Office of Admissions
Biola University
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA 90639-0001
800-0K-BIOLA (toll-free)
E-mail: admissions@biola.edu
http://www.biola.edu/undergrad
COSTS:
Tuition
$25,600
Room and Board:
$8,760
Fees, books, misc.:
$1,000
La Mirada, California
Overview
Biola is a private Christian university established in 1908 in Los Angeles with a mission of biblically centered education, scholarship, and service to equip men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. More than 4,872 students, who are among the most ethnically diverse body of any Christian college in the U.S., are challenged yearly by faculty and staff members to integrate their faith and learning pursuant to their academic and vocational goals. Biola is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), an organization consisting of 102 Christian institutions across the U.S.
Location and Community
Biola University's 95-acre campus is located in La Mirada, 22 miles southeast of Los Angeles on the border of Orange County. Centrally located in southern California, Biola is just a short drive to both the beaches and the mountains. Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world, is just 30 minutes away, and unlimited cultural experiences are available in Orange County and Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the home of the Natural History Museum, Hollywood Bowl, Staples Center, the Great Western Forum, and Dodger Stadium. Disneyland, Anaheim Stadium, and the Arrowhead Pond are a short drive south of Biola. Five major airports, including LAX and John Wayne, are within an hour's drive of the campus. For internships and career opportunities, there are numerous choices.
Academic Life
The academic year consists of two 15-week semesters. There are also two summer sessions for three and five weeks each plus a three-week interterm each January. As a fully accredited national university, Biola University seeks to instruct Christian men and women in order to produce graduates who are competent in their field of study, knowledgeable in biblical studies, and equipped to serve the Christian community and society at large.
Religious and convocation requirements include 30 hours of biblical studies, attendance at chapel three times a week, and participation in student ministry.
Biola offers study-abroad programs in China; London, England; Israel; Japan; and Korea. The University also participates in the CCCU programs in Australia; Central America (Costa Rica, Honduras); Egypt; England; the Middle East; Russia; Washington, D.C.; the Au Sable Institute; the Contemporary Music Center at Martha's Vineyard; the Los Angeles Film Institute; and the Colorado Springs Focus on the Family Institute. Each program has unique requirements for admission.
Biola's Organizational Leadership Degree (BOLD) program, in which students can complete their college degree in eighteen months, has extension campuses in La Mirada, Laguna Hills (Orange County), Vista (San Diego County), Palm Desert, Thousand Oaks, Inglewood, and Chino, California. Admission requirements are unique to the program and include completion of a minimum of 40 transferable semester units from an accredited college.
Biola offers courses to teachers in Hong Kong as part of the Biola-RICE (Research Institute for Christian Education) agreement.
The University's faculty members are mentors and role models in addition to professors. Seventy-two percent of all faculty members have earned doctorates. There are 177 full-time and 198 part-time faculty members. Some have won awards as Fulbright and National Endowment for the Humanities scholars. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1.
Faculty members remain on the cutting edge of their fields by continuing their education as they teach students. Research grants provide professors the time and resources not only to publish in their discipline but also to participate in seminars with topics such as Christianity and science and postmodernism. At these seminars, they consider how to integrate their faith within their fields and broaden their knowledge of other areas. This experience is brought back to their classrooms for their students' benefit.
Majors Offered:
The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees are offered with majors in anthropology, art, Bible, biochemistry, biological sciences, business administration, Christian education, communication studies, communication disorders, computer science, education/liberal studies, English, film-television-radio, history, human biology, humanities, intercultural studies, journalism, kinesiology/health/physical education, mathematics, music, nursing, philosophy, physical science, prelaw, psychology, social science, sociology, and Spanish. A 3-2 engineering program is offered cooperatively with the University of Southern California.
