Transylvania University

Transylvania University maintains an accessible admissions profile with an acceptance rate well above that of peer institutions. In the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges ranking, the university placed 106th among National Liberal Arts Colleges, continuing a gradual recovery after dropping from 72nd in 2020 to 121st in 2024. For the 2025 admissions cycle, the school admitted 86.5% of applicants, which was higher than 93% of peer schools in its comparison group of 30 similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges. Meanwhile, the yield rate was 16.3%, higher than 72% of peer schools. Because fewer than one in six admitted students enrolls, applicants with standard qualifications face low barrier to entry, but the low yield also indicates that admitted students frequently compare the institution against other regional and national alternatives.

Transylvania University maintains an admissions testing policy where standardized tests are optional, considered if submitted. For the 2025 entering class, published score ranges show that enrolled students in the middle range earned an ACT composite score between 24 and 30. For the SAT, the university recorded a median composite score of 1250 in 2025, a figure higher than 44% of peer schools in a comparison group of similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges. Submission figures for 2025 also indicate that incoming undergraduates submitted ACT results far more frequently than SAT results. Prospective applicants evaluating their academic profile can look to these ACT boundaries and the SAT median to gauge how their standardized testing records align with the enrolled student body when preparing their application materials.

Degrees at Transylvania University are heavily centered on pre-professional and life-science tracks, though none of its academic disciplines carry national program rankings. In 2025, the university conferred 245 bachelor's degrees and zero graduate degrees, with the top three majors accounting for 37.1% of all graduates. The largest majors were Business/Commerce, General, Biology/Biological Sciences, General, and Exercise Science and Kinesiology, closely followed by Accounting and Psychology, General. According to 2023 earnings data one year after graduation, pre-professional business fields delivered the highest returns, led by accounting graduates with median earnings of $59,029 and general business graduates earning $53,560, while general biology graduates earned a median of $28,752.

Transylvania University maintains an undergraduate student body characterized by limited racial and geographic diversity. In 2025, White students comprised the vast majority of the campus, while female students accounted for over half of all undergraduates across cohorts. Entering undergraduates included 2 Asian students, representing 0.8% of the class, alongside 1 international student, who accounted for 0.4% of that cohort. Within the larger returning undergraduate group, Asian and international students likewise constituted small minorities, while transfer students added minimal representation. For prospective applicants, particularly overseas candidates or families prioritizing substantial racial and cultural diversity, these demographic figures demonstrate that Asian and international students form very small communities on campus. Taking these enrollment patterns into account is an essential consideration for students seeking a specific collegiate environment before deciding to apply.

Undergraduate enrollment at Transylvania University is almost entirely concentrated among traditional college-age students. In 2025, out of 1,014 undergraduates measured by age, students aged 18 to 19 constituted 46.5% of the total, while those aged 20 to 21 made up 41.7%. Together with students aged 22 to 24, virtually all undergraduates fall within the typical young adult age range. The university does not enroll any graduate students. This heavy concentration of eighteen- to twenty-one-year-olds creates a traditional undergraduate campus environment focused primarily on students moving straight from secondary school into their collegiate education.

International representation at Transylvania University is exceptionally small and has diminished significantly over time. In 2025, the college enrolled just 5 undergraduate international students, representing 0.5% of the undergraduate student body. This international share is higher than 3% of peer schools in its comparison group of 30 similarly ranked private liberal arts colleges, where the peer median stood at 5.4%. The institution operates no graduate programs, so graduate international figures do not exist. Among 2025 degree recipients, international students represented 0.8% of bachelor's degrees. International students were entirely absent among graduates in top programs like business, biology, and exercise science, appearing only in accounting, where international graduates accounted for 4.5% of the class.

Applicants considering Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, can explore several alternative higher education options nearby. Located right in the same city is the University of Kentucky, a large public research institution ranked 148th among National Universities in 2027 and just 1.2 kilometers away. For students seeking other private liberal arts settings in Kentucky, Centre College is situated 32.2 kilometers away and ranked 54th among Liberal Arts Colleges, while Berea College sits 35 kilometers away with a rank of 62nd on the same list. Another major regional option is the University of Louisville, located 69.8 kilometers away and ranked 179th among National Universities.

Campus safety reports for Transylvania University show that overall incident rates have decreased in recent years, with disciplinary violations and sex offenses forming the primary reported categories. In 2025, the university recorded a crime rate of 8.7 per 1,000 students. Across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, the largest cumulative categories reported on campus were rape, with 33 incidents, and disciplinary referrals for liquor violations, with 32 incidents. Other documented occurrences across these years included smaller totals for drug violations, fondling, and theft. The campus does not report significant levels of violent street crime or weapons offenses, with reported activity concentrated around conduct policy enforcement and residence-related offenses. For prospective students and families assessing security, these statistics point to a campus environment where institutional disciplinary actions and sexual misconduct account for the overwhelming majority of safety reports.