About
<h2 id="section---ShouldYouAttendSaintLouisUniversity">Should You Attend Saint Louis University?</h2>
<p>Located in midtown St. Louis, MO, this Jesuit Catholic university offers certificate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in 150 areas of study. Weigh the facts below to find out if SLU is the school for you.
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<h4 id="section---Pros">Pros</h4>
<ul><li>Ranked top 25 for healthcare law, healthcare management and physician assistant graduate programs
</li><li>Graduation rate is 20 percentage points higher than the national average
</li><li>Student-faculty ratio is 12:1, which is lower than the national average
</li><li>High number of academic programs
</li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons">Cons</h4>
<ul><li>Cost of attendance (including tuition and living expenses) is $6,118 higher than the national average
</li><li>Student debt following graduation is $10,137 higher than the national average
</li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsSchoolAnalysis">Rankings & School Analysis</h3>
<p>With an enrollment of nearly 13,000 undergraduates and more than 5,000 graduate students in 2011, SLU is a medium-sized school. In 2013, SLU was named a best Midwestern university by The Princeton Review, and its graduate programs for healthcare law (#1), healthcare management (#9) and physician assistant (#25) were ranked among the nation's best by <i>U.S. News & World Report</i> in 2013. As an SLU student, you'll be able to choose from roughly 100 undergraduate and 50 graduate programs.
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<p>The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that 85% of full-time students who began their studies in 2010 returned to the university after their first year. In 2011, SLU accepted 62% of applicants, which was on par with the national average. The university had a 4-year graduation rate of 60%, well above the national average of 40%. You also can expect a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, which is much lower than the national average of 16:1, so your classes should be relatively small.
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<p>According to NCES, tuition, fees, and room and board for the 2012-2013 academic year was $45,636, which was higher than the national average of $39,518 for private schools. College Board reported that SLU students graduated with an average debt of $36,797 in 2011, which was well above the $26,660 national average for similar institutions, and roughly 4.1% of 2009 graduates defaulted on their student loans within 3 years of graduation, based on NCES figures.
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<h2 id="section---GettingInFinancialAidAtSLU">Getting In & Financial Aid at SLU</h2>
<p>You'll need to submit the school's application (or the Common Application with the SLU supplement), an essay, your high school transcript and standardized test scores to apply to SLU. The university recommends that scholarship applicants also include a resume. Prospective students (except for those applying to the nursing, occupational therapy or physical therapy programs) are notified of admission on a rolling basis. In 2011, roughly 21% of accepted students chose to attend SLU.
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<p>According to NCES, 88% of applicants submitted ACT scores, while 23% sent in SAT scores. The middle 50% of admitted students scored between 25 and 30 on the composite ACT or had a combined SAT reading/math score between 1078 and 1330. Test scores are due at the school by December 1.
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<p>Despite SLU's higher-than-average cost, the school offers first-year students an average of $26,900 in financial aid. About 97% of freshmen were awarded some type of financial aid, and 13% of students had their full need met. You might be eligible for scholarships based on need, talent, academic achievement or service/leadership activity. If you're entering a graduate program, you might qualify for fellowships or research/teaching assistantships.
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<table border="1"><tr><th> Application and Tuition Info </th><th /></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2013)</i> </td><td> December 1***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Financial Aid Application Deadline (2013)</i> </td><td> March 1***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Notification of Acceptance (2013)</i> </td><td> Rolling, beginning September 15***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Application Fee (2013)</i> </td><td> No fee for online applications***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Acceptance Rate (2012)</i> </td><td> 64%*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>All Tuition & Living Expenses (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> $53,448*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Average Financial Aid Package (2011)</i> </td><td> $26,900***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Percent of Students with Need Met (2011)</i> </td><td> 13%***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2011)</i> </td><td> $36,797***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i> </td><td> 4.1%*</td></tr>
</table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtSLU">Student Life at SLU</h2>
<p>NCES reported that in 2011, 59% of students at SLU were female, 30% were Missouri residents and 12% were international. The largest ethnic/racial groups were White (71%), Black/African-American (6%), Asian (5%) and Hispanic/Latino (3%). If you want to live on campus, as roughly half of all undergraduates do, you'll be able to choose from 8 residence halls, 4 apartment complexes and learning communities for a variety of academic and social interests.
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<p>The university offers more than 150 student organizations, 15 Greek chapters and 31 club sports for students who want to get involved on campus. You'll have access to 3 libraries, including ones for medical and law programs, and specialized academic resources, such as a Vatican manuscript collection, an earthquake research center, a supersonic wind tunnel, flight simulators and a teaching hospital. If you need flexibility with your schedule, you can take advantage of weekend and evening classes.
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<table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life Info </th><th /></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Campus Setting</i> </td><td> Large city*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Student Population (2011)</i> </td><td> 12,531 undergraduates, 5,328 graduate students*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2011)</i> </td><td> 41% to 59%*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of Full-Time Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 57%*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of In-State Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 30%*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of International Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 12%</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Retention Rate (2010-2011)</i> </td><td> 85%*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Campus Housing Available</i> </td><td> Yes*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of Students Living on Campus</i> </td><td> 51%***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> 3**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Extracurricular Activities</i> </td><td> Over 150**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Noteworthy</i> </td><td> School has a Vatican manuscript library**</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Article Sources: *NCES College Navigator, **Saint Louis University, ***The College Board</i>
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<h3 id="section---SchoolContactInformation"> School Contact Information</h3>
<ul><li><i>Address:</i> Office of Admissions, One Grand Boulevard, DuBourg Hall, Room 100, St. Louis, MO 63103
</li><li><i>Phone:</i> (314) 977-2500</li></ul>
