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

Birmingham-Southern College
FAST FACTS: CHARACTER | WORTH NOTING | ENROLLMENT | FACULTY & ACADEMICS | TUITION & FEES | CAMPUS LIFE | ACADEMIC PROFILE OF ENTERING CLASS
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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 new Admission Welcome Center, football complex, Urban Environmental Park with lake for leisure and academic use, apartments for student living, and under-construction suite-style residence halls for men and women.
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WORTH NOTING

  • Birmingham-Southern College is consistently recognized nationally for its quality academics, its value, and its safety preparedness.
  • The 2009 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 371 Colleges in the country and as one of America's Best Value Colleges.
  • 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.
  • BSC was the only institution of higher learning in Alabama to receive an “A” for safety preparedness in a 2008 Reader’s Digest survey, and Birmingham-Southern was ranked No. 9 in the nation overall, making it the highest ranked liberal arts college in America.
  • The Center for College Affordability and Productivity and Forbes.com rank BSC No. 1 among colleges and universities in Alabama based on student satisfaction while in college and success after college.
  • Birmingham-Southern was named to the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for helping to build a culture of service and civic engagement in our nation.
  • Birmingham-Southern is among 39 institutions of higher learning in the nation to be named to the Honor Roll in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s 2009 survey of “Great Colleges to Work For”. BSC tied for No. 1 among all small colleges in the survey.
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ENROLLMENT

  • More than 1,500 students from 32 states and 11 foreign countries, including 41 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
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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, and interdisciplinary and individualized majors.
  • 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.
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TUITION & FEES

  • Tuition: $25,800; Residence Hall: $5,000 to $6,100; Meal Plans: $2,800 to $4,250; Fees: $946; Automobile Registration: $35.
  • More than 98% of students receive some form of financial aid from federal, state, and institutional programs, amounting to more than $27 million annually.
  • Birmingham-Southern is one of only 26 private colleges in the country listed as a "Best Buy" in the 2009 issue of the Fiske Guide to Colleges.
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CAMPUS LIFE

  • 85% of students live on campus; 45% are members of one of the 12 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.
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ACADEMIC PROFILE OF ENTERING CLASS

  • 424 freshmen from 23 states and 5 foreign countries
  • Average GPA: 3.43
  • Average ACT score: 26
  • Average SAT: 1145 (based on 1600 scale)