Campus Visit: Belmont University
Belmont University is located in the heart of Music Row, Nashville. The pristine campus is home to 7,500 undergraduates and 1,500 graduate students. The largest undergraduate majors include Music Business, Nursing, Healthcare Administration, and Fashion. As a teaching university, professors are practitioners who place much of their teaching efforts into ensuring students are prepared for the careers they plan to pursue. Classes are small, averaging about 18 students, with fewer than 30 students in 95% of all classes. Students begin taking courses in their major first semester of freshman year. The curriculum is built around Core classes each year (first-year seminar, interdisciplinary learning communities, junior cornerstone, and a senior capstone project), Foundation courses in the liberal arts, and Degree Cognate courses where students focus on their chosen major starting during their first semester.
As a Christian university, Belmont does require students to take two religion courses but allows some choice in completing those requirements. Some students may choose to study the Old Testament during one semester and follow it with a semester studying the New Testament, while other students may want to study the connection between the Bible and the global community by taking a course on the Bible’s role in history and then taking a study abroad trip to the Holy Land. Optional Chapel takes place on Monday and Wednesday mornings and offers a variety of speakers and activities for the campus community to focus on their spirituality. First-year students have the opportunity to meet with spiritual life assistants who can support them during their transition from high school to college life. Although chapel and meetings with spiritual advisors aren’t required, courses focusing on developing the whole student are- Belmont’s unique WELL Core program requires students to attend 60 events over their four years on campus. The events focus on developing the student’s intellectual, cultural, interpersonal, career, and spiritual well-being. With 180 clubs on campus, students can easily find events to meet the 60 hours of attendance requirement. The admissions representative I spoke with recommended students continue pursuing at least one extracurricular from high school and then take a risk and try out at least one new club during their first year on campus. Seventy-five percent of Belmont students are from outside of Tennessee, and most remain on campus each weekend because there is plenty of activity going on at Belmont and in the surrounding areas of Nashville. Students come out to support the men’s and women’s basketball teams at home games and take advantage of the several music showcases put on by the music department each year. Rumor has it that many students have received recording contracts after being discovered by Nashville music scouts at campus showcases.
A few notes on applying
Belmont’s application opens on August 1 and offers rolling admissions, so many students will receive a decision within three weeks of applying. Teacher recommendations are not required, but a counselor recommendation form and school profile are used to share some background on your high school and your academic record. A resume of your extracurriculars, employment, and family responsibilities should be uploaded. The required essay can be chosen from the CommonApp prompts, or you may submit a catch-all essay sharing anything you like with the admissions staff. If you plan to apply to the Global Honors Program, you will need to submit a short supplemental application.
Admissions
Acceptance rate: 83%
Average high school GPA: 3.75
Middle 50-range for ACT scores: 24-30, Middle 50-range for SAT scores: 1150-1340
*Truly test-optional: Your SAT/ACT scores will only help your application. If your scores do not add to your application, they will not be factored into your admissions decision.
Cost of Attendance: $39,850 tuition plus room, board,fees, and personal expenses total $53,520
Merit Awards and Scholarships: $3,000-$12,000 merit awards for students with a high school GPA above 3.75. Departmental scholarships averaging $15,000 are awarded to approximately 200-225 first-year students. Named scholarships covering full tuition, room, board, and fees are awarded to six incoming first-year students.
Students
Undergrads: 7,500
Faculty: Student ratio: 13:1
Average class size is about 18
Outcomes
6-year graduation rate: 71%
Job placement rate within 6 months of graduation: 94%
