Abilene Christian University

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School Says - General Information
Abilene Christian University (ACU) offers an exceptional education in a distinctive Christian environment at an affordable price. ACU believes strongly in the dignity and worth of the individual and in academic integrity, achieving success, and enjoying life. Christian education at ACU integrates faith and hands-on learning, represented in every facet of campus life. Founded in 1906, ACU is an independent comprehensive university with an enrollment of approximately 4,600 students and is one of the largest private universities in the Southwest. The school is affiliated with the Churches of Christ and is governed by its own Board of Trustees. The University offers 117 Bachelor's programs, more than thirty Master's programs, and one doctoral program. Work completed at ACU is accepted by all colleges and universities in the United States. The University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The College of Biblical Studies is an associate member of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), and the College of Business Administration is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). As a teaching institution, ACU emphasizes a dynamic personal relationship between professors and their students. Qualified faculty members, not graduate assistants, teach undergraduates, and when professors do research, undergraduates work with them. Each year, some of the nation's top companies come to campus to interview because they hold ACU graduates in high regard for their blend of creativity, technical skills, thorough training, and moral integrity. ACU students have an acceptance rate of more than 80 percent to medical and other professional schools, well above the national average. The Optimist, the ACU student newspaper, has been rated All-American every year since 1975. ACU supports an environment of honest, Christian care, and relationships that start even before classes begin. Each fall during Welcome Week, upperclass students help freshmen adjust to the social side of college life through diverse activities, including one-on-one and group discussions and possibly the world's largest game of Twister. The student body is generally enriched by people from all 50 states and about 60 countries. More than 200 international students are enrolled at ACU. About 100 active campus organizations, including men and women's social clubs, offer students with a variety of interests opportunities for involvement. Movie nights, devotionals, big-name concerts, intercollegiate sports, and student productions ensure that students can find great entertainment without leaving campus.

School Says - Admissions
To qualify for admission, a student must have completed high school with a diploma or equivalent degree and must submit information concerning SAT or ACT scores, high school class rank, and two reference letters. Transfer students who apply for admission are required to have a minimum grade point average of 2.0. Abilene Christian University does not discriminate in admissions, financial aid or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, age, handicap, national or ethnic origin, or receipt of public assistance educational program, activities, or employment to the extent required by law and subject to the tenets held by the institution and its controlling body. Prospective students should write or call the office below for application forms and financial aid information, indicating their academic and social areas of interest. Applicants should submit the necessary forms with a nonrefundable $25 processing fee ($45 for international applicants) and have their academic records (SAT or ACT scores, transcript, and class rank) sent to the University. Residence hall room reservations, accompanied by a $100 deposit, should be made early to ensure choice of a dorm. Students are encouraged to visit the campus at any time. ACU's Biblical Studies Building features a magnificent chapel, a huge amphitheater, and the latest in instructional technology.

School Says - Campus Life
Abilene, Texas has the reputation of being a friendly city and has been named one of only ten All-America Cities. It is located 180 miles west of Dallas and has a population of about 112,000. Its climate is relatively warm, although it occasionally snows during the winter. Residents of Abilene are served by shopping malls, major restaurant chains, specialty shops, and a regional airport. The city is second only to Houston in cultural events per capita in Texas, and it has one of the lowest crime rates in the state.

Students Say - Academics
This small, private college is a "community of believers" that aims "to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world." Faith is central to this Church of Christ-affiliated school, with mandatory chapel services each day and a curriculum designed to help students develop "both academically and spiritually." But exploration of different faiths is encouraged, and students of all religious traditions enjoy the school's "small classes and a high level of faculty-student interaction." Professors here "genuinely care about you" and are "highly invested in the success, spiritual health, and lives of their students." "It's not uncommon that you will go to at least one professor's house for a meal or some other kind of fellowship during your college career," says one junior nursing major. The academic life is "challenging," "but not to the point of driving students crazy." In general, teachers "make the material easy to understand and are always open to questions and outside-of-class help." Most professors "give out their home phone numbers and cell phone numbers to students," and some even "text message students at any time of the day." The Bible department, education, journalism, and pre-med programs come in for particular praise, and students say they learn to "infuse their faith into practical career paths."

Students Say - Campus Life
Life at ACU is decidedly "low-key." Abilene itself is a "small, friendly town" where students "drink coffee and play board games" at local cafes or visit "Nelson's Park for laid-back times and a little Frisbee." Since "many of the stores and restaurants close down fairly early at night," students create their own fun on campus. "Many find a lot of joy in faith-related activities (working with local youth groups), inventing games (campus golf), or even championing a barely noticeable cause (save the bowling alley)." Intramural sports are also "huge" here. As for the party scene, "a fairly sizable percentage of students drink, but parties are rarely wild," and there are plenty of social opportunities for non-drinkers. You don't need to be a Christian to attend ACU, but religion is an essential part of campus life: "If being in worship services or discussions about God and Christianity bother you," one student says, "then you need to look somewhere else." ACU does have fairly strict rules for students: Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus and are subject to a curfew during the week, drinking and smoking is forbidden on and off campus, and there are limited visitation hours in the dorms. Some students complain that "there are literally more rules than I had at home. Even channels like MTV and others are blocked on campus." But others find that these restrictions help them "interact and create bonds" and are "one of the reasons community is so strong here."

Students Say - Student Body
A "typical" ACU student is "from Texas, is a Republican, [has] a Church of Christ background, and either doesn't drink alcohol or really parties." But that doesn't mean the student body is totally monolithic: There are many international students, and the school has "an outstanding program for older students to return to get their degrees with a reduction in tuition fees." Students "of other religions or nonreligious affiliation fit in easily" and "freely contribute their own ideas to discussions across campus," although they may be "occasionally uncomfortable with the school's religion-based requirements." Regardless of background, ACU students are "really friendly." "You cannot go anywhere on campus without being greeted by a smile and a hug." They tend to have "an obvious sense of purpose and a genuine concern for community." Most students are heavily involved in campus activities including "intramurals, service-oriented associations, social clubs (our version of sororities and fraternities), and multicultural groups such as our step squad or Latin dancing club."

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