Butler University (BU) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Situated on a beautifully landscaped, two hundred sixty acre campus just five miles from downtown Indianapolis, Butler University was founded in 1855 by abolitionist and attorney Ovid Butler. The four-year university offers a liberal arts education in nearly seventy majors and has four professional colleges. Graduates of Butler are almost guaranteed employment upon graduation due largely to the school’s excellent job placement services. Butler is consistently ranked by leading publications as one of America’s best colleges and strives to maintain that reputation by providing students with an education that will lead to a lifelong commitment to community service, learning and global awareness.

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Information Summary

Ranks 6th in Indiana and 129th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	94.4
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$59,660
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	30 / 1330
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	13 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	89% / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	5,495

Academics

Butler University offers a wide array of educational opportunities in order to meet the needs of their students. Students may choose from nearly seventy majors including sociology, psychology, journalism, physics and accounting. Butler also offers interdisciplinary programs to those students who wish to pursue a degree encompassing a broader range of academic interests than may be found in a traditional major. Butler offers souch programs as International Studies, Classical Studies, or Public and Corporate Communication. If even these broad topics are too restrictive, students may choose to create their own course of study by pursuing the Individualized Major Program. The college also offers nearly twenty master’s degrees and a Doctor of Pharmacy.

Students at Butler University have a variety of options available when planning their educational futures. Besides traditional, regular semester classes, Butler offer many different summer classes either on campus or abroad. The Institute for Study Abroad is one of the main programs that Butler has developed in order provide students with the opportunity to pursue their education at a foreign institution. Students may choose from numerous institutions on any continent, depending on their preference. There is also a transfer program that allows Butler students the opportunity to study abroad while a student from the reciprocating institution comes to Butler. Between the programs that Butler offers and those available via the International Student Exchange Program, students wishing to study abroad have a multitude of choices. Butler University’s Center for Global Studies can assist students interested in participating in these programs.

Other ways that students may seek to enhance their educational experience at Butler include student/faculty research programs, internships and the Honors Program. Another program that offers a great opportunity for students is the Washington Learning Program which is a semester-long academic and internship program in Washington D.C. Students get the opportunity to participate with private, public and government agencies in the capital city while expanding career opportunities and forming professional bonds that may serve them well later in life.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Unique Programs

Butler University appreciates the fact that they are nationally recognized, but believes that it is what the current students and alumni have to say that truly matters. The number seven has long been associated with magic in many cultural and religious civilizations and Butler attributes its success to what everybody refers to as their own seven C’s.

Community

Butler has the perfect size campus. It’s small enough that professors know their students by name but big enough to provide a wide array of activities and a diversity of people with which to interact.

Collaboration

Students believe that a great deal of Butler University’s success is the way in which students and faculty interact with each other. Communication, teamwork and interactive dialogue helps students and faculty form unique bonds with each other and is constantly encouraged.

Choice

With nearly seventy majors, more than a hundred student organizations and several unique programs, students at Butler have practically endless opportunities to succeed academically, socially, and as members of their community.

Campus

Butler University’s campus is a beautiful place to live and learn. With two hundred ninety acres of beautiful historic buildings, sprawling gardens and numerous places for education and entertainment, the college offers an idyllic environment in which students may thrive.

Connections

Because the college encourages open interaction and provides numerous networking opportunities such as mentoring, internships and externships, there are relationships built that develop valuable connections that will last forever.

City Life

Known as the Crossroads of America, downtown Indianapolis is only five miles from Butler University’s campus and provides endless opportunities for students to attend cultural events, participate in outdoor activities or pursue an active nightlife.

Culture

There is always an activity to attend on campus, or students are only minutes away from museums, historical sites, comedy clubs, world-class restaurants, art venues or professional sports stadiums. Whether students want to watch a play on campus or head downtown to catch a Colts game, culture abounds.

Admissions

Butler University determines acceptance based upon consideration of five criteria. They consider academic achievement in high school, the Secondary School Report completed by the high school guidance counselor and a personal statement written by the applicant. Also considered is extracurricular activities and leadership experience or potential. Finally, Butler recommends that each student take the SAT and the ACT in order to see which one suits the applicant better. The college looks at the highest sub-scores for each test then uses the new high test score for admissions purposes. In order to be considered for acceptance to Butler, students must take a minimum of four years of English, three years of math, three years of laboratory science, two years of history and two years of foreign language.

