About Samford University

Founded in 1841, Samford University. is a Private college. Located in Alabama, which is a city setting in Alabama, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 3,341 full time undergraduate students, and 2,130 full time graduate students.

The Samford University Academic calendar runs on a Four-one-four plan basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 12:1. There are 352 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Samford University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate91%
Application Deadline
Application Fee40
SAT Range1020-1238
ACT Range23-29

Admissions at are considered Less Selective, with ,25% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 27 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

84% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 61% were in the top quarter, and 33% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Samford University.

Samford University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    74 Students rated on-campus housing 3.7 stars. 11 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    55 Students rated off-campus housing 3.6 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    77 Students rated campus food 3.2 stars. 10 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    76 Students rated campus facilities 4.1 stars. 36 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    76 Students rated class size 4.7 stars. 71 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    76 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 33 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    76 Students rated local services 4.6 stars. 68 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    76 Students rated academics 4 stars. 38 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Samford University?

28 Students rated Samford University

AnneMadison - 10/08/2021

I love Samford University. I feel safe on campus, Birmingham is full of activities to do, and the people are very authentic. The professors are always state available to help and they truly mean it. The students are fun, good, and intelligent. I cannot recommend the school Samford University, the people, or the environment enough. Go bulldogs!

Ashton

I have enjoyed my time at Samford. The classes are small, which makes it easy to have a personal relationship with your professors. The classes are also extremely challenging, which makes it a lot different from a state school experience. You cannot expect any classes to be an easy A. Faith is definitely a huge aspect in basically everything you do, which is very nice. However, if you do not fit into a certain stereotype it can be hard to adjust here. I am not involved in Greek life, I did not attend a private school, and my family is not particularly wealthy, so it is kind of hard to "fit in" because you can tell a lot of people are materialistic and look down on you if you aren't like them. It is sad but true. However, I have been able to make some great friends here too. There is also a lack of diversity on campus, which is another sad fact about Samford...

Amy

Overall, Samford is a very good school. However, there is not enough diversity on campus. Not only racially, but also religiously and politically. Also, being LGBT here isn't terrible, but there are not many people who are out for obvious reasons. My biggest peeve with the school though was how there was how so many on campus seemed fake. Also, if you weren't part of the norm (you drank, are an atheist, etc) you know that you were silently judged by the student body.

Matthew

I really enjoyed my time at Samford. My professors and classmates pushed me to be the best I could be in every area of my life. While I am going through Graduate School elsewhere, I would not trade my experience at Samford for anything. Know it is a small school but a great one at that.

Samford University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Samford University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Samford University is 91%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    College really has very little to do with what we gain in the classroom or lecture hall. Yes, the academics are vitally important to learning the information you will need for the fututre, the real lessons learned in college are learned outside the classroom. In my experience, I have learned many life lessons while in college, but most of them were learned in social situations or a the result of my individual choices in life or school. All of these lessons are learned outside of the textbooks and the exams. I have found that I have discovered who I am in college and it has little to do with my courseload and everything to do with my friends, choices, and experiences that I have faced while at Samford. The choices we make shape who we are and who we become, and if we sit and expect our professors and textbooks to teach us what we need to do, we would graduate without every having learned anything practical to life. At the end of the day, we need college to teach us valuable life lessons, just not the ones we sometimes think college is supposed to teach us.

    Read all  62 answers
  3. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    Preppy, white, rich kids. Stuck up. Sheltered.

    Read all  31 answers
  4. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    No, there are many Christian people but there are also a lot of wild children around campus who party and drink a lot. Not all girls are prissy and up tight who dress up everday and put on their best show for everyone. A lot of girls have had their first kiss and a lot of girls are no longer virgins...STDs run around this school like every other.

    Read all  31 answers
  5. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    Samford is a small community and its awesome. The bad thing is that we can get "values" for things like boys in the rooms after visitation or without being signed in and we can also get in trouble for having alcohol in pictures even if its off campus. A lot of cool people go here you just have to find the click you fit. The biggest controversy was either the "gunman" on campus or one of our building's roofs collapsing. There is some school pride but no one goes to any of the games really, a select few... that needs to change.

