Blackburn College, founded in 1837 and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), provides a coeducational student body with a rigorous, distinctive, and affordable liberal arts education that prepares graduates to be responsible, productive citizens. The Blackburn community values critical and independent thinking, leadership development, respect for all individuals, and lifelong learning. The College fosters a sense of service, community, and moral responsibility through its unique student-managed work program, its collegial concept of shared governance, and its faculty/staff mentor relationship with students.
< CollapseBlackburn College is a four-year coeducational private liberal arts college located in Carlinville, Illinois. It was established in 1837 and named for the Rev. Gideon Blackburn. It is one of only seven work colleges in the United States, and Blackburn has the only student-managed work program, enabling students to gain leadership experience as they manage other students. All resident students are required to work, but commuter students can opt to participate in the work program if they would like. Each student that works receives a tuition discount for the hours they work in the work program. It is also the least expensive private college in Illinois.
Blackburn's athletic teams compete in Division III of the NCAA's St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The work program was first instituted at Blackburn College in 1913 in order to provide access to higher education to individuals with the academic ability, but who were lacking the financial means. While cost reduction remains an important value of the work program today, there is an emphasis on the opportunities it provides for student learning. The work program is intended as a vehicle for personal growth including leadership opportunities and community involvement. Most students work a minimum of 160 hours each semester (10 hours a week) in partnership with faculty and staff to help provide virtually all services essential to college operations. By sharing, belonging, and contributing through their work, students gain an added sense of community and individual responsibility, while also establishing some life-long friendships. This combination of academic preparation and practical work experience uniquely prepares students for meeting the challenges of life, career, and any post-graduate experience.
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| Percent of Students International: | 2% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 84% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Upper Midwest Athletic Conference) Basketball (St. Louis Intercollegiate Ath Conf) Baseball (St. Louis Intercollegiate Ath Conf) Track (St. Louis Intercollegiate Ath Conf) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 15,040 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,078 | 42% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 4,178 | 56% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 4,755 | 95% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 2,956 | 72% | |
Any Aid: |
96% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 62% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 2% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 410, Math: 400 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 550, Math: 610 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 97% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 19, Verbal: 18, Math: 17 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 24, Verbal: 24, Math: 25 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Recommended |
| TOEFL: | Recommended |
| Test Scores: | Required |
