Oglethorpe University
Atlanta, Georgia
An Education Designed to be Different.
Founded in 1835, Oglethorpe is Atlanta’s leading liberal arts and sciences university, renowned for its groundbreaking Core program. Oglethorpe holds a unique position as a traditional liberal arts college in a vibrant international city, and offers an academically rigorous undergraduate education combined with opportunities to apply that knowledge through unparalleled experiences.
Get to know Oglethorpe University
Benefits
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Jazz band
- Literary magazine
- Music ensembles
- Musical theatre
- Pep band
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Student-run film society
- Symphony orchestra
High-Impact Practices
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- Service-Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Internships/Coops/Practicums
- Capstone Courses and Projects/Senior Experience
Campus Resources
- Career Services
- Writing Center
- Academic Advisors
- Library Services
- Disability Services
- Health Services
- Academic Tutors
- Financial Aid Advisors
- Student Success Initiative
- Peer Mentors
- Counseling
College Highlights
On a campus where intellectual curiosity drives the learning experience, Oglethorpe students examine the world from many diverse perspectives.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Each year, Oglethorpe hosts several annual days of service and various daily volunteer opportunities Students, staff, and faculty members collaborate at various nonprofits during these events, which include Atlanta Day of Service (April) and MLK Day of Service (January). The Student Government Association frequently sponsors opportunities to do hands-on service work with Atlanta’s known service organizations.
GLOBAL EDUCATION
Students engage on an international level through the Center for Global Education, which offers study through partner institutions in numerous countries, along with independent study abroad at an institution of a student’s choosing. There are also short-term, for-credit trips throughout the year and unique associate programs with Oxford University (England) and the Umbria Institute (Italy). Oglethorpe students can study away during semester programs (fall, spring, and summer) which can include student exchange or partner providers as well as highly popular short-term programs (2-5 weeks) often taught by Oglethorpe faculty. Whether students choose to study away for a semester, for a year, or travel a shorter period during spring, summer or winter break, immersive travel is an incredible way to deepen knowledge and expand perspectives.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Oglethorpe’s 13:1 student to faculty ratio guarantees personal attention for each student on his or her academic journey. Through course work or the Honors Program, students publish papers or present research at academic conferences with faculty support. Oglethorpe’s students have been actively engaged in the Atlanta community for years, through internships at some of the country’s largest businesses or through the Rich Foundation Urban Leadership Program. At the Liberal Arts and Science Symposium (LASS) Oglethorpe hosts an annual celebration of invention and research produced by Oglethorpe students themselves. The symposium features student speakers who present papers, readings, art, and scientific posters. In the Cousins Center for Science and Innovation, there are labs for each science discipline. Oglethorpe’s laboratories and multimedia presentation rooms are located across campus.
CLASS SIZE
The number of sections of each class size.
2-9: 72 | 10-19: 197 | 20-29: 92
30-39: 0 | 40-49: 1 | 50-99: 1 | 100+: 0
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Nonresident: 3%
Hispanic/Latine: 31%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 20%
White, non-Hispanic: 28%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 4%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 11%
Oglethorpe’s groundbreaking Core curriculum allows students to begin working on their major right away. Designed to provoke discussion, Core courses represent various disciplines and works, exploring the human condition in different ways, from different angles. Every student at Oglethorpe takes Core courses all four years. By year four, students are connecting ideas from their repository of knowledge.
QUESTIONING, ACTIVE, ALIVE WITH POSSIBILITIES.
At Oglethorpe, the promise of a great education is matched by a dedicated and passionate faculty. Oglethorpe faculty members are focused on fostering student learning. Whether teaching courses in their discipline or a section of Oglethorpe’s unique Core curriculum, faculty members bring a wealth of knowledge to classroom discussions, while constantly pushing students to delve deeper into the subject at hand. 96 percent of faculty holds the terminal degree in their field. All undergraduate courses are taught by faculty members; there are no TAs. Included in the faculty are textbook authors, National Endowment for the Humanities fellows, a Guggenheim fellow, a French knight, a political columnist, scholars of Shakespeare and the Civil War, community activists, and academic organization leaders. Official office hours are posted by each professor, but students are also likely to stop professors on the academic quad for a short chat or see them at campus lectures, exhibitions, or performances.
SPECIALTY PROGRAMS
The Rich Foundation Urban Leadership Program, run by two politics professors, exposes students to civic life while researching the history and philosophy of citizen leadership through the ages. The Urban Ecology program combines ecology, environmental science, economics, psychology, and public policy to produce scientists and urban planners focused on sustainable, equitable urban growth.
POPULAR PROGRAMS
Popular majors include business administration, communication and rhetoric studies, accounting, and psychology. At Oglethorpe, undergraduate majors can be chosen from more than 60 academic programs. Students may also choose to develop an Individually Planned Major, an opportunity popular among those seeking interdisciplinary studies.
