kappa, more than 20 other honorary and professional societies in various academic fields.

TUITION & FEES

• Tuition: $23,600; Residence Hall: $4,320 to $5,320; Meal Plans: $2,385 to $3,640; Fees: $700; Automobile Registration: $32.

• More than 98% of students receive some form of financial aid from federal, state, and institutional programs, amounting to more than $22 million annually.

• Birmingham-Southern is one of only 26 private colleges in the country listed as a "Best Buy" in The Fiske Guide to Colleges.

CAMPUS LIFE

• 85% of students live on campus; 55% are members of one of the 15 national fraternity and sorority chapters

• Long-established Honor Code

• Active Student Government Association and more than 80 other student interest groups and organizations, including intramural sports, fine arts performances and exhibits, residence hall staff, and several student publications

• Five weekly denominational and non-denominational worship services

• Twenty-one varsity NCAA Division III and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference sports—11 for women and 10 for men.

ACADEMIC PROFILE OF ENTERING CLASS

• 452 freshmen from 18 states and 3 foreign countries

• Average GPA: 3.34 • Average ACT score: 25.6

• Average SAT: 1162 (based on 1600 scale)

• 2007 freshman class again has the highest academic profile in the state; BSC's first-year class leads all other Alabama institutions of higher learning in average ACT scores and number of students from the top 10% of their high school classes.