Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) was founded in 1907 by the Church of the Nazarene, a Protestant denomination within the Wesleyan tradition. It was established as a school for Christian workers and missionaries, and originally called Olivet College. The school began with a single building – Kresge Hall – which housed classrooms, dorms, and a cafeteria. In 1914, Olivet College became Olivet Nazarene College, reflecting its affiliation with the Church of the Nazarene. In 1922, it moved to its current location in Bourbonnais Township, Illinois and began offering higher education degrees in 1924.

In 1940, Olivet Nazarene College attained university status and changed its name to Olivet Nazarene University (ONU). During this time period, ONU experienced tremendous growth and expansion as it added new programs and facilities. In 1964, ONU established its first graduate-level program – an MBA degree – which is still offered today. Since then, ONU has added many additional graduate-level programs including doctoral degrees in education and business administration. Check Microedu for a list of community colleges in Illinois.

The university also expanded geographically during this time period with satellite campuses opening throughout Illinois as well as other states including Missouri and Texas. In addition to physical expansion of campus locations, ONU has also expanded its online education offerings over the years; now offering fully online bachelor’s degrees as well as certificate programs for those interested in continuing their education without attending classes on campus.

Today ONU is recognized nationally for excellence in academics; boasting small class sizes that allow students to get individualized attention from faculty members who are experts in their fields. It is also known for its commitment to Christian values; providing spiritual guidance through chapel services held three times each week on campus as well as various service opportunities that allow students to put their faith into action.

Olivet Nazarene University, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of Olivet Nazarene University. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about Olivet Nazarene University, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.

Official website: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/onu_olivet-nazarene-university.html

Admissions Stats

Olivet Nazarene University is a private, Christian liberal arts university located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the university has a total enrollment of 4,944 students. Of these students, 3,841 are undergraduate and 1,103 are graduate students. The student body is primarily composed of traditional age college students between the ages of 18-24. The student/faculty ratio is 14:1 with an average class size of 17 students.

The student population at Olivet Nazarene University is very diverse with over 40% of the student body coming from outside of Illinois. Approximately 58% are female and 42% are male. Additionally, 33% identify as an ethnicity other than Caucasian and 9% are international students from over 60 countries around the world. The majority of Olivet Nazarene University’s accepted applicants have an average GPA between 3.3-3.6 and an ACT score between 22-27 or SAT score between 1020-1200. The acceptance rate for applicants is 78%. Financial aid packages offered by Olivet Nazarene University include grants and scholarships that cover up to 100% of tuition costs for qualifying students as well as federal loans and work study programs that can help cover additional educational expenses.

Fall 2022 Selectivity

Selectivity	selective
Fall 2022 acceptance rate	81%
Early decision acceptance rate	N/A
Early action acceptance rate	N/A
Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students)	81%

Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments

Applicants	2,699
Female applicants	1,510
Male applicants	1,189
Applicants accepted	2,175
Female applicants accepted	1,257
Male applicants accepted	918
Freshman enrollment	747
Female freshman enrollment	421
Male freshman enrollment	326
Early decision applicants	N/A
Early decision applicants accepted	N/A
Early decision applicants enrolled	N/A
Early action applicants	N/A
Early action applicants accepted	N/A
Early action applicants enrolled	N/A
Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action	N/A

Fall 2022 Wait List

School has a wait list	No
Applicants placed on wait list	N/A
Students accepting place on wait list	N/A
Students accepted from wait list	N/A

Fall 2022 High School Rank

Freshman students submitting high school class standing

83%

Fall 2022 High School GPA

Freshman students submitting high school GPA	99%
Average high school GPA	3.5
High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range	3.1-4

Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores

Freshman students submitting SAT scores	16%
SAT Critical Reading average score	542
SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range	470-610
SAT Math average score	541
SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range:	470-613
SAT Writing average score	N/A
SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range	N/A
SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range	N/A

Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores

Freshman students submitting ACT scores	96%
Average ACT Composite score	24
ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range	21-26
ACT English 25th-75th percentile range	21-28
ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range	20-27