Ouachita Baptist University: Narrative Description

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OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY J-7

410 Ouachita St.
Arkadelphia, AR 71998-0001
Tel: (870)245-5000; Admissions: (870)245-5578; Fax: (870)245-5500; E-mail: jonesj@sigma.obu.edu; Web Site: http://www.obu.edu/

Description: Independent Baptist, 4-year, coed. Awards associate and bachelor's degrees. Founded 1886. Setting: 84-acre small town campus with easy access to Little Rock. Endowment: $50.7 million. Research spending 2002-03: $54,895. Educational spending 2002-03: $5984 per student. Total enrollment: 1,530. Student-undergrad faculty ratio is 13:1. 879 applied, 80% were admitted. 31% from top 10% of their high school class, 60% from top quarter, 86% from top half. 6 National Merit Scholars, 10 valedictorians. Full-time: 1,487 students, 54% women, 46% men. Part-time: 43 students, 37% women, 63% men. Students come from 33 states and territories, 46% from out-of-state, 0.3% Native American, 1% Hispanic, 6% black, 0.3% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 3% international, 3% 25 or older, 86% live on campus, 4% transferred in. Retention: 79% of 2003 full-time freshmen returned. Academic areas with the most degrees conferred: business/marketing; education; social sciences and history. Core. Calendar: semesters. Academic remediation for entering students, ESL program, advanced placement, accelerated degree program, honors program, double major, summer session for credit, part-time degree program, co-op programs and internships. Off campus study at Henderson State University. Study abroad program. ROTC: Army.

Entrance Requirements: Options: early admission, deferred admission. Required: high school transcript, minimum 2.75 high school GPA, SAT I or ACT. Recommended: interview. Entrance: moderately difficult. Application deadline: 8/15. Notification: continuous.

Costs Per Year: Application fee: $50. Comprehensive fee: $19,970 includes full-time tuition ($14,940), mandatory fees ($230), and college room and board ($4800). Full-time tuition and fees vary according to course load. Room and board charges vary according to housing facility. Part-time tuition: $400 per semester hour. Part-time tuition varies according to course load. Tuition guaranteed not to increase for student's term of enrollment.

Collegiate Environment: Orientation program. Drama-theater group, choral group, marching band, student-run newspaper. Social organizations: 60 open to all; local fraternities, local sororities; 20% of eligible men and 25% of eligible women are members. Most popular organizations: Phi Beta Lambda, Campus Activities Board, Student Education Association, Student Foundation, International Club. Major annual events: Tiger Tunes, Tiger Traks, Homecoming. Student services: health clinic, personal-psychological counseling. Campus security: 24-hour emergency response devices and patrols, controlled dormitory access. 1,487 college housing spaces available; 1,284 were occupied in 2002-03. Freshmen guaranteed college housing. On-campus residence required through senior year. Options: men-only, women-only housing available. Riley-Hickinbotham Library plus 1 other with 139,278 books, 263,171 microform titles, 1,931 serials, 8,306 audiovisual materials, and an OPAC. Operations spending 2002-03: $559,221. 189 computers available on campus for general student use. A campuswide network can be accessed from student residence rooms and from off campus. Staffed computer lab on campus.

Community Environment: Ouachita Baptist University is located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, about 70 miles southwest of Little Rock on I-30 and 35 miles south of Hot Springs. There is frequent Amtrak service to and from the city. Facilities for air transportation are available both in Hot Springs and Little Rock. Arkadelphia has a population of more than 10,000, including the students of Ouachita and Henderson State University.

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