Abilene Christian University Admissions

Abilene Christian University Admissions Overview:

With an acceptance rate of 51% in 2016, Abilene Christian University is moderately selective. ACU accepts both the SAT and ACT equally--about 50% of applicants submit ACT scores, while 50% submit SAT scores. The school does recommend submitting a writing score for the ACT or SAT, although it is not required. While ACU requires applicants to write a bit about themselves in their application, there is no formal essay component to the application.

Admissions Data (2016):

• Abilene Christian University Acceptance Rate: 51%
• Test Scores -- 25th / 75th Percentile
  • SAT Critical Reading: 460 / 580
  • SAT Math: 470 / 580
    • What these SAT numbers mean
  • ACT Composite: 21 / 27
  • ACT English: 20 / 28
  • ACT Math: 21 / 26
    • What these ACT numbers mean

Abilene Christian University Description:

Abilene Christian University is a private, 4-year university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The 250-acre campus is located in Abilene, Texas, about 180 miles from the Fort Worth/Dallas area. ACU has a student / faculty ratio of 15 to 1, and all of their 4,500 students are given an iPhone or iPod touch as part of the college’s mobile-learning initiative. ACU offers a total of 71 baccalaureate majors in over 125 areas of study. The school also has several master degree programs. ACU is proud of its pre-med program, and its graduates are accepted into medical schools at more than twice the national average rate. For fun on campus, students participate in a variety of intramurals, and the university boasts almost 100 student clubs and organizations. As of 2013, ACU competes in the NCAA Division I Southland Conference. The university won dozens of national athletics team championships when it competed at the Division II level. Popular sports include football, basketball, golf, tennis, and track and field.

Enrollment (2016):

• Total Enrollment: 4,910 (3,758 undergraduates)
• Gender Breakdown: 41 percent male / 59 percent female
• 95 percent full-time

Costs (2016 - 17):

• Tuition and Fees: $32,070
• Books: $1,250 (why so much?)
• Room and Board: $9,310
• Other Expenses: $3,350
• Total Cost: $45,980

Abilene Christian University Financial Aid (2015 - 16):

• Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 100 percent
• Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
  • Grants: 100 percent
  • Loans: 57 percent
• Average Amount of Aid
  • Grants: $17,550
  • Loans: $11,640

Academic Programs:

• Most Popular Majors: Accounting, Business Administration, Elementary Education, Family Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Marketing, Psychology, Nursing, Fine Arts, Public Relations

Graduation and Retention Rates:

• First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 79 percent
• 4-Year Graduation Rate: 48 percent
• 6-Year Graduation Rate: 62 percent

Intercollegiate Athletic Programs:

• Men's Sports: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Tennis, Track and Field, Golf
• Women's Sports: Track and Field, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Softball, Soccer

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

If You Like Abilene, You May Also Like These Schools:

Many Abilene Christian University applicants also applied to other colleges in Texas including Sam Houston State University, Texas State University, Angelo State University, and Baylor University. Note that these schools are all significantly larger than Abilene.

If you're looking for a college that's a similar size to Abilene and has connections to the Churches of Christ, be sure to check out Faulkner University, Harding University, and Lipscomb University. All three schools have a level of selectivity that is similar to Abilene.