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Summary
Ursinus College is a private institution that was founded in 1869. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,776, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 170 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Ursinus College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 75. Its tuition and fees are $43,270 (2012-13).
Ursinus College (UC) is a small, private school located about 20 miles from Philadelphia in the appropriately named town of Collegeville, Pa. The school issues a laptop computer to every accepted student, who can choose from nearly 30 majors to study. Freshmen at UC must enroll in the Common Intellectual Experience class, which gathers in small groups to discuss their beliefs and philosophies. Outside the classroom, UC students can get involved in more than 100 organizations, Greek life, and community service through the Ursinus Center for Advocacy, Responsibility and Engagement (UCARE).
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, UC students can participate in a program through which the school’s lounge stays open until 1 a.m., allowing them to play video games, throw darts, and eat café food. Student athletes at UC can try out for the many Ursinus Bears varsity sports teams, which compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference. Famous author J.D. Salinger attended UC for about a semester before eventually writing The Catcher in the Rye, and scientist Gerald Edelman graduated to later win a Nobel Prize for his studies of the immune system.
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A selective, independent, nondenominational coed liberal arts college of 1,750 students in suburban Philadelphia, Ursinus is nationally recognized for fostering undergraduate research through faculty mentoring, internships, study abroad programs and comunity service. Its celebrated core curriculum, The Common Intellectual Experience, is an interdisciplinary program required for first-year students. With an outstanding record of placing students in graduate, law and medical schools, Ursinus is one of only 50 colleges nationwide whose seniors may compete for Watson Fellowships and one of 10 founding institutional members of Project Pericles, which fosters civic engagement among college students nationwide. Ursinus competes in Division III athletics in the prestigious Centennial Conference, along with Bryn Mawr, Franklin & Marshall, Haverford, Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore. Newer majors in Neuroscience, Environmental Studies, Biochemistry, Music, and Theater and Dance, as well as a new performing arts center have enhanced the curricular offerings of the college. Students enjoy opportunities to present research and to develop leadership abilities. The educational philosophy encourages critical thinking. Students enjoy proximity to the cultural and business advantages of the city of Philadelphia, while living on a traditional tree-lined suburban campus. The college is named for scholar Zacharias Ursinus, and students today embody his legacy of carefully thought-out values, curiosity and work ethic, and a desire to serve and inspire others. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1869 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2011 Endowment | $127,476,436 |
Applying
When applying to Ursinus College, it's important to note the application deadline is February 15, and the early action deadline and the early decision deadline are December 1 and January 15, respectively. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 15. The application fee at Ursinus College is $50. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 70.2 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 | 70.2% |
| Application deadline | February 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | February 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Ursinus College is 12:1, and the school has 79.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Ursinus College include: Social Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Psychology; English Language and Literature/Letters; and Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 89.0 percent.
Student Life
Ursinus College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,776, with a gender distribution of 46.7 percent male students and 53.3 percent female students. At this school, 95.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 5.0 percent of students live off campus. Ursinus College is part of the NCAA III athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 1,776 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA III |
Campus Info & Services
Ursinus College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Ursinus 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, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Ursinus College, 55 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Ursinus College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 55% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | Yes |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Ursinus College, 75.5 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $24,200.
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 | $43,270 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $10,750 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