    Read all  30 answers
  6. Describe the students at your school.

    My classmates are kind and caring and ready to learn about both school and life.

    Read all  29 answers
  7. What are the academics like at your school?

    Professors know your name after the first week of class! they say hey to you on campus and i've even eaten at their house before, its awesome! Students studying varies on their major! We do have a absence policy and if you miss too many classes you can fail becaue of it, thats kind of a gay policy but it happens...trust me.

    Read all  28 answers
  8. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    socail life is okay, if you know the right people off campus it can be SO fun!

    Read all  25 answers
  9. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    how back stabbing the people would be. the expecation to find a husband

    Read all  17 answers
  10. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    strong Christian base. God and religion are spoken about freely. You are considered an "odd ball" if you are not a believer in the Lord

    Read all  14 answers
  11. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    A person who is not serious about their education or a person who does not strive to become a better and more intelligent individual.

    Read all  14 answers
  12. What kind of person should attend this school?

    Someone who attends this school should be intentional about getting the most out of their college experience, both in academics and social life. One would need to be able to study hard and balance all the things this school has to offer in their organizations and extracurricular activities. There are so many opportunities to meet people and form relationships, but it does take some effort to mold these relationships into life-long. In order to fully appreciate Samford, students have to be willing to work hard in all aspects of their lives.

    Read all  13 answers
  13. What's unique about your campus?

    The best thing about Samford is its environment. The campus is so different from many others--e.g., alcohol is not allowed on campus. It's not a typical party school, but we all seem to have lots of fun anyway! To me, Samford is like a breath of fresh air. We're unique; we don't just blindly follow what "everyone" does.

    Read all  12 answers
  14. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    There is nothing to do on the weekends.

    Read all  12 answers
  15. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    Samford honestly is not diverse enough. I don't like that people tend to hang out only with other people of their same race. People are very friendly to others of different races, but unfortunately caucasian by far the dominant race. There are too many women as well. The ratio of men to women is around 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} to 60{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c}, which is frustrating.

    Read all  12 answers
  16. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    It's known for it's academic prestige and religious affiliations. My school is one of the best private schools in the South, and was ranked 27th out of all national universities according to Forbes magazine. The coursework is challenging, but the emphasis on other activities - especially community outreach - is also great. There are numerous programs and organizations for students to become involved in, and many students choose to spend their time in this way. The productivity of this school through its students is truly commendable.

    Read all  9 answers
  17. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    Samford students build strong relationships with eachother without having alcohol as the center of the relationship.

    Read all  9 answers
  18. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Samford is a beautiful university, offering students a great education at a discount rate (thanks to the Alabama Baptists.

    Read all  8 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    When most people think Samford they think white upperclass republican baptists. For the most part this is true, however there are those of us, especially upperclassmen that have liberal views and do not fit the "typical Samford student". There are homophobes on campus but everyone I have met so far has subverted the traditional Samford image everyone thinks of. Despite what the school tells you there is a lot of underground drinking and minor weed usage. Come for the campus, stay because your credits won't transfer is the unnoficial motto!

    Read all  1 answers

Student Body

Students

65%

female

35%

male

3,341

Total Undergrad Enrollment

2,130

Total Grad Students

71%

Out-Of-State

28%

In-State

1%

International

Organizations

106

Student Organizations

6

Fraternities

7

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

42%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
1%
% Black or African-American
7%
% Hispanic/Latino
4%
% White or Caucasian
83%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

97% of students attending Samford University receive some sort of financial aid. 11% were awarded federal grants. While 34% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$29,402

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,000

Books and Supplies

$9,830

Room and Board

40,232

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$22,498
$30 - $48K
$31,440
$48 - $75K
$27,761
$75 - $110K
$30,207
$110K & UP
$31,226

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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