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Summary
St. Louis University is a private institution that was founded in 1818. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,406, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 246 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. St. Louis University's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 90. Its tuition and fees are $33,986 (2011-12).
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.
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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. Saint Louis University has invested vast resources to advance its academic programs and enhance the overall student experience. During the 2010-2011 academic year, the University launched 13 new degree and certificate programs, added numerous new faculty potions and increased funding for student support services and campus life initiatives. SLU is a major research institution and is one of only seven Catholic universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation as research extensive. The University is a national research leader in numerous areas. In 2010, SLU was selected to be the regional lead in the National Childrens Study, the largest study ever conducted in the United States to learn about the health and development of children. The Universitys world-renowned researchers tackle global challenges on numerous fronts as well, and in 2010, the University established the Center for World Health and Medicine to pursue treatments for diseases that threaten the developing world. In 2011, this innovative research effort secured several international partnerships to explore treatments for malaria and other critical health concerns. SLU is located in the heart of a dynamic metropolitan area. The University has funded more than $850 million in campus improvements and expansions during the past 25 years, including the 2011 completion of a new state-of-the-art education union and an outdoor recreational facility at its Medical Center. The University's bold developments have been pivotal in transforming its Midtown St. Louis neighborhood into a vibrant arts and education district. A truly international university, SLU draws students from nearly 80 different countries. The University is finalizing the Center for Global Citizenship that will offer international students a new place to convene and connect with their classmates. 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. Guided by a Jesuit tradition that's more than 450 years old, SLU seeks to educate the whole person: mind, body and spirit. The University's focus on improving St. Louis and the world 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, students, faculty and staff provide more than a million service hours each year. Also noteworthy: Saint Louis University was the site of the nations first Campus Kitchen. SLUs commitment to service and the community has earned the University national honors, including distinction as a character-building college by the Templeton Foundation. Saint Louis Universitys reputation continues to rise. Nationally, the University boasts a number of top-25 and top-50 undergraduate and graduate programs, including the countrys leading health law program for seven consecutive years. Internationally, top philosophers from around the globe ranked five of SLU's graduate philosophy programs among the best in the English-speaking world, according to in the latest edition of the Philosophical Gourmet Report. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1818 |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | urban |
| 2010 Endowment | $708,344,573 |
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 69.9 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2010 acceptance rate | 70% |
| Application deadline | N/A |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | December 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at St. Louis University is 13:1, and the school has 55.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at St. Louis University include: Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Physical Therapy/Therapist; Psychology, General; and Accounting. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 83.8 percent.
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| Student-faculty ratio | 13:1 | ||||||||||
| 4-year graduation rate | 61% - High | ||||||||||
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Student Life
St. Louis University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 8,406, with a gender distribution of 40.7 percent male students and 59.3 percent female students. 53.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 47.0 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 | 13,785 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
St. Louis University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, 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, 36 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at St. Louis University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 36% - Low |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At St. Louis University, 56.9 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $17,926.
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 | $33,986 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $9,432 (2011-12) - Medium |
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* Overview details based on 2010 data
