The following criteria are considered when selecting candidates for unconditional admission.  However, other factors also taken into consideration are recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, church involvement, and a personal interview.

1. Satisfactory scores on either the American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).  No particular score is a guarantee of admittance; however, priority is given to students who score an ACT composite of at least 20 or an SAT score of at least 1030.

1. Graduation from an accredited U.S. high school or satisfactory completion of the General Educations Diploma (GED) examination.  The student’s transcript should demonstrate the following:

1. 1. At least a 2.6 average on a 4.0 scale.
   2. A satisfactory class rank based on the standards of the particular high school attended.

Note to homeschool applicants:

A homeschool student must have completed a secondary school education in a homeschool setting that is treated as a homeschool under state law.  If the state law does not require a homeschool student to obtain a homeschool credential, the student must have completed a secondary education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory school attendance requirements under state law (which is age 16 in the state of Arkansas), OR satisfactorily have completed the General Educations Diploma (GED) examination.

The student’s homeschool transcript should demonstrate the following:

1. 1. At least a 2.6 cumulative average on a 4.0 scale.
   2. Individual course and grade break down for all completed courses.
   3. A calculated cumulative high school GPA.

Any applicants deficient in one of the admissions criteria (ACT or SAT, GPA) may be admitted under condition or probation but will have restrictions placed on their enrollment.  Students admitted under condition or probation will be required to participate in the Freshman Focus Program and to achieve a GPA of 1.5 or higher, on 12 semester hours at the end of the first semester to avoid academic suspension.

Applicants with an ACT composite score less than 17, or a high school GPA less than 2.25 will be denied admission.

Description

Williams Baptist University is a Christian, liberal arts college which will become Williams Baptist University in July of 2018. Williams is a private institution, owned and operated by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.

Location

Williams is located in Walnut Ridge, a community of just over 5,000 people in northeast Arkansas. The larger cities of Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn., are within a two-hour drive. Opportunities are readily available near the campus for hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

History

Williams was founded in 1941 as Southern Baptist College by Dr. H.E. Williams. The school became a four-year institution in 1984, and the name was changed in honor of Dr. Williams in 1991.

Student Body

The student body includes men and women from 12 states and five foreign countries. Enrollment for the fall 2017 semester was 500. Over 75% of students on the Walnut Ridge campus are resident students.

Academics

WBU offers 25 major fields among its diverse programs of study. The student/teacher ratio is 14:1, allowing students to receive personal attention from their instructors. Average classroom size is 17.10% of professors with advanced degrees in their fields.

Williams is known for its family atmosphere, where students are encouraged to get involved in student life from the very beginning.

More than 20 student clubs and organizations are active on campus, including The Cast, a Christian drama group, Williams Singers, the official school choir which travels to churches in and around Arkansas, Campus Ministries, International Club, Student Advisory Board, social clubs and academic honor societies.

The Eagles and Lady Eagles field 19 varsity teams, and students can also compete in a wide range of intramural sports. Several concerts and dramas are held each year, as well.

Williams is one of the least expensive private, four-year colleges in the United States. The following is a breakdown of costs per semester for the 2016-2017 school year.

Tuition: $8,100

Room & Board (semi-private room): $3,700

General Fees: $560