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Abilene Christian University
Introduction
Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a private university in Abilene, Texas. The campus is located on 750 acres northeast of the city. The university was founded as Childers Classical Institute in 1906. Today, ACU serves nearly 5,000 students.
ACU is strongly affiliated with Churches of Christ. As stated on the school website, “The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. This mission is achieved through:
exemplary teaching, offered by a faculty of Christian scholars, that inspires a commitment to learning;
significant research, grounded in the university’s disciplines of study, that informs issues of importance to the academy, church, and society;
meaningful service to society, the academic disciplines, the university, and the church, expressed in various ways, by all segments of the Abilene Christian University community”.
ACU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Theological Schools, and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The school is also a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
Abilene Christian University
Academics
The university is organized into seven distinct colleges: College of Arts & Sciences, College of Biblical Studies, College of Business Administration, College of Education & Human Services, Graduate School, Graduate School of Theology, and Honors College. Between these colleges, ACU offers more than a hundred majors for undergraduates to choose from. The university is particularly well known for its strengths in theological and church related fields, including Christian ministry, worship ministry, youth and family ministry, missions, and vocational ministry. Other notable strengths include broad-based teacher training programs and agriculture programs, particularly animal science.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Abilene Christian University.
In past years, ACU has facilitated all incoming first-year students an iPod Touch and iPhone to be used for academic purposes, earning the university an “Innovator of the Year” award from the magazine Campus Technology.
Abilene Christian University
Admissions
Admissions at ACU are competitive. The admissions office considers not just grades and standardized test scores, but volunteer, community, and church work in making their decisions. The essay portion of the admissions application is also important; the university offers a tutorial to preparing this essay on their website.
Financial Aid
In addition to the wide range of state and federal financial aid options available to college and university students in Texas, ACU offers several of their own need- and merit-based scholarships.
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Abilene Christian University 493rd for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Texas scholarships and financial aid
There are no fraternities or sororities at ACU; instead, the university sponsors several social clubs to organize students in providing service, participating in intramural sports, and competing in the Sing Song. Men’s clubs include Pi Kappa, Trojans, Sub T-16, Pi Kappa, Gamma Sigma Phi, Galaxy, and Frater Sodalis. Women’s clubs include Sigma theta Chi, Ko Jo Kai, GATA, Delta Theta, and Alpha Kai Omega. The student newspaper is The Optimist. ACU also produces and a literary arts magazine, The Shinnery Review. KACU-FM, an NPR station, is run from the ACU campus.
Religious Life
Daily chapel attendance is required for all students, regardless of their faith heritage or peronal beliefs. Students who fail to attend chapels are subject to suspension. Chapel includes a 30 minute praise and worship period.
Residential Life
Students are required to live on-campus during their freshman and sophomore years unless they are living with parents who are Abilene residents, are over 21 years of age, or are legally married and residing with a spouse. Housing is also available to upperclassmen and graduate students. Residences for freshmen and sophomore consist of traditional residence halls and are separated by gender. Upperclassmen and graduate students may choose to live in university-owned apartments.
Dining on Campus
In addition to traditional, all-you-can eat dining halls, the ACU campus offers a variety of convenient dining options, including Starbucks, Quiznos, Pizza Hut, Chick-fil-A, and more.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Abilene Christian University?
The athletics department at ACU is known as the Wildcats. The Wildcats participate in NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference. Men’s sports include baseball, cross country, football, basketball, golf, and tennis. Women’s sports include softball, track and field, basketball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball. The school is particularly well-known for their track and field program, which has produced more than 20 Olympic athletes.
Abilene Christian University
Traditions
ACU has several of their own traditions to make the campus experience unique. These include:
A Welcome Week to introduce new students to the school with social activities, informational fairs, and orientations.
Sing Song, a large cappella competition held every February.
In September, ACU sponsors the Summit, a series of biblically-themed lectures and workshops.
A large portion of the student body spends Spring Break in missionary and community service programs.
Local Community
The city of Abilene offers a wide range of cultural and extracurricular educational attractions for students, such as the City of Abilene Zoological Gardens, The Grace Museum, Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical Chorus of Abilene, and National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. Community Service organizations and opportunities include The Grady McWhiney Foundation, United Way of Abilene, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Community Foundation of Abilene.
A number of other colleges and universities are located in Abilene, including Cisco College, Hardin-Simmons University, McMurry University, Texas State Technical College, and Texas Tech College of Engineering. Given the large student population of the town, there are a large number of amenities geared to student needs, including restaurants, music venues, bars, coffee shops, and more.
Alumni
Alumni include recent Olympic athletes Early Young, Billy Olson, Bobby Morrow, and James Browne, in addition to dozen of former Olympians. Other alumni include:
Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune
Basketball coach Bill Blakeley
Film production designer Nelson Coates
Professional boxer Randall “Tex” Cobb
Film producer Bonnie Curtis
KTVT news anchor Jody Dean
Musician Holly Dunn
Actress Annika Johansson
Pulitzer Prize winner David Leeson
Christian author Mac Lucado
Singer/songwriter T.J. McCloud
Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley
Southern Methodist University President R. Gerald Turner
This website and associated pages are not associated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Abilene Christian University. StateUniversity.com has no official or unofficial affiliation with Abilene Christian University.
Abilene, TX 79699
p. 325-674-2000
w. www.acu.edu