OVERVIEW

Alabama State University is a public and originally black university in the United States. With a history of about 150 years, it is one of the oldest universities of the country. Currently it has 4,882 enrolled students, among whom 41 percent are male and 59 percent are female. They come from more than 40 states and six countries.

The university was founded in as early as 1867 by nine freed slaves. Located in Montgomery, Alabama, its campus covers an area of 172 acres.

Alabama State University offers degrees in bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate’s programs. It also has two Education Specialist. The vast majority of its students are enrolled as undergraduates pursuing a four-year bachelor’s degree. It should be noted, however, that only about 8% of any incoming class actually graduates within a four-year period.

The mission of Alabama State University is:

Alabama State University is a student-centered, nurturing, comprehensive and diverse public historically black University committed to achieving excellence in teaching, research and public service.

ACCREDITATION

The university has received regional accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS). It is also accredited by man other organizations and associations such as The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification, and so on.

ACADEMICS

Alabama State University comprises seven colleges and three other organizations:

• College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Science, Mathematics & Technology
• College of Visual & Performing Arts
• University College
• Division of Aerospace Studies
• The Graduate School
• Continuing Education

According to the 2012 edition of Best Colleges, Alabama State University ranking is Regional Universities (South), Tier 2. What’s more, in US News Best Grad School Rankings, it ranks 100th and 154th in Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy respectively.

At Alabama State University, the ratio of students to faculty is 17:1 and 49.4 percent of its classes have fewer than 20 students. The university has a low average freshman retention rate–57 percent.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The university is less selective as its acceptance rate is 44.2 percent. Applicants for the university are required to possess high school diplomas. General Educational Development (GED) is equally effective. For first-time, first-year applicants, it refers to the scores of SAT or ACT in their decision-making process. Among all academic factors, rigor of secondary school record, GPA, and standardized test scores are considered important and usually give the applicant an advantage.

COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID

The in-state tuition and fees for year 2010-2011 is USD 7,164 while the out-of-state tuition and fees is USD 13,476. Students spend USD 4,600 on room and board on average.

The university offers various kinds of need-based financial aid which covers 96.8 percent of it full-time undergraduate students. The aid includes scholarships and grants such as Federal PELL, Federal SEOG, state scholarships/grants, private scholarships, college/university gift aid from institutional funds, United Negro College Fund, and so on. And the average need-based scholarship or grant award reaches USD 5,141.