Centre College

Private · Moderately Selective · KY

Photo: PCN02WPS (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationKY · South

SettingRural

Undergrads1,400

Student:faculty10:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate74.2%

6-yr grad rate80.7%

Drop-out rate12.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$53k

Out-of-state tuition$53k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity27.6%

Gender diversity52%

International3.8%

Identity—

Overview

Centre College is a small, highly regarded liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, known nationally for guaranteeing every student a funded internship, research experience, or study abroad opportunity before graduation. It has one of the highest study-abroad participation rates of any American college, an identity the college has built deliberately rather than incidentally.

Academics

Centre runs on a distinctive academic calendar that includes CentreTerm, a short January term used for intensive single-course study, travel courses, and off-campus experiences that a standard semester calendar doesn't easily accommodate. The college has particularly strong pre-law and pre-med traditions, with a track record of graduates admitted to competitive law and medical schools, and close faculty mentorship across the curriculum is a defining feature of the academic experience.

Campus & student life

The Danville campus has a close, tightly-knit residential culture typical of a small elite liberal arts college, with strong participation in Greek life, Division III athletics, and campus traditions. The college's national profile got an unusual boost from twice hosting U.S. vice-presidential debates, in 2000 and 2012, events that brought national media attention to the small-town campus.

Getting in

Centre's admissions process is holistic and selective, with an emphasis on students who will take advantage of the college's signature guarantee of an internship, research experience, or study abroad term — essays and interviews often probe genuine intellectual curiosity and specific interest in what a small residential liberal arts college offers.

After graduation

Centre has an unusually strong record of graduates moving into law school, medical school, and other competitive graduate and professional programs, supported by dedicated pre-law and pre-health advising and a loyal alumni network that stays closely engaged with the college.

Worth knowing

CentreTerm is the single most distinctive structural feature of a Centre education — a short, focused January term that lets students study abroad, do an intensive single course, or complete an internship without disrupting the fall/spring semester structure most colleges use.

centre.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate54.4%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1160–1450 · ACT 25–32

Test policyoptional

Rec letters1

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionNov 15

Early decisionNov 1

Regular decisionFeb 1

Applying