Arcadia University is a beautiful rolling campus built on the grounds of the historic landmark Grey Towers Castle in Glenside, Pa. Arcadia is located just 25 minutes from Center City Philadelphia—and its renowned historical and arts venues. Learn more about the area at OneBigCampus.
Fast Facts about the University
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Arcadia University serves a student body of more than 3,700 undergraduate and graduate students, both full-time and part-time.
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Students enjoy personal attention from a caring, learned faculty, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1; Average class size of 16.
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More than 89 percent of Arcadia University's full-time assistant, associate and full professors have doctorate or terminal degrees in their field.
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Students work closely with faculty for academic advising, research and publication activities.
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Undergraduate degree programs in more than 65 fields of study; Master’s degree programs in 15 fields; Doctoral degree programs in physical therapy and special education.
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Pre-degree certificates, bachelor's degrees and certification are available through the evening programs of Continuing and Professional Studies and Graduate Studies.
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All accepted students are considered for scholarships and financial aid.
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“Previews” allow all qualified first-year students to spend a week in London, Scotland or Spain; transfer students study in Italy.
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The First Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE) gives select incoming students the chance to spend their first semester in London, England, Stirling, Scotland, or Limerick, Ireland.
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Through Arcadia’s nationally recognized Center for Education Abroad, students study in Australia, China, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Korea, Spain or Wales.
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Varsity and intramural athletics include baseball, basketball, equestrian riding, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.
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Clubs, cultural and social events, residence hall activities, religious life and student publications provide a multitude of opportunities for involvement and leadership.
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Undergraduate Alumni Giving Rate is ranked in the top 10 percent of all colleges and universities.
Arcadia University is a private liberal arts university located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, on the outskirts of Philadelphia. The university has a co-educational student population of 3,600. The university was recently ranked in the top 20 regional universities in the North by U.S. News & World Report. The 71-acre campus features Grey Towers Castle, a National Historic Landmark.
The school was founded in Beaver, Pennsylvania in 1853. By 1872 it had attained collegiate status, under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was named Beaver College. In 1925 Beaver College moved east to Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. In 1928, the school acquired the current campus in Glenside. The college operated both the Jenkintown and Glenside campuses into the mid-1960s, when it consolidated all activities onto the Glenside campus.
In July 2001, upon attaining university status, Beaver College officially changed its name to Arcadia University. It was thought that a new name would emphasize the school's position as one of the top small institutions of higher learning on the East Coast, and would cement its change in designation from "college" to "university." The decision was also made in part to shed its association with the former commonly derided name. As then-president Bette Landman noted:
too often elicits ridicule in the form of derogatory remarks pertaining to the rodent, the TV show 'Leave It to Beaver' and the vulgar reference to the female anatomy."
During the subsequent years, memorabilia from the former name became very popular for Arcadia students to give as gifts.
At the beginning of the school year in Fall 2006, in an effort to better portray itself as sensitive to the needs of minority students, Arcadia University created a "civility flag," which was to be flown at half staff in the event of an act of incivility. Students have established a tradition of stealing the flag, and replace it with a variety of other symbols. It was first stolen by a student in November, 2006. The student replaced the flag with a pair of boxer shorts featuring $100 bills.
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Top States for Incoming Freshman
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| Percent of Students International: | 0% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 45% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Basketball (Pennsylvania Athletic Conference) Baseball (Pennsylvania Athletic Conference) Track (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 24,270 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 23,990 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 280 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 2,993 | 32% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,987 | 41% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 9,548 | 98% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 5,766 | 93% | |
Any Aid: |
99% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 78% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 89% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 490, Math: 480 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 600, Math: 590 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 9% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 20, Verbal: 19, Math: 18 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 26, Verbal: 26, Math: 25 |
| Application Fee: | $ 30.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Recommended |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
