You can see KU for miles around, its crimson rooflines accenting the wide blue sky. We admit that getting to the top of Mount Oread is physically daunting at first. Stairs, sidewalks, streets — they're all a workout. But nothing worth achieving is ever easy, and from the top the vista is endless.
Did you know?
KU's cross-country course, Rim Rock Farm, is regarded as the toughest, roughest and, above all, the best and most beautiful course in the nation. Runners love the hills, ponds, woods, covered bridge and sculptures. But it’s still not as tough as walking up the hill to class.
The campus.
Students are known to be transformed by their first walk along Jayhawk Boulevard, past the distinguished stone edifices of Budig, Strong, Lippincott, Dyche and Spooner halls. Walk beneath the steadfast gaze of bronzed mentor Uncle Jimmy Green, his arm guiding a young protégé, and you will know: This is where I want to be.
Did you know?
The statue of law dean James "Jimmy" Green, installed in 1924, was created by sculptor Daniel Chester French, best known for his statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The town.
The campus may be gorgeous, but we also rave about the artsy downtown and its bustling tree-lined streets overflowing with eateries, small shops and galleries. The jazz, classical, rock, hip-hop and sidewalk music scene is renowned. Or just sail away on nearby Clinton Lake.
Did you know?
The New York Times said this about Lawrence: "Add the lovely campus, many funky shops and top-notch regional music scene, and Lawrence, a leafy city of about 80,000, seems to bulge beyond its borders." And if you ever tire of the city’s charms (but why would you?) you can head to the urban hustle and bustle of Kansas City, about 40 minutes away, or state capital Topeka, only 25 minutes away.
The programs.
Still deciding what you want to do when you grow up? At KU you can find your passion, in the arts or the sciences or anything in between. KU has more than 100 fields of study taught by expert teachers and researchers. More than 40 programs are nationally ranked, many in the top 10. A KU degree comes with cachet.
Did you know?
Studio 804 architecture students designed and built an eco-friendly arts center for the tornado-ravaged town of Greensburg. The center opened to the public on May 4, 2008, exactly one year after the twister tore through the small south-central Kansas town.
The price.
Kansans like to get a good price, be it for corn or college, and KU offers more for your investment in time and tuition. This is a value-added education: top-ranked, nationally respected programs and low tuition rates that are fixed for four years! That’s why the 2008 Fiske Guide says KU is "one of the premier college bargains in the United States." Sweet.
Did you know?
One of the most popular and affordable student housing options at KU is scholarship halls. Students must qualify academically, help with the cooking and cleaning and take leadership roles in self-governing their halls. There are 12 scholarship halls on campus, including the brand new Krehbiel Hall, which features quiet geothermal heating and cooling systems and an exterior designed to blend with the neighborhood's turn-of-the-century homes.
The world.
We are not just in Kansas anymore. The economy is global and so is a KU education. We strive to give every student an international learning experience, here or over there. KU's study abroad program is seventh in the nation in number of students studying overseas. There’s no place like Italy (or China, Morocco or Latin America) for a summer or a semester.
Did you know?
KU's Confucius Institute was honored in China as a 2007 Confucius Institute of the Year, one of only four such institutes in the United States and 20 worldwide to receive the designation. There are 210 institutes in the world, 38 in the U.S.
The research.
Yes, all major universities do research, but the Milken Institute places KU ninth in the world for driving new patents through the innovation pipeline. KU holds 45 U.S. patents and has 53 pending. Fourteen companies have been created as a result of research done at KU.
Did you know?
It was here in 1905 that the world discovered that helium existed on earth in abundance, making it possible for us to have such things as magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear reactors and ballistic missiles.
The chant.
When you hear the long, slow, Gregorian cadences of KU's world-famous Rock Chalk chant, you understand why it’s been declared the greatest college yell since it was created by a KU chemistry professor in 1886. It cheers the heart and soul of any Jayhawk: Rock Chalk Jayhawk Kaaay-youuuuuuu.
Did you know?
It was a student's idea for a universitywide variety show in 1949 that launched the annual Rock Chalk Revue. Students compete yearly to perform in satirical musical performance, which raises $50,000 a year for United Way.
The game.
You know basketball is big here. But it's not just because of the 2008 NCAA Men’s Championship and four other national titles, raucous and revered Allen Fieldhouse, NBA stars from Wilt Chamberlain to Paul Pierce, or even because four of the most successful college coaches of all time played or coached here. It's also because James Naismith, our first coach, happens to have invented the game. Great things start here.
Did you know?
Naismith also is credited for inventing the football helmet. A little lore to go along with KU's record-setting 2007 football season. The Jayhawks finished an unprecedented 12-1 and were Orange Bowl champions.
The Jayhawk.
It's the only one in the whole wide world, special because it is unique but also because this mascot embodies qualities we cherish: forward-looking, happy and confident, eager to compete, able to soar. Above all Jayhawks are loyal. Be one and you become part of a global family.
Did you know?
This Jayhawk is all heart: Volunteer KU medical students created and operate the Jaydoc Free Clinic in Kansas City to provide primary care services and preventive education at no charge.
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