St. Louis University

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Quick Stats

1 Grand Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63103: [map]

Phone: (314) 977-2222

2012-2013 Tuition

$35,246: tuition and fees

Students

8,670: enrolled

41%: male /

59%: female

Admissions

61.3%: accepted

More Information

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U.S. News Rankings

Ranking score and category

U.S. News rank	Category Name
#92	National Universities

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Summary

St. Louis University is a private institution that was founded in 1818. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,670, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 268 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. St. Louis University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 92. Its tuition and fees are $35,246 (2012-13).

St. Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit school that is open to students of any faith. The Campus Ministry organizes specialized retreats and mission trips throughout the year, and the on-campus church holds a daily Mass. The Saint Louis Prayerbook is an online database of prayers—some traditional, others original and submitted by students or faculty members. In addition to religious extracurriculars, students can also choose from more than 150 student organizations at SLU, including close to 20 fraternities and sororities. Most freshmen and sophomores must live on campus, unless they commute from a parents’ home, are married, or have been in the military for at least two years. In total, about 90 percent of freshmen live on campus, all in halls exclusively for first-year students. Students can get involved in campus leadership positions as early as the second semester of freshman year. The St. Louis Billikens compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic 10 Conference. The Billiken is an unusual mascot with a smiling, gnome-like figure that is a considered to be a good-luck charm. A costumed student mascot wears a Billiken head and a blue SLU jumpsuit at games. Off campus, students can explore downtown St. Louis, Mo., home to the Grand Center arts district, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and several professional sports teams. On the nearby Mississippi Riverfront, students can bike, sail on the river, and check out the Museum of Westward Expansion.

In addition to its main location in Missouri, the university also has a campus in Madrid, Spain, where students can study for the entirety of their college career or for just a semester. At the main campus, graduate students can enroll in the university’s law school or medical school. Notable alumni include Enrique Bolanos, former president of Nicaragua; and August Busch IV, president and CEO of Anheuser-Busch Inc.

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Saint Louis University (SLU) is a Catholic, Jesuit institution guided by a mission that values and promotes academic excellence, student-centered learning, life-changing research, spiritual formation, and a strong commitment to service and social justice. SLU began the 2011-2012 academic year enrolling a record 14,073 students, including more than 1,700 freshmen who had an impressive average high school GPA of 3.75 and ACT score of 27.
One of only seven Catholic universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation as having "high research activity," the University received more than $62 million in research funding during fiscal year 2011.
In response to the growth of its health sciences programs, SLU opened two major construction projects at its Medical Center in 2011: an education union that houses a state-of-the-art auditorium and high-tech patient simulation labs, as well as an outdoor recreation stadium that features an NCAA-regulation soccer field and running track. Also in 2011, SLU unveiled plans to construct a $70-80 million outpatient health care facility across from its $83 million LEED-certified Doisy Research Center.
In early 2012, the University revealed that it was planning to move its prestigious School of Law downtown after renovations to a donated 11-story building are completed. The law school's future home is located in the heart of St. Louis' legal community.
Constantly seeking to enhance the overall student experience, the University also renovated its main library in 2012, creating comfortable and quiet places for study as well as enhancing Wi-Fi accessibility throughout the building.
A truly international university, SLU draws students from nearly 80 different countries. In 2011, SLU opened the Center for Global Citizenship, which houses all of the University's internationally focused academic programs and support services. The center also houses the Learning Studio and 360-Degree Classrooms, state-of-the-art spaces that combine the latest teaching methods with the newest technologies.
SLU was also one of the first universities to open a campus overseas, and today Saint Louis University-Madrid is recognized as a center for international education in Spain. Students can study abroad there for a semester or can pursue their degree entirely on the Madrid campus. In 2011, SLU purchased a building to be known as San Ignacio Hall, which is undergoing renovations to house new classrooms, performing arts studios, dining facilities, a library and more.
Emerging as a leader in the field of sustainability, SLU received a $2 million grant in 2012 from a major energy company in Asia to establish a new endowed chair in sustainability as well as to support research projects at the University. SLU's efforts to make its own campus greener were rewarded in 2012 with a bronze rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
Of course, the University's focus on improving the world and developing global citizens starts in its classrooms, where ethics, spirituality and compassion take center stage, no matter what the subject. More than 80 of SLU's courses directly integrate service into academic content.
Beyond the classroom, the University provides more than a million service hours each year, and in 2011 SLU ranked No. 2 on Washington Monthly's list of universities that participate in the most community service. Also noteworthy, SLU was the site of the nation's first Campus Kitchen, and the University's commitment to service and the community has earned it national honors, including distinction from the Templeton Foundation as a "character-building college."
Founded in 1818, SLU was the first university west of the Mississippi River. Today, as it approaches 200 years, Saint Louis University is heading into its next century with an unwavering commitment to educating future leaders in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.

General Information

School type	private, coed college
Year founded	1818
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Academic calendar	semester
Setting	urban
2011 Endowment	$880,250,930

Applying

Interested in applying to St. Louis University? Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due December 1. The application fee at St. Louis University is $25. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 61.3 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	61.3%
Application deadline	N/A
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	December 1

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Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at St. Louis University is 12:1, and the school has 53.8 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at St. Louis University include: Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Physical Therapy/Therapist; Psychology, General; and Organizational Communication, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 84.8 percent.

Class sizes

Student-faculty ratio

12:1

4-year graduation rate

Five most popular majors for 2011 graduates

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse	9%
Biology/Biological Sciences, General	7%
Physical Therapy/Therapist	4%
Psychology, General	4%
Organizational Communication, General	3%

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Student Life

St. Louis University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,670, with a gender distribution of 41.0 percent male students and 59.0 percent female students. At this school, 52.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 48.0 percent of students live off campus. St. Louis University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

See what students are saying about life at St. Louis University.

Total enrollment	14,073
Student gender distribution

Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity

Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority

Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

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Campus Info & Services

St. Louis University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. St. Louis 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 St. Louis University, 35 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at St. Louis University.

Students who have cars on campus	35%
Health insurance offered	Yes
Students required to own/lease a computer	No

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Paying for School

At St. Louis University, 58.4 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $19,099.

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.