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Summary
Valparaiso University is a private institution that was founded in 1859. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,827, its setting is city, and the campus size is 320 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Valparaiso University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (Midwest), 4. Its tuition and fees are $32,250 (2012-13).
Valparaiso University, also known as Valpo, is a Lutheran school in northwest Indiana, just an hour east of Chicago. Undergraduate students can choose from 70 programs within five colleges, and graduate students can earn degrees in about 40 different fields, including business and law. As a faith-based school, Valpo offers students several ministries, including Campus Crusade and the St. Teresa of Avila Student Center. Tobacco and alcohol are prohibited on campus, and volunteer projects are encouraged. Students at Valpo can get involved through many different organizations, including about 15 fraternities and sororities, Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), and even a ballroom dancing club. Valpo Crusaders athletics includes nearly 20 varsity sports teams that compete in the NCAA Division I, as well as several intramural opportunities. Fun can also be had by venturing to the community’s Popcorn Festival held in honor of late Valparaiso resident, Orville Redenbacher. Notable alumni include John Lutz, who plays a character of the same name on the television show, 30 Rock, and JoBe Cerny, who voiced the Pillsbury Doughboy.
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An independent Lutheran university of 4,000 students, Valparaiso University belongs to a small group of institutions of higher education that is characterized by integration of liberal arts and professional studies. Students pursue majors in more than 70 fields of study in five colleges -- Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, Nursing, and Christ College -- The Honors College. Also part of the University are the Graduate School and Continuing Education division and the School of Law. The University offers 21 study abroad programs on four continents. Founded in 1859, Valparaiso University is located on 320 acres in northwest Indiana near the city of Chicago and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan. Students engage in numerous volunteer and service learning activities, undergraduate research, internships, theatre performances, music ensembles, and recreational sports or NCAA Division 1 athletics. Students come from most states in the nation and more than 45 countries. The 50,000 alumni of Valparaiso University are located in all 50 states and abroad. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1859 |
| Religious affiliation | Lutheran |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | city |
| 2011 Endowment | $163,721,000 |
Applying
When applying to Valparaiso University, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 74.3 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 | 74.3% |
| Application deadline | rolling |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | N/A |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Valparaiso University is 12:1, and the school has 51.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Valparaiso University include: Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Mechanical Engineering; Psychology, General; and Finance, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 82.8 percent.
Student Life
Valparaiso University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,827, with a gender distribution of 44.7 percent male students and 55.3 percent female students. At this school, 66.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 34.0 percent of students live off campus. Valparaiso University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 3,964 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Valparaiso University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Valparaiso 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 Valparaiso University, 46 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is not permitted for students of legal age at Valparaiso University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 46% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Valparaiso University, 76.1 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $20,270.
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 | $32,250 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $9,164 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