Students may apply either online using the Application for Student Admission and Scholarships form on Butler’s website, via a paper application, or by completing the Common Application which is an online application that may be used to apply to many schools. All applications are considered equally, but the admission fee will be waived for students that apply online. Applicants should be aware that packets are not considered complete and therefore will not be considered until all of the supporting documentation listed above is submitted.

Application packets are accepted in three different phases. The first round of applicants are considered in the Early Action I application period. Students should submit a competed application packet to Butler University by November 15 of their senior year in high school in order to be considered for Early Action I. This is recommended for all students who have Butler at the top of their list of college choices. Admission decisions will be mailed by December 15. Since scholarships, housing requests and class selections are all offered on a first-come, first-served basis, being accepted early gives the entering student a huge advantage over those who apply later. Also, the Freshmen Living/Learning Centers are reserved for Early Action I students only and even then space is limited.

The second round of applications are reviewed in the Early Action II period. Applications must be submitted by January 15, but the earlier students apply, the better. Admission decisions will be mailed by February 1. Finally, students who wait until the regular application period are required to submit applications by February 15 and admission decisions will be mailed by March 6.

After students have been accepted, they will be required to submit an enrollment form and refundable housing/admissions deposit.

Financial Aid

Butler University offers financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, federally subsidized loans and student employment. Both need-based and merit-based aid is eligible and students should begin the process of applying for financial aid as early as possible. Many scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is particularly imperative that students seeking this form of aid apply early.

The first step to beginning the process of applying for financial aid is completing the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online by January of the year preceding attendance. This form only needs to be completed once. Financial information for both the parents and the applicant is required so students should have this information available prior to starting the application.

Students that complete the Student Application for Admission and Scholarships form when applying to Butler will be assessed for eligibility for scholarships. Accepted students should contact the financial aid office at Butler University to ensure that all forms have been received and are complete in order to receive the maximum amount of financial aid available to them..

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 835th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Indiana.

Athletics

Butler University offers an outstanding athletics program that has won multiple championships over the years. The Bulldogs participate in the NCAA Division I Horizon League with the exception of the football team, which is a member of the Pioneer football League. Butler offers both men’s and women’s basketball, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field and cross country. Men have the additional options of baseball and football while women may also choose to participate in softball, swimming and volleyball.

It was apparent right from the very beginning that sports were going to play a huge part in Bulldog history. It is former coach Tony Hinkle that is attributed with inventing the orange basketball and other greats such as George McGinnis, Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird once competed at the Fieldhouse. Athletics is taken to a whole new level at Butler and the fan base is incredible.

The program offers state-of-the art facilities for their athletes to train, practice and compete in. The Butler Bowl, which is where the football and soccer teams compete, is on the northeast side of campus and features a huge pressbox, artificial turf and seating for nearly six thousand people. Historic Hinkle Fieldhouse is home to Butler’s basketball and volleyball teams and has served as host to six U.S. Presidents, numerous professional athletic events, equestrian events, roller derby, a three-ring circus and a six-day bicycle race, just to name a few. The building also served as United States Army and Navy barracks during World War II. Altogether, Butler features eleven buildings or complexes dedicated entirely to its athletic program.

Additional School Information

Being a Bulldog means more than just attending classes or cheering on sports teams at Butler University. Bulldogs pride themselves on being leaders and workers; people who go out of their way to help the people around them. Butler offers several opportunities for students to make a difference in their community by providing service to others.

The Volunteer Center

A collaborative effort organized by students that coordinates various community assistance programs, the Volunteer Center works in conjunction with the Programs for Leadership and Service Education to create and organize such programs as Ambassadors of Change-Bulldogs in the Streets (BITS). BITS is a tradition for incoming students. Every semester, new students are organized into groups for a day and go donate their time at a volunteer agency in Indianapolis. The event is free to students and they are provided with transportation, lunch and a T-shirt.

Center for Citizenship and Community

The CCC is part of Academic Affairs and strives to build collaborative relationships between Butler and businesses in the surrounding community. These relationships lead to experiential learning opportunities such as internships and service-learning courses.

Butler Community Arts School

Each year, students at Butler offer art instruction to hundreds of children in Indianapolis. The students are referred to as Teaching Fellows and the program is organized by the Jordan College of Fine Arts.

Bibliography

Butler University. Butler University. 2011. Web. 27 April 2011.

Butler.The Official Home of Butler Athletics. Butler University. 2011. Web. 28 April 2011.

“Butler University.” The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review. 2011. Web. 28 April 2011.

“Butler University.” U.S. News Education. U.S. News & World Report. 2011. Web. 28 April 2011.

Butler University