The Facts

Belmont University is a rather small, liberal arts-focused school affiliated with the Christian church and located in the vibrant city of Nashville, Tennessee . It is home to over 2,700 undergraduate students and approximately 640 graduate students. Belmont is perhaps best known for its stellar music program, which has yielded such prestigious alumni as Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, and Brad Paisley. The school is divided up into several smaller undergraduate colleges including the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business Administration, the College of Health Sciences, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the School of Religion. The university offers a multitude of majors in many different areas of study, however, some of the most popular with students include majors in music business, commercial music, business administration, nursing, and English.

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Admission to the university is not as competitive as one might assume, as the school is quite small; however, those who do apply are generally quite motivated, and have been academically successful in the past. Last year, over 1,607 students applied for admission and approximately 1,207 were accepted; of those, about 600 enrolled for the coming Fall semester. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1030 to 1240 and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 22 to 27. Furthermore, over 63% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of 3.43.

The school has an impressive student to faculty ratio of 11:1, and students say it is quite obvious that their teachers truly care for their well-being and academic progress. The school also boasts some fantastic research facilities at which students can participate in faculty-run research projects that often result in more permanent internships.

The Social Scene

The city of Nashville is world-famous for its amazing country music scene, and there is a multitude of great clubs and bars that offer some fabulous music, both new and old. Students are rarely bored at the school, and definitely take advantage of Nashville ‘s many entertainment venues. The campus is officially dry and drug-free, even though there is a fairly significant Greek presence on campus. The fraternities and sororities are actually more community service oriented, and many students are constantly giving back to their community.

There are also about 50 student-run clubs and organizations at the school, many of which are religiously oriented. Some of these include the Campus Crusade for Christ, and the Baptist Student Union. The sports scene isn’t exactly a vibrant one; the school is a member of the NCAA Division I, however, students would rather spend their time singing and performing.

The dating scene is amazing; there are plenty of fantastic places to go on dates, and lots of really talented guys and girls to sweep you off your feet with a country love ballad.

What’s Good

• “There is a real sense of morality here; people are really really kind and are comfortable with who they are.”
• “People here really know how to balance work and play; they take both pretty seriously.”
• “It’s nice to not have the pressure to drink and do drugs. It helps you focus more on your studies.”

What’s Bad

• “There is really no sports scene here, which makes the school lack spirit.”
• “People here tend to be really preachy and they just want to corner you and try to get you to talk about religion.”
• “If you aren’t a singer or a performer, no one really seems to care about you.”