Thomas Aquinas College can be found in Santa Paula, CA (a rural area). One of the defining characteristics of the school is its status as a Roman Catholic school. Thomas Aquinas College is a private, not-for-profit institution. The Bachelor's degree is the highest degree at the school.
Thomas Aquinas College has a tighter focus on specific areas of study than most colleges its size. The most common majors at the school are in liberal arts.
Thomas Aquinas College does not have an open admissions system. Not everyone who applies is accepted. Only 25% of students scored 600 or lower in 2007-2008 on the verbal SAT test. Math SAT scores at the school centered around 550 to 638, but ranged both higher and lower.
Classes at Thomas Aquinas College are less crowded than at many schools. A tenure system is one way the school works to keep a high-quality staff. Instructors at Thomas Aquinas College are well-paid.
In 2007-2008, 360 students were enrolled in the school.
Thomas Aquinas College has a residential or campus feel. Student dorms or apartments are common at the school. Thomas Aquinas College offers students meal plans.
The school reports its educational mission is:
"Thomas Aquinas College has a single mission: the liberal education of students according to their natural powers of reason illuminated by the light of the Catholic Faith. This mission is the end by which all means are judged û from customs of community life to curricular decisions and faculty appointments, to building design and forms of governance. +++
To accomplish its mission, the College has a single, substantially unvarying program with no majors, minors, or electives. It consists in an integrated and orderly study of the liberal arts and sciences, beginning with the fundamental arts of the trivium and quadrivium, proceeding through the natural and political sciences, and culminating in theology. The College achieves its mission chiefly through reflective consideration of seminal questions raised in classical texts. These texts û often referred to as the ôGreat Booksö û are selected by the faculty under the guidance of the Catholic tradition. In accordance with this tradition, the works of St. Thomas Aquinas occupy a preeminent position in the CollegeÆs curriculum. +++
Classes are seminars and tutorials: groups of fifteen to twenty students discussing the readings under the guidance of a faculty member. A laboratory program provides students laboratory experience in addition to the reading of primary texts. Tutorials, seminars, and laboratories are complemented by a lecture and concert series. This offers students an opportunity to witness and discuss the scholarly and artistic works of the wider community. +++
The CollegeÆs educational principles and curriculum arise from an intellectual tradition which does not fluctuate with the vicissitudes of time, founded as it is in a perennial wisdom by which the truth and merit of new insights and discoveries may be best understood. The College aims to sustain the natural wonder of students, to develop their intellectual virtues, and to help them satisfy their desire to know things noble and worth knowing."
More complete details are provided below.
Thomas Aquinas College
10000 N Ojai Rd
Santa Paula, CA 93060
General Phone: (805) 525-4417
http://www.thomasaquinas.edu
| General Category | Degrees | Most Common Majors [see all] |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts | 80 | liberal arts and sciences |
Number of programs and degrees for Thomas Aquinas College in 2008-2009:
| Degree Level | Total Awarded | Number of Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 80 | 1 |
In 2007-2008, Thomas Aquinas College had a total enrollment of 360 students (427 full-time equivalent).
Students in the Freshman Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Men | 45% |
| Women | 55% |
| Full-Time | 100% |
| Part-Time | 0% |
Students By Class:
| Group | Percent |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 100% |
| Race | Percent |
|---|---|
| White | 79% |
| Black | 0% |
| Hispanic | 6% |
| Asian | 2% |
| American Indian | 1% |
| Unknown | 6% |
| (Foreign Students) | 6% |
Students by Age:
| Age | Percent |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 4% |
| 18-19 | 46% |
| 20-21 | 37% |
| 22-24 | 10% |
| 25-29 | 2% |
| 30-34 | 1% |
| 40-49 | 0% |
Incoming (Freshman) Students by Place of Residence:
(From available data sampling)
| Residence | Percent |
|---|---|
| California | 35% |
| (International Students) | 11% |
| Washington | 8% |
| Wisconsin | 7% |
| Illinois | 3% |
| Pennsylvania | 3% |
| Virginia | 3% |
| Michigan | 2% |
| Idaho | 2% |
| Massachusetts | 2% |
| Maryland | 2% |
| Georgia | 2% |
| Missouri | 2% |
| Oregon | 2% |
| Kentucky | 1% |
| Montana | 1% |
| Minnesota | 1% |
| Utah | 1% |
| Nebraska | 1% |
| New Mexico | 1% |
| Texas | 1% |
| Ohio | 1% |
| New York | 1% |
| Hawaii | 1% |
| West Virginia | 1% |
Retention Rates (2007):
| Group | Returning From Previous Year |
|---|---|
| Full-Time | 92 % |
Thomas Aquinas College offers campus housing for 398 of its 427 (full-time) students.
