| Location: | Southeast |
| Setting: | Mid-size City Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | United Methodist |
| Size: | Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad) |
Philander Smith College is a private, residential, co-educational, four-year undergraduate liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist church and a founding member of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Philander is classified as a baccalaureate (liberal arts) college by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Updated in 2007, the College's emerging mission is to “graduate academically accomplished students who are grounded as advocates for social justice, determined to intentionally change the world for the better.”
The College is nestled near the progressive epicenter of downtown Little Rock which encompasses the thriving cultural and business River Market District and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center. Philander Smith College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, Association for Collegiate and Business Schools and Programs, and the Council on Social Work Education and currently offers four degrees: the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, and the Bachelor of Social Work.
In the past the College’s mission has been to grant access to higher education to individuals who are, or who have the potential to be, academically talented, regardless of social, economic, or educational background. Although many of our students have stellar academic backgrounds, Philander Smith College also has the ability to nurture students who have been overlooked by other colleges. Many of our students come from low-income families and it is not uncommon that they are the first in their family to attend college. Some may also enter the college as average high school students, but emerge later with the capacity and motivation to pursue graduate and professional degrees and excel in their fields.
Philander Smith College is a private, historically black college that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It is located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The student body averages around 850 attendees, with around 30% of that figure attending part time. Although known historically as a school for African Americans, it accepts students of all races. However, the vast majority of its students are black.
Philander Smith College was officially founded in 1877 under the name of Walden Seminary as a means of providing education opportunities for freed slaves west of the Mississippi River. The school was renamed Philander Smith College in 1882 to recognize the financial contributions of Adeline Smith, the widow of Philander Smith. The college was chartered as a four-year college in 1883 and conferred its first bachelor’s degree in 1888. In 1943, Philander Smith was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Philander Smith College was a pioneer during the civil rights movement as many of its students engaged in nonviolent resistance against segregation laws (such as sitting in at "whites-only" lunch counters).
Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough is the 12th and current president of Philander Smith College. Dubbed as the first college president from the hip-hop generation, at 38 he is the youngest HBCU president and one of the youngest college presidents in the nation.
Kimbrough recently joined the Education Conservancy in its criticism of U.S. News and World Report college rankings by signing a letter circulating among college presidents that asks them not to participate in the peer assessment portion of the survey.
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| Percent of Students International: | 1% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 37% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 7,822 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 6,950 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 1,055 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,695 | 82% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 1,300 | 4% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 3,506 | 36% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,654 | 80% | |
Any Aid: |
96% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 100% (Open Admissions) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 12% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 310, Math: 330 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 440, Math: 410 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 87% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 13, Verbal: 11, Math: 14 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 18, Verbal: 16, Math: 16 |
| Application Fee: | $ 25.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Not Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Not Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