In all, Biola offers 145 programs ranging from the B.A. to the Ph.D. at six schools that include the School of Arts and Sciences, Talbot School of Theology, Rosemead School of Psychology, the School of Business, the School of Continuing Studies, and the School of Intercultural Studies. All are regionally and professionally accredited and based on evangelical Christianity.
Facilities and Resources
The Biola University Library currently subscribes to more than 1,100 print periodical titles and has access to more than 13,000 titles online. The library provides access to its holdings through SCROLL, the Web online public access catalog and circulation system, and an increasing number of CD-ROM and online subscription index databases available for patron searching. This 98,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art resource center features 950 study stations, twenty-four group study rooms, twenty multimedia stations, thirty-two online reference stations, a twenty-four workstation instructional lab that seats up to 48 students at a time, and wired and wireless Internet access throughout the building.
Additional facilities include a media center, an on-campus radio station, a TV/film studio, an art studio, an art gallery, and an outdoor pool. Access to the Internet may be found by way of computers in the residence halls as well as throughout the campus. E-mail, Internet research, World Wide Web browsing, word processing, desktop publishing, multimedia presentation, graphic arts design, and application programming may all be accomplished at the computer center and in Biola's computerized classrooms and labs. Resources include two computerized classrooms equipped with Windows NT and Macintosh computers, plus a fully equipped computer lab with more than fifty computers (Mac and PC). Scanners and high-speed black-and-white and color laser printers are also available in the lab. Students can connect to the Internet via Ethernet or AppleTalk in all residence halls or by using the computer lab equipment. Connection to the Internet is via a high-speed T1 line.
Campus Life
The mission of Biola University's Associated Student Government is to represent the student body on an administrative level, giving ear to the students' voices, providing services, and facilitating events necessary to foster a Christ-centered community.
There are two facets to the Associated Student Government. The Executive Council, comprised of 14 senators, represents residential students and commuters. The Services Council, comprised of nine service boards, provides various services and programming for students. These service boards include Chapel Board, Spirit Board, Multicultural Relations, Intramurals Board, Social Board, International Student Association, the Chimes (Biola's student newspaper), the Biolan (the yearbook), and the Marketing Board.
With a staff of approximately 60 students and a budget of more than $450,000 annually, the Associated Student Government not only provides high-quality programming but also a multitude of student leadership opportunities each year.
Sports / Varsity Athletics
Expenses
Biola University holds the belief that every student, regardless of financial status, should have the opportunity to make an investment in his or her tomorrow. Therefore, the University strives to keep the cost of a Biola education within the financial reach of students and their families. Biola tuition is $24,602, average room is $3570, and board for a twenty-meal plan is $4200.
Financial Aid / Scholarships
Biola offers a generous financial aid program, with $12 million in institutional funds devoted to undergraduates alone. In addition, hundreds of University students receive state and federal grants and scholarships. Seventy-seven percent of Biola students receive some level of financial aid, with the average grant/scholarship award being $9962.
Institutional scholarships include the Academic Scholarship (up to $7000), the Community Service Scholarships ($2700), and Scholarships for Underrepresented Students of Ethnicity (SURGE; up to $6500), all of which are renewable. Other aid options include departmental scholarships (for athletics, music, and communications), international scholarships, dependent scholarships (for families where the primary income is in Christian ministry), and church-matching scholarships. Excellent loan programs and on-campus work opportunities round out the aid packages of most Biola students.
All students are urged to apply for financial aid by March 2, which coincides with the California aid deadline. Applicants should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Biola's one-page form, the University Aid Application. In addition, California residents should complete the state GPA verification form.
Admission Requirements / Application
Biola seeks students who want to make a difference with their lives and impact the world for Jesus Christ. Candidate selection is based on SAT or ACT scores, high school transcripts, and school recommendations. In addition, each applicant must be an evangelical believer in the Christian faith, must submit a reference letter from a pastor, and must go through an interview process. Freshmen who entered Biola in fall 2004 had an average combined SAT I score of 1125 and an average GPA of 3.52.
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