La Roche University (LRU)

Black Pinpoint 9000 Babcock Boulevard | Pittsburgh, PA | 15237

01. Overview

What the school is known for:

A small, Catholic school in suburban Pittsburgh, La Roche University "integrates liberal arts and professional education in creative ways." Offering more than 50 degree programs in a range of diverse fields (like nursing, accounting, graphic design, and real estate), the La Roche University education is highly practical, providing its students with "all the tools needed to succeed" in the real world. Thanks to uniformly small class sizes, "students get a lot of individualized attention" from their instructors. Described as both "attentive" and "caring," professors treat "students as more than just students, but as individual learners." If you are struggling in a class, "It is easy to make an appointment with your professors and meet with them every week." In addition, "La Roche has great tutoring programs as well as a [Writing Center] to help the students succeed." While this private school comes with a high price tag, "[it offers] great scholarships and lots of financial aid" to qualified students, which helps take the sting out of the tuition check. Students say the administration still has plenty of room for improvement: "There are a lot of problems as far as classes and budget and the overall way in which La Roche is run."

02. Rankings

Rankings and Lists

03. Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Applicants Icon
Applicants
2,063
Acceptance Icon
Acceptance Rate
78%
GPA Icon
Average HS GPA
3.46

SAT & ACT Test Scores

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
550 - 640

SAT Math

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
505 - 595

SAT Composite Scores

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
1055 - 1140

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Testing Policies

Standardized testing policy for
use in admission:
Test Optional

Other Admission Factors Academic

Admission Factors Icon
Rigor of Secondary School Record
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Academic GPA

Selectivity

4. Cost, Tuition, Expenses

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$32,600
Average Cost for Books and Supplies
$1,200
Tuition / Fees Vary by Year of Study
No
Board for Commuters
1710
Transportation for Commuters
$1,900
On-Campus Room and Board
13894
Approximate Expenses per year
$51,304

Students Also View These Schools

05. Academics

Student Faculty Icon
Student/Faculty
11 : 1
Acceptance Icon
Total Faculty
152
Terminal Degree Icon
Terminal Degree
50

Gender

Women
93
Men
59
Minority
12
International
0

Class/Lab sizes

Most frequent class size
10-19
Most frequent lab/sub section size
10-19

Rating

Graduation Rates

University Degrees

Associate
Bachelor's
Certificate
Doctoral/Professional
Master's
Post-Bachelor's certificate
Terminal Associate

06. Student Body

What students say:

With just more than 1,200 full-time undergraduates, "Life at La Roche is very laid back." On this small campus, "everyone knows everyone" and it only "takes about five minutes to walk to class" from the dorms. Students assure us that "If you are willing to be involved, you will never be bored." At La Roche, there are over 30 student groups and an active intramural sports program, as well as 12 varsity men's and women's teams. Alcohol is prohibited on campus, but, students admit that "people still drink" from time to time. Even so, a party "never gets out of control" at La Roche, and most students prefer to "hang out with...friends, study together, [and] go out to eat" in their free time. When they want a break from the school's "lovely and spacious campus," students really appreciate their location on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. With this "amazing city at your fingertips," a fun night on the town is only a short drive away. On that note, "you better hope you have a car to get off campus," because "everyone goes home" on the weekend.

Gender

59% female41% male

Out of State

4% are out
of state
96% are
in-state

Students

36% are
full time
64% are
part time

Student Body Profile

Total Undergraduate Enrollment
1,986
Foreign Countries Represented
27

Student Body Demographics

American Indian or Alaskan Native
0.00%
Asian
1.40%
Black
6.35%
Hispanic
5.46%
Caucasian
62.18%
Unknown
4.06%
International
16.50%

07. Mental Health

08. Campus Life

What students say:

On this small campus, the majority of students are Pittsburgh locals, and about half are commuters. The university also attracts international students from almost 50 countries worldwide, creating an "academic and social community where everyone is accepted as they are." Friendliness is the common denominator among the La Roche student body, and most students describe their classmates as "very nice and well-rounded individuals." A current student attests, "Being a transfer student myself, I've seen the environment of other college campuses, and I can honestly say that I have never seen such a diverse group of students interacting so seamlessly."

