The mission of Olivet College is to make available to a diverse campus community, an education which will enrich lives intellectually, morally and spiritually. Having gained these qualities through the educational experiences at Olivet College, our hope is that our graduates will embody the Divine art and science of doing good to others as stated by the founding fathers of Olivet College in 1844.
Olivet College is a coeducational, Christian, liberal arts college located in Olivet, Michigan, 30 miles south of Lansing and 125 miles west of Detroit. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, and accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
In 1844, after founding Oberlin College, Rev. John J. Shipherd and 39 missionaries, including Oberlin faculty, students, and aslumni, came to Michigan to create a college, which Shipherd deemed "New Oberlin."
The original land for the college was to be in present-day Ingham County, approximately twenty-five miles from where the college stands. Olivetian lore says that while Shipherd was on a trip to the site in Ingham County, his horse continued to get lost, and would always wander back to a hill above a swamp, which is where Olivet's Campus Square exists today. Shipherd decided that powers from above must be drawing the horse back to this site, and Shipherd deemed that this would become the site for "New Oberlin." He then chose to name it Olivet, however, after the biblical Mount of Olives. Shortly after the founding of the college, John Shipherd succumbed to malaria, as many other early Olivetians would.
It is said that the founders of Olivet College believed in three essential components: first was a coeducational experience; service was another integral part of the founders' visions, as the founders helped to build the surrounding community as well as the broader community; they also believed that an education could be had by anyone, not just those "rich in the world's goods." Abolitionist beliefs, along with a coeducational experience, led the state legislature to deny a charter for the college until thirteen years after the first courses were offered. Some Olivetians believe that the charter was denied because of possible competition with Michigan College.
The first courses began in December 1844. Because President Reuben Hatch's petition for a charter was denied, Olivet became the Olivet Institute, and remained a two year school until chartered in 1859.
|
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
|
Men vs. Women
|
||||
|
Race/Ethnicity
|
|
In State vs. Out-of-State
|
Top States for Incoming Freshman
|
| Percent of Students International: | 3% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 58% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) Basketball (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) Baseball (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) Track (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Assoc) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 16,464 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 15,970 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 494 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,226 | 55% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,119 | 80% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 6,347 | 99% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,726 | 82% | |
Any Aid: |
100% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 53% (Highly Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 91% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 16, Verbal: 15, Math: 14 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 21, Verbal: 20, Math: 19 |
| Application Fee: | $ 25.00 |
| 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: | Not Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
