Biola University Admission
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The Facts

Biola University is a fairly small, private, Christian university located in the town of La Mirada, California, and is home to over 2,500 undergraduate students and approximately 1,800 graduate and part-time professional students. The university was founded in 1908 by a group of interdenominational Christians who wished to provide students with a nurturing group environment in which to learn. The university is actually divided up into several smaller undergraduate and graduate colleges, including schools of biological science, business, communications and the arts, computer and physical science, education, health professions, as well as social science. Biola also has a renowned marine biology program with a three-week lab program available at Vermillion Sea Field in Baja, as well as an internship/work-study semester in which students live in Hollywood and work in the film industry in various positions. Biola offers its students a wide variety of programs and majors; some of the most popular choices are business administration, biological science, chemistry, business management, organizational leadership, as well as liberal studies.

Admission to Biola University is mildly competitive, and the number of students, particularly from within the state, increases with each passing admissions cycle. Last year, more than 2,000 students applied for admission to the school, and about 1,500 of those students were accepted; of those, about 700 of those enrolled for the coming Fall semester. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1118 to 1125, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 22 to 26. Additionally, over 80% of those admitted were in the top 15% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about 3.9.

Biola University has a rather manageable student to faculty ratio of 18:1, and in general, it is rare to find an upper level class with more than 20 students. Many students complain that the compulsory general education classes are far too large and mostly review, however, the upper level classes tend to be much smaller and more hands on. Professors also get high marks from students when it comes to accessibility, and most students feel that their teachers truly care about their well-being and progress.

The Social Scene

La Mirada itself is quite small, and doesn’t really offer students very much in the way of entertainment, however, it is not far from Los Angeles, and many students who have cars head there on the weekends to have a bit of urban fun--if you don’t have a car, we hear it’s pretty easy to hitch rides... There are no fraternities or sororities on campus, but students don’t seem to miss their absence. There are plenty of things to do in the surrounding areas; Disneyland, although expensive, is quite close, as is Six Flags and, of course, the ocean is a popular destination after class and on the weekends.

The dating scene is a lovely one; literally. We hear there are plenty of surfer dudes and blonde California beach babes to keep your schedule full of dates.

What’s Good

“Everyone here is really encouraging and supportive; you never feel left in the lurch by anyone.”

“There are some really great opportunities to have hands-on experience in your major, and many internships as well.”

“The dorms are actually quite nice. You actually have enough room to walk around a little bit!”

What’s Bad

“The school can feel pretty claustrophobic sometimes, because everyone knows everyone else’s business, and it’s hard to get any alone time.”

“Some of the general education classes we have to take are really, really easy, and you don’t feel challenged at all.”

“There is a complete lack of a party scene here. If you want to do anything at all, you have to drive in to Los Angeles.”

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