Butler University hits a lot of many students’ top college priorities! The curriculum has a liberal arts foundation, but Butler also has some strongly-supported pre-professional programs (like business, music industry management and the health sciences). The campus is just north of downtown Indianapolis, walking distance from a few cute suburbs with great food (and ice cream!) choices. And because of its location – Indianapolis is the 16th largest city in the US and the home of NCAA headquarters (it’s a 7-minute, $11 Uber ride away!) – Butler University students have tremendous internship opportunities.
Butler is mid-sized, with just under 5,000 undergrads and just a few hundred graduate students. Over half of Butler students are from out of state; over the last decade, applications to Butler University have tripled, and there has been huge interest from West Coast students.
All courses are taught by professors; the largest lectures will have 50-60 people. Students here say that the quintessential Butler University experience is classroom discussion, personal attention and strong support from professors. “All of my professors have given me their personal phone numbers,” one student on our panel said.
Academics at Butler University
The Exploratory Studies program helps students who are undecided about their major find their path among Butler’s six undergraduate colleges:
- Requires 2 internships
- Real business experience
- Professional career mentors
- Fastest growing college at Butler!
- Recording (music) industry studies
- Strategic communications
- Sports media
- Communication disorders
- Accredited for teacher education and educator preparation
- Hands-on classroom work from the second semester on
- Preparation for graduate studies in nutrition, nursing, occupational and physical therapy
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPHS – go ahead – say it out loud….)
- 95% placement rate 6 months after graduation
- Degrees in health sciences as well as healthcare and business (hospital administration)
- 6-year Pharm/MBA program
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
- Robust research culture
- Largest undergraduate research conference in the country, in terms of entries
- Interesting majors include Criminology; Science, Technology and Society; Astronomy and Astrophysics; and Peace and Conflict Studies, plus the ability to design your own major
- Conservatory-style dance, music and theatre
- Ability to double major
- Ability to study abroad
- Arts Administration program
With five fraternities and seven sororities, the Greek system is prominent – about 35% of students join – but not dominant. There are several hundred clubs on campus, and tons to do in Indianapolis. Originally founded as a religious institution, Butler is no longer affiliated with any denomination.
With its city location, Butler is easy to get to and has a fabulous campus. Sometimes mascot Trip (Butler Blue III – you should follow him on Twitter!) delivers admission decisions personally! When I met him during my spring, 2019 visit, he had just returned from ‘mascot camp’ in Florida (and I can confirm he DOES like peanut butter)!
Butler University’s admission office reviews all applications twice; they received 18,000 applications last year (2019) for about 1,200 spots in their freshman class. Applicants who submit before November 1 have a stronger chance of admission and scholarship consideration. Butler not only super scores both the SAT and the ACT, but they super-duper score, which means if your math score on the ACT is stronger, but your reading/English score on the SAT is stronger, they’ll consider both of those scores. Butler’s merit scholarships range from $10-20k per year, and not surprisingly, better test scores and grades get you more money. There are also some half- and full-tuition specialty scholarships for diversity and leadership. Business and the arts have their own scholarships.
Scroll through the photos of Butler’s beautiful campus below to see if you might consider being #ButlerBound!