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Davidson College Profile - SAT Scores, Costs and Admissions Data

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Davidson College

Davidson College

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Davidson College Description:

Established by the Presbyterians of North Carolina in 1837, Davidson College is now one of the country's top liberal arts colleges. For a school of well under 2,000 students, Davidson is unusual for its strong Division I athletic program. The Wildcats compete in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference, and nearly a quarter of Davidson students participate in varsity athletics. On the academic front, Davidson was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. The college has a strict honor code that allows students to schedule their own exams and take them in any academic classroom.

Admissions Data (2012):

Enrollment (2011):

  • Total Enrollment: 1,755 (all undergraduate)
  • Gender Breakdown: 51% Male / 49% Female
  • 100% Full-time

Costs (2012 - 13):

  • Tuition and Fees: $40,809
  • Books: $1,000 (why so much?)
  • Room and Board: $11,436
  • Other Expenses: $1,775
  • Total Cost: $54,930

Davidson College Financial Aid (2010 - 11):

  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 65%
  • Davidson College Scholarships (Cappex.com)
  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
    • Grants: 63%
    • Loans: 23%
  • Average Amount of Aid
    • Grants: $26,181
    • Loans: $6,305

Most Popular Majors:

Art, Biology, Economics, English, History, Political Science, Psychology, Spanish

Retention and Graduation Rates:

  • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 96%
  • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 87%
  • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 92%

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

Davidson and the Common Application

Davidson College uses the Common Application. These articles can help guide you:

Admissions Information for Other Top Liberal Arts Colleges:

Davidson College Statement of Purpose:

complete statement of purpose at http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x924.xml

"Davidson College is an institution of higher learning established in 1837 by Presbyterians of North Carolina. Since its founding, the ties that bind the college to its Presbyterian heritage, including the historic understanding of Christian faith called The Reformed Tradition, have remained close and strong. The college is committed to continuing this vital relationship.

The primary purpose of Davidson College is to assist students in developing humane instincts and disciplined and creative minds for lives of leadership and service. In fulfilling its purpose, Davidson has chosen to be a liberal arts college, to maintain itself as a residential community of scholars, to emphasize the teaching responsibility of all professors, and to ensure the opportunity for personal relationships between students and teachers. Further, Davidson believes it is vital that all students in every class know and study under mature and scholarly teachers who are able and eager to provide for each of them stimulation, instruction, and guidance.

The Christian tradition to which Davidson remains committed recognizes God as the source of all truth, and believes that Jesus Christ is the revelation of that God, a God bound by no church or creed. The loyalty of the college thus extends beyond the Christian community to the whole of humanity and necessarily includes openness to and respect for the world’s various religious traditions. Davidson dedicates itself to the quest for truth and encourages teachers and students to explore the whole of reality, whether physical or spiritual, with unlimited employment of their intellectual powers. At Davidson, faith and reason work together in mutual respect and benefit toward growth in learning, understanding, and wisdom."

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