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Summary
Samford University is a private institution that was founded in 1841. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,950, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 209 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Samford University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (South), 4. Its tuition and fees are $25,150 (2012-13).
Samford University is a Christian institution located in Birmingham, Ala., in the central region of the state. Students at Samford can choose from more than 130 majors, minors, and concentrations, including master’s degree programs in the Brock School of Business, the Cumberland School of Law, and the Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education and Professional Studies. Samford is the largest private university in Alabama, but its class sizes are small, and no courses are taught by graduate assistants.
Many students at Samford University participate in school traditions, such as the Spring Fling celebration with games and music on the quad, and the Miss Samford pageant, which is one of the preliminary competitions for the Miss Alabama and Miss America Pageants. Students can also get involved by exploring more than 125 campus clubs and playing for the Samford University Bulldogs varsity sports teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference. Notable Samford University alumni include actor Tony Hale, who starred in the television show Arrested Development.
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Samford University is Alabama's largest private university, with more than 4,700 students enrolled annually from around the world. Consistently ranked in the top tier of its peer group by U.S. News & World Report, Samford also has been recognized by Kiplinger's, Forbes, The Princeton Review, National Law Journal and other prestigious national rankings for academics and affordability. Located in suburban Birmingham, the Samford campus is easily accessible from anywhere in the U.S. The campus, with its stunning Georgian-Colonial architecture set in the rolling hills of the Appalachian/Great Smokey Mountain foothills, also has been nationally-recognized for its beauty. Samford was founded in 1841 and has remained committed to its historic Christian mission. The university values its historic relationship with Alabama Baptists and attracts students and faculty from a variety of faith traditions. Samford offers 26 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs and about 135 majors, minors and concentrations in eight academic schools -- arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, law, nursing and pharmacy. Graduates with professional degrees consistently score very high on national certification and board examinations, and Samford undergraduates also have high graduate and professional school acceptance rates. About 90 percent of Samford's faculty have terminal degrees in their fields, and no classes are taught by teaching assistants. With a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students are able to receive more personalized instruction and assistance from faculty. Samford's faculty also is consistently recognized regionally and nationally, and Stephen Chew, psychology department chair, was one of four 2011 National Professors of the Year named by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Samford has 17 varsity sports, 8 men's and 9 women's, that compete in NCAA Division I sports in the historic Southern Conference. In the past year, five Samford teams have competed in NCAA postseason competition. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1841 |
| Religious affiliation | Southern Baptist |
| Academic calendar | 4-1-4 |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2011 Endowment | $296,430,729 |
Applying
When applying to Samford University, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due December 1. The application fee at Samford University is $35. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 82.6 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 | 82.6% |
| Application deadline | rolling |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | December 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Samford University is 12:1, and the school has 67.2 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Samford University include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Health Professions and Related Programs; Education; Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences; and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 84.2 percent.
Student Life
Samford University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,950, with a gender distribution of 36.0 percent male students and 64.0 percent female students. At this school, 68.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 32.0 percent of students live off campus. Samford University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
See what students are saying about life at Samford University.
| Total enrollment | 4,758 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Samford University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, day care, health service, and health insurance. Samford University 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, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Samford University, 87 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age at Samford University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 87% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Samford University, 45.5 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $12,199.
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 | $25,150 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $8,250 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