Students
42%
First-Year Students
7%
Campus Environment
Small Urban
Help finding off-campus housing
Yes

9. Campus Visits

Campus Visits Contact

Location Icon
9000 Babcock Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone icon
800-888-4572

Campus Tours

Campus Visiting Center

Phone icon
800-888-4572

Campus Tours

Appointment Required:
Yes
Dates:
Year-round
Times:
10:00; 12:00; 2:00
Average Length:
1 hour

Visits

CLASS VISITS

Dates/Times Available
Academic Year
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office

FACULTY AND COACH VISITS

Dates/Times Available
Year-round
Arrangements
Contact Athletic Department
Advance Notice
1 week
 

On Campus Interview

Campus Interviews:
Yes
Information Sessions:
Available
Times:
First Saturday of each month

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays
Available
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office
Limitations
Overnight visits will be held once a semester for accepted students only. P

Campus Tours


TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO CAMPUS

Pittsburgh International Airport Bus and train stations in downtown Pittsburgh We are on local Port Authority bus routes


DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO CAMPUS

https://www.laroche.edu/Admissions/Visit/

LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS

Home2Suites by Hilton 8630 Duncan Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15237 1.5 miles from campus. Mention LaRoche for a discount. Fairfield by Marriott Pittsburgh North Inn and Suites 901 Providence Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Right across the street in McCandless Crossings Mention La Roche for a discount


10. Sports & Athletics

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Athletic Division III

Participate in intercollegiate sports
11%

Men's Sports (Redhawks)

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Basketball
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Cross Country
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Golf
Icon
Lacrosse
Icon
Soccer

Women's Sports (Redhawks)

Icon
Basketball
Icon
Bowling
Icon
Cross Country
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Lacrosse
Icon
Soccer
Icon
Softball
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Tennis
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Volleyball

11. Housing & Activities

Hosting Features

Icon
Dorms Coed

Special Needs Admissions

Director
Sarah White
College Entrance Tests Required
Yes
Interview Required
No

Student Activities

Registered Student Organizations
51
Number of Honor Societies
4
Number of Social Sororities
0
Number of Religious Organizations
2

12. Student Services

Military

Army ROTC Offered on-campus, at cooperating institutions: University of Pittsburgh
Air Force ROTC Offered on-campus

CAMPUS SECURITY REPORT

The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.

Please visit The Princeton Review's page on campus safety for additional resources:

Visit Page
Warning Icon

The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/

Other Information

Campus-wide Internet Network
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Fee for Network Use
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Partnerships with Technology Companies
X Mark icon
Personal computer included in tuition for each student
X Mark icon
Discounts Available with Hardware Vendors
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Description Apple, Dell

13. Financial Aid

Dates

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Notification DateDec 1

Required Forms

FAFSA

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$7,843
Average Undergraduate Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$7,064
Average Need-Based Loan
$4,143
Undergraduates who have borrowed through any loan program
78%
Average amount of loan debt per graduate
$36,698
Average amount of each freshman scholarship/grant package
$13,058
Financial aid provided to international students
Yes

Available Aid

Financial Aid Methodology
Scholarships and Grants

Need-Based Aid

01 - Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
02 - Need-Based Federal Pell
03 - Need-Based Private Scholarships
04 - Need-Based SEOG

Federal Direct Student Loan Programs

01 - Direct PLUS Loans
02 - Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
03 - Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
Yes

14. Career Services & Jobs

Graduation Rates

Career Services

01 - Classes
02 - Interest Inventory
03 - Internships
04 - Regional Alumni

Opportunities at School

01 - Internship

15. Majors

Down Arrow Icon

02 BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.

  • Biochemistry.
  • Biology, General.
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03 BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.

  • Accounting.
  • Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other.
  • Finance, General.
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General.
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce.
  • Management Science.
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General.
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04 COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.

  • Communication and Media Studies, Other.
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05 COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

  • Computer and Information Sciences, General.
  • Computer Science.
  • Information Technology.
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06 EDUCATION.

  • Elementary Education and Teaching.
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07 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.

  • English Language and Literature, General.
  • Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.
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09 HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.

  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other.
  • Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist.
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10 HISTORY.

  • History, General.
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11 HOMELAND SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTING AND RELATED PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies.
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other.
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12 LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.

  • General Studies.
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies.
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13 MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.

  • Mathematics, General.
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15 PHYSICAL SCIENCES.

  • Chemistry, General.
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16 PSYCHOLOGY.

  • Psychology, General.
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17 SOCIAL SCIENCES.

  • International Relations and Affairs.
  • Political Science and Government, General.
  • Sociology.
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18 VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.

  • Dance, General.
  • Design and Visual Communications, General.
  • Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other.

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