DePauw University Admission
DePauw University Undergraduate Program
DePauw University Application

The Facts

DePauw University is a small, private institution located in the town of Greencastle, Indiana, and is home to over 2,300 undergraduate students and approximately 40 part-time professional students. (There are no graduate students.) The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and has been around for a long time, since the year 1837. The students are able to take courses in one of the university’s two undergraduate schools, which offer courses in the fields of liberal arts, preprofessional studies, and music. These academic programs offer broad majors in the areas of biological science, communications and the arts (a large program where the popular music department is housed), computer and physical science, education, engineering and environmental design, and the social sciences (which includes several unique programs including African American studies as well as physical fitness and movement studies). DePauw University offers its students a fairly wide range of majors in both the liberal arts as well as preprofessional studies; some of the most popular majors include English, economics and communications.

Admission to DePauw University is extremely competitive among the students who apply; many applicants have been highly successful in the past, and already have a clear idea of what they want to do once they graduate. Last year, over 3,660 students applied for admission to the school and approximately 2,300 of those students were accepted; of those, about 600 matriculated. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1220 to 1300, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 27 to 33. Additionally, more than 96% of those admitted were ranked in the top 10% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about a 3.9.

DePauw University has a very manageable student to faculty ratio of 11:1, and students agree that the miniscule classes are one of the best parts of attending the school. There are rarely any lecture classes, and most courses have less than fifteen students. Discussion is the name of the game at DePauw, and students couldn’t be happier with that. Professors also get very high marks in terms of personability and willingness to help students when they request it.

The Social Scene

The town of Greencastle is quite small, and unfortunately doesn’t really offer students much in the way of entertainment; however, the more vibrant city of Indianapolis is only about a 45 minute drive away, and many students take advantage of that proximity on the weekends. DePauw has 22 national fraternities and sororities, which is staggering considering the small size of the school itself. Understandably, Greek life is a big deal on campus, and the weekends are filled with large Greek bashes supplemented by large amounts of alcohol. The administration claims to have a strict “dry” policy, but it doesn’t seem to be implemented...

The dating scene isn’t very large or diverse, but the students are reportedly quite easy on the eyes, and friendly to boot...

What’s Good

“The tiny classes are a blessing. You actually are interested in the discussions you have.”

“The teachers couldn’t be more accomodating. Of course, they’re tough on you when they think you aren’t pulling your own weight, but they’ll help you as much as they can.”

“The party scene is incredible for such a tiny school. It’s more like the scene you hear about at large state universities.”

What’s Bad

“I hate all the drinking that goes on here. Here’s a bunch of really intelligent people letting it all go to waste on the weekends.”

“There’s nothing to do off-campus. Greencastle, quaint though it may be, has nothing worthwhile in it.”

“I wish there were more majors available. The choices feel a little limited sometimes.”

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