About Transylvania

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• About the University

  Mission and Values

  Through an engagement with the liberal arts, Transylvania University prepares its students for a humane and fulfilling personal and public life by cultivating independent thinking, open-mindedness, creative expression, and commitment to lifelong learning and social responsibility in a diverse world.
  
  As pioneers, our centuries-long commitment to achieving excellence in liberal arts education is guided by five essential values:

  • Integrity
  • Innovation
  • Diversity
  • Community
  • Perseverance

  Location

  • Lexington, Ky., population 300,000
  • 24 major buildings on 48 acres
  • Historic neighborhood in Lexington's downtown

  Type

  • Private liberal arts college

  President

  • R. Owen Williams became Transylvania's 25th president on August 1, 2010.

  History

  • Founded in 1780
  • 16th college in the U.S.
  • First college west of the Allegheny Mountains

  Name

  • Transylvania is Latin for across the woods, an appropriate description of Kentucky in the late 1700s.

  Reputation

  • U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Colleges
  • Princeton Review's Best 377 Colleges
  • Barron's Best Buys in College Education
  • America's Best Value Colleges

  Accreditation

  • Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097; Telephone 404-679-4501) to award the bachelor of arts degree.
  • Education program accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education at the initial teacher preparation level.

  Endowment

  • $127,639,973 as of June 30, 2012

• About the Students

  Total Student Population

  • Total undergraduate students  1,074
  • Female  58%
  • Male  42%
  • Students of color 10%
  • Out-of-state  18%
  • International  2%

  First-year Students (Fall 2012)

  • First-year applicants  1,569
  • Percent admitted  85%
  • First-year class  333
  • Female  59%
  • Male  41%
  • Students of color 13%
  • Out-of-state  28%
  • International  3%
  • Average ACT score  27
  • Average GPA  3.72
  • National Merit Finalists  4
  • Kentucky Governor's Scholars/Governor's School for the Arts  24

• Academics

  Majors/Minors

  • 39 majors and 36 minors
  • Opportunities to design your own major
  • Preparation for careers in law, medicine, engineering, and accounting

  Faculty

  • Total full-time faculty  97
  • Faculty with a terminal degree  96%
  • Student-to-faculty ratio  11:1

  Class Size

  • Average class size  14
  • Percentage of classes with 10 or fewer students  47%
  • Classes with more than 35 students  0

  Academic Calendar

  • August term for first-year students
  • Two 14-week terms
  • One-month May term
  • Optional summer session

  Study Abroad

  • Nearly 70 percent of students study abroad.
  • Study abroad is offered for the term, year, or summer at locations around the world, including a semester program at Regent's College in London, England.

• Student Success

  • First-year retention rate  88%
  • Average time to graduation  4.11 years
  • More than 90 percent of students recommended for medical school are accepted.
  • Typically 100 percent of students recommended for law school are accepted.
  • 92 percent of students are in graduate school or employed within 6 months of graduation.
  • 58 percent enter the workforce after graduation.
  • 38 percent enter graduate/professional school after graduation.

• Campus Life

  • 98 percent of first-year students live on campus and more than 75 percent stay on campus all four years.
  • Approximately 90 percent of students participate in community service opportunities.
  • Students, faculty, and staff promote and support campus-wide sustainability initiatives.
  • Students can participate in more than 70 student organizations.
  • Regular campus events include concerts, lectures, cultural exchanges, and social activities.
  • Transylvania supports 23 intercollegiate athletic teams and numerous intramural and club sports.
  • Lexington offers abundant restaurants, arts and performance venues, special events, and opportunities for internships and professional networking.

• Cost and Aid

  • Tuition and fees  $29,865
  • Room and board  $8,750
  • Tuition cost is below the national average for comparable private liberal arts colleges.
  • The Pioneer Pledge guarantees graduation in four years, offers a 12-month payment plan, and allows you to lock in the tuition rate for four years.
  • Transylvania offers extensive merit-based scholarships and need-based assistance.
  • More than 96 percent of students receive some kind of financial aid.