(Please refer to our profile of Santa Paula, California for details about the area surrounding the campus. Also see our list of other California Colleges).
The school offers students a meal plan with 20 meals per week.
Acceptances:
| Group | Applicants | Accepted | Percent Accepted | Enrolled | Percent of Accepted Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 232 | 173 | 75% | 102 | 59% |
| Men | 114 | 81 | 71% | 46 | 57% |
| Women | 118 | 92 | 78% | 56 | 61% |
Standardized Test Scores:
| Test | 25th Percentile | 75th Percetile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT Verbal | 600 | 718 |
| SAT Math | 550 | 638 |
| SAT Writing | 600 | 678 |
| ACT Verbal | 26 | 30 |
| ACT Math | 25 | 27 |
| ACT Composite | 26 | 28 |
Application Requirements:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| GPA | not required |
| Class Rank | not required |
| High School Record | required |
| College Prep Program | required |
| Recommendations | required |
| Formal Demonstration of Competence | not required |
| Standardized Tests (SAT and/or ACT) | required |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting SAT | 92% |
| Percent of Applicants Submitting ACT | 21% |
| TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) | recommended |
| Other Standardized Tests | not required |
Expenses and Financial Aid:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-state tuition and fees | $ 21,400 |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $ 21,400 |
| Room and board | $ 6,950 |
| Books and supplies | $ 450 |
| Other expenses | $ 3,045 |
Financial Aid:
Thomas Aquinas College participates in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. (The school's OPE ID is 2358000)
Thomas Aquinas College has a tenure system for faculty.
Tenure Status of Faculty (2008-2009):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Tenured | 17 | 2 |
| Non-tenured, but on tenure track | 9 | 0 |
| Non-tenured and not on tenure track | 1 | 0 |
Salaries for full-time faculty:
Full-Time Faculty (2008-2009):
| Full-Time Faculty Level | Contract Length | Number Men | Avg Salary Men | Number Women | Avg Salary Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No academic rank | academic year | 27 | $86,927 | 2 | * |
| All faculty total | academic year | 27 | $86,927 | 2 | * |
*: salaries are not displayed where there are fewer than 3 professors in the category.
(Details are provided further down on this page.)
What Sets Thomas Aquinas College Apart:
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| % of degrees in liberal arts (vs. all colleges) | Top 1% | ![]() ![]() |
| Dorm rooms per full-time student (vs. all colleges) | Top 2% | ![]() ![]() |
| Degrees concentrated in limited number of degree programs (vs. all colleges) | Top 2% | ![]() ![]() |
| Student SAT scores (vs. all colleges) | Top 6% | ![]() |
| Salaries of full-time faculty (vs. all colleges) | Top 6% | ![]() |
| Faculty/student ratio (full-time) (vs. all colleges) | Top 9% | ![]() |
| Male % of student body (vs. all colleges) | Top 19% | ![]() |
| % of full-time faculty on tenure track (vs. all colleges) | Top 19% | ![]() |
Notable:
Roman Catholic affiliation
Career counseling
On-campus library
Offers campus housing
Offers a board (meal) plan
Tenure system for quality teaching
Try our unique CollegeMatch™ tool to find schools similar to Thomas Aquinas College.
|
|
|
Selected QuickSchools™ With Program Focus Areas Similar To Thomas Aquinas College(What are QuickSchools?)
Liberal Arts
Career Stories from workers: daily activities, job tips, best/worst job aspects, training, etc.
Daily Career & Education News from our staff. We're an approved Google News provider!
Resource Center. A starting point for all CityTownInfo career and college resources.
Career Overviews of hundreds of careers: descriptions, salaries, forecasts, schools, more.
Best Careers Not Requiring Degrees: Good pay, job growth, low need for degrees.
Helpful Articles, many in "how-to" format; e.g., "How to Become a Chef".
These lists link to thousands of detailed school profiles.
Colleges by State. Nearly every college and trade school in the country.
Colleges Listed Alphabetically. About 7,000 colleges & trade schools, including online schools.
Colleges by Major City. Browse cities with multiple college options.
Online Colleges. Colleges with online degree programs.
Graduate Schools by State. Colleges offering graduate degree programs.
Graduate Schools by Major City. Find cities with multiple graduate school options.