Davidson College

Private · Highly Selective · NC

Photo: Davidson College (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNC · South

SettingSuburban

Undergrads1,867

Student:faculty8:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate85.6%

6-yr grad rate91.1%

Drop-out rate5.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$64k

Out-of-state tuition$64k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity39.6%

Gender diversity53%

International10.7%

IdentityPresbyterian Church (USA)

Overview

Davidson is a liberal arts college near Charlotte, North Carolina, founded by Presbyterians in 1837 and still visibly connected to that heritage through its chaplain's office and a strong religion department, even as the college itself is nonsectarian in practice today. The defining feature is the student-run Honor Code, which allows self-scheduled, unproctored exams -- including exams taken outside a classroom entirely -- and extends into a broader culture of trust across campus. The college pairs a small, teaching-focused faculty with a level of Division I athletic ambition unusual for its size.

Academics

Undergraduate teaching is the clear priority, with faculty attention and small classes as the norm rather than the exception. Political science, economics, and pre-med are particular strengths, and pre-med advising here is well regarded, sending a strong share of graduates on to medical school. The Honor Code's unproctored exam culture reflects a broader institutional emphasis on student responsibility that shows up in dorm life and social conduct as well as testing.

Campus & student life

Davidson competes in Division I athletics despite its small size, a genuine point of campus pride and identity, most famously as Stephen Curry's alma mater -- the men's basketball program's 2008 NCAA tournament run remains a touchstone of school spirit. Campus culture is close-knit and centers on a compact main quad, and the Honor Code shapes social trust well beyond the classroom, including how dorms and shared spaces are treated.

Getting in

Admissions is holistic and looks for students who will take the Honor Code seriously, alongside strong academic preparation; Davidson's small size means fit and community contribution matter as much as raw credentials. The college's willingness to trust students with unsupervised exams is explicitly part of what it's evaluating character for.

After graduation

Graduates have an outsized record of Rhodes, Truman, and other major national scholarships relative to the college's size, and go on strongly into medicine, law, business, and academia. The alumni network, concentrated in the Carolinas and broader Southeast, is tightly connected and generous with current students.

Worth knowing

The Honor Code is a real daily practice, not a slogan -- students genuinely leave exams unattended and unsupervised. Division I athletics at this scale gives Davidson a campus energy and national visibility that's unusual among peer liberal arts colleges.

davidson.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate13.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1400–1530 · ACT 31–34

Test policyoptional

Rec letters3

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early decisionNov 15

Regular decisionJan 11

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App, Coalition (Scoir), or QuestBridge.

Davidson offers a binding Early Decision plan.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