- Photos
-
-
_
U.S. News Rankings
| Ranking score and category | |||||
|
|||||
Summary
Messiah College is a private institution that was founded in 1909. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,805, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 471 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Messiah College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Colleges (North), 4. Its tuition and fees are $29,460 (2012-13).
Located in the village of Grantham, Pa., Messiah College is a Christian-affiliated college that embraces the Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan traditions of the Christian Church. Students admitted to the college are required to sign a Community Covenant that affirms their belief in the Christian religion and requires academic integrity and responsible decisions. There are more than 60 student clubs and organizations available to students, along with concerts and shows to entertain the student body. Known as the Falcons, Messiah College competes in the NCAA Division III as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference. The college fields 22 varsity athletic teams.
Male students that are recently engaged are congratulated through the Messiah College tradition known as “creeking,” which involves being tossed into the nearby Yellow Breeches Creek. For students interested in the music scene at Messiah, the Student Activities Board hosts a free concert series every Wednesday night, known as B-Sides, which is held in the Larsen Student Union Building. Notable alumni of the college include Brennan Swain, a winner on the reality TV series The Amazing Race, and Chris Heisey, a Major League Baseball player.
| School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school): | |
|
Messiah College is a Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. The College is committed to an embracing evangelical spirit rooted in the Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan traditions of the Christian Church. Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character, and Christian faith in preparation for lives of services, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1909 |
| Religious affiliation | Christian interdenominational |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2011 Endowment | $126,435,373 |
Applying
When applying to Messiah College, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due August 31. The application fee at Messiah College is $30. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 64.4 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 64.4% |
| Application deadline | rolling |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | August 31 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Messiah College is 13:1, and the school has 44.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Messiah College include: Elementary Education and Teaching; Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Psychology, General; Business Administration and Management, General; and Engineering, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 84.5 percent.
Student Life
Messiah College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,805, with a gender distribution of 39.1 percent male students and 60.9 percent female students. At this school, 88.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 12.0 percent of students live off campus. Messiah College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 2,976 |
| Student gender distribution | |
|
|
|
| Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity | |
|
|
|
| Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority | |
|
|
|
| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Messiah College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Messiah College also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Messiah College, 48 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age at Messiah College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 48% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Messiah College, 71.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $14,057.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $29,460 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $8,760 (2012-13) |
| Financial aid statistics | |
|
|
|
* Overview details based on 2011 data
