| Location: | Southwest |
| Setting: | Mid-size City Setting |
| Type: | Private |
| Affiliation: | Churches of Christ |
| Size: | Medium (2,000 to 5,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Wildcats |
Our mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. ACU is a national leader in Christian higher education and a place where students, faculty, staff and alumni change the world.
Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute. ACU has an annual enrollment of about 5,000 students from across the United States and 60 nations.
Abilene Christian University grew from an idea held by A. B. Barret and Charles Roberson to form a school in West Texas. The Church of Christ in Abilene agreed to back the project. J. W. Childers sold Barret land and a large house west of the town and lowered the price with the stipulation that the school would be named in his honor. Childers Classical Institute opened in the fall of 1906, with 25 students.
When Jesse P. Sewell became president of the institute in 1912, the school began using "Abilene Christian College" on all its printed material. In 1920, the school paid the Childers family $4,000 and formally changed the name.
The Optimist, the university's student-run newspaper, was founded in 1912. The Prickly Pear, the school yearbook, was founded in 1916. The campus literary-arts magazine (now The Shinnery Review, formerly The Pickwicker) has been in production since 1933.
In 1927, with the help of a $75,000 contribution from the city of Abilene, the board of trustees purchased 680 acres (2.8 km²) northeast of Abilene. In addition, residents donated 75 acres (304,000 m²) of adjoining land. The new campus opened in the fall of 1929.
From the time of its founding to the present, the university has been governed by a board of trustees made up of members of the Churches of Christ. Abilene Christian University is the largest organization in the United States that has time set aside each day for chapel. Chapel attendance is required, absent an approved exemption, and those students failing to meet the requirement over a period of more than one semester may be subject to suspension.
Abilene Christian University first received school accreditation in 1971 when it became an accredited member of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
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| Percent of Students International: | 4% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 46% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Lone Star Conference) Basketball (Lone Star Conference) Baseball (Lone Star Conference) Track (Lone Star Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 14,610 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 550 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 2,695 | 22% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,399 | 35% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 2,253 | 85% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 4,049 | 66% | |
Any Aid: |
94% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 55% (Highly Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 58% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 490, Math: 490 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 623, Math: 630 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 42% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 20, Verbal: 20, Math: 19 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 26, Verbal: 27, Math: 25 |
| Application Fee: | $ 25.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| 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 |