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Cross-registration
Distance learning
Double major
Dual enrollment
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Student-designed major
Study abroad
Undergraduate research
Only minutes from downtown Atlanta, Oglethorpe thrives with an array of student activities.
SMALL CAMPUS COMFORTS, BIG CITY OPPORTUNITIES
Oglethorpe is located on 100 acres in Brookhaven, one of the safest and fastest growing neighborhoods in Atlanta, and is a quiet oasis within a bustling metropolis. The residential campus houses more than 700 students in six residence halls and a Fraternity and Sorority Life row. Four residence halls feature private bedrooms with shared bathrooms and common areas along card-access hallways.
STUDENT LIFE
ACTIVITIES: Student activities are coordinated through the Student Government Association, which hosts all-campus parties in the fall and spring and a variety of club-sponsored events and performances.
ATHLETICS: Oglethorpe’s 16 athletic teams provide plenty of opportunities for the campus community to show school spirit.
FRATERNITY & SORORITY LIFE: Several fraternity and sorority organizations offer social events, fundraisers, and community service efforts on a regular basis.
RESIDENCE LIFE: The residence life office also offers programming through its resident assistants.
CAMPUS TRADITIONS: Campus traditions include Stomp The Lawn, the Petrels of Fire race, Oglethorpe Day, EggsAM, Boar’s Head holiday concert, and the Carillon Ceremony, when seniors ring the carillon bells prior to graduation.
OFF-CAMPUS LIFE
Off-campus events are plentiful as well, with many trips and programs coordinated by the Division of Student Affairs. Recently, students met with actors in a local theater before a debut performance, were shown a new exhibition at the High Museum of Art by the museum’s director, and spoke with the director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta after an exclusive tour of the facility. Students have also travelled to the CNN Center Headquarters, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta History Center, Carter Center, Dialogue in the Dark, and more.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Additionally, many public figures have come to Oglethorpe’s campus to speak. Recent guests have included Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, The Honorable Roy Barnes, media mogul and entrepreneur Ted Turner, Bernice King, former Georgia Governors Roy Barnes and Sonny Perdue, and playwright Eve Ensler.
SCHOOL LOCATION
Atlanta, Georgia—the lush, suburban campus is only 10 miles north of the heart of Atlanta. The historic district of the 100-acre campus has been designated in the National Register of Historic Places.
ATHLETICS
NCAA Division III; Southern Athletic Association. 16 varsity sports (8 men’s: baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field; 8 women’s: basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, track & field, volleyball). Intramural and recreational sports options are available. Every team offers students the opportunity to continue their sport and focus on academics.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 68%
Undergraduates: 41%
Campus housing options.
Coed dorms
Special housing for students with disabilities
Fraternity/sorority housing
Oglethorpe builds a strong foundation for success in any future endeavor through on-campus career counseling and active alumni participation.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
It’s rare for a liberal arts college to be so interconnected – geographically and relationally – to an international city like Atlanta. Oglethorpe students have the opportunity to gain practical experience to complement their academic program, as well as the opportunity to solidify career decisions, gain work experience, and provide a service to the community in their fields of interest. Over 40% of upperclassmen at Oglethorpe have completed internships with companies such as The Carter Center, CNN, Georgia Pacific, Atlanta Magazine, Zoo Atlanta, the Atlanta History Center, and the Georgia State Legislature. In addition to these Atlanta-based internships, Oglethorpe maintains resources and affiliations for nationwide opportunities.
SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES START WITH SOLID BEGINNINGS
Oglethorpe alumni graduate with the ability to think, contribute, and act as responsible and entrepreneurial citizens. Graduates go on to the most selective graduate programs in the country, including Brown, Columbia, Duke, New York University, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, to name a few. Over 80 percent (double the national average) of Oglethorpe students applying to medical school are admitted, thanks to their deep understanding of society and human nature.
Alumni are deeply involved in the campus community. Whether helping students find a job, volunteering alongside them in university-wide days of service, serving on the board of trustees, or contributing to scholarship funds, alumni are deeply connected to Oglethorpe long after graduation. Notable alumni include poet Sidney Lanier, Hollywood director Vincent Sherman, National Baseball Hall of Famer Luke Appling, and civil rights advocate Congressman Charles Longstreet Weltner.
Admission
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Rigor of secondary school record
Important
Academic GPA | Application Essay
Extracurricular activities | Level of applicant’s interest
Considered
Class rank | Standardized test scores | Recommendation(s)
Interview | Talent/ability | Character/personal qualities
Volunteer work | Work experience
TEST SCORES
Optional
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Composite
25th Percentile: 1080 | 75th Percentile: 1310
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 550 | 75th Percentile: 660
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 540 | 75th Percentile: 650
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 22 | 75th Percentile: 31
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $49,000
Fees: $430
Room: $10,200
Board: $6,200
What Others are Saying
Contact Oglethorpe University
Contact Admissions
oglethorpe.edu/admission
(404) 364-8307
admission@oglethorpe.edu
Campus Information
4484 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30319
(404) 261-1441