| Location: | Mid-Atlantic |
| Setting: | Large Town Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | Interdenominational |
| Size: | Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Falcons |
Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character, and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.
Messiah College is a private Christian liberal arts college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences with approximately 3,000 undergraduate students in over 60 majors/courses of study, located in south central Pennsylvania in the United States. The campus is in the unincorporated village of Grantham in Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, about 20 minutes south-west of Harrisburg. It was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church as the Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home.
Messiah's mission is to "educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character, and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society." The college's motto is "Christ Preeminent."
Messiah College was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church, and was originally called Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home. The school moved from Harrisburg to its current location in 1911. In 1921 it became a junior college and changed its name to Messiah Bible School. By the 1950s the school offered four year college programs, and changed its name to Messiah College. Messiah discontinued its high school program in 1959 and added liberal arts programs during this period. It was accredited in 1963, and continued to expand its liberal arts programs. In 1968 Messiah College opened its Philadelphia Campus in a unique partnership with Temple University.
Messiah continues to be influenced by its traditions primarily in the Anabaptist, but also the pietist and Wesleyan holiness movements. President Kim S. Phipps is one of only two female Presidents at a Christian college or university.
In 2007, Messiah College's Harrisburg Institute was founded in downtown Harrisburg, PA. Its purpose is to serve as an academic and research center and connect students with the unique needs of an urban environment. The Institute also provides housing for up to 25 students.
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| Percent of Students International: | 2% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 82% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Basketball (Middle Atlantic States Athletic Corporation) Baseball (Middle Atlantic States Athletic Corporation) Track (Middle Atlantic States Athletic Corporation) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 21,420 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 690 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,193 | 19% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 3,072 | 24% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 7,179 | 93% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 5,267 | 76% | |
Any Aid: |
97% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 75% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 94% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 550, Math: 540 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 660, Math: 650 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 18% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 23, Verbal: 22, Math: 21 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 28, Verbal: 30, Math: 27 |
| Application Fee: | $ 30.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
