Miles College: Navigating Admissions and Understanding Acceptance Rates

For students considering higher education, understanding the landscape of college admissions is crucial. This article delves into the specifics of Miles College, a private institution located in Fairfield, Alabama, offering insights into its acceptance rate, academic requirements, costs, and other essential information for prospective students.

Understanding Miles College

Miles College, founded in 1898, holds the motto "Knowledge and Peace and Love for all." The college is affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. For the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Miles College is ranked No. 83 in Regional Colleges South and No. 79 in Top Performers on Social Mobility. The college operates on a semester-based academic calendar.

Acceptance Rate: A Key Factor in Admissions

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. The acceptance rate at Miles College is 59.2%. This figure indicates that the college is moderately selective in its admissions process. While not as stringent as highly selective institutions, strong academic performance is still essential for prospective students. Because this school is moderately selective, strong academic performance will almost guarantee you admission. Scoring at a SAT or above will already give you a great shot at getting in.

Academic Requirements: GPA and Standardized Tests

GPA Expectations

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. The average GPA at Miles College is 2.5. Miles College accepts students with below-average GPAs. You might have a mix of B's and C's in your high school record. If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 2.5, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate.

Standardized Testing Policies

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Miles College recommends that you take the SAT or ACT. Many schools say they have no ACT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden ACT requirement. Securing a competitive score on either the SAT or ACT can significantly bolster your application. The average ACT score at Miles College is 16.

Read also: Finding Your College Fit

A Deeper Dive into ACT Scores

To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 16 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore.

Beyond Academics: A Holistic Review

Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews.

Costs and Financial Aid

Understanding the costs associated with attending Miles College is an important consideration. The school's tuition and fees are $12,714. The average net price for federal loan recipients is $13,259. The average net cost to attend Miles College is $14,633 per year, calculated as the sum of the average cost of tuition, room and board, books, and supplies, reduced by the amount of average financial aid received. The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.

Here's a breakdown of average costs by household income:

<\$30K: \$13,517
\$30-48K: \$14,076
\$48-75K: \$15,789
\$75-110K: \$19,804
\$110K+: \$20,491

Ninety-seven percent of Miles College students receive financial aid, with the average aid awarded totaling $8,290.

Read also: History of Miles College Football

Tuition and Fees (Undergraduates)

Tuition (in-district, in-state, out-of-state): \$11,164
Fees (in-district, in-state, out-of-state): \$1,550

Room and Board

Dormitory capacity: 882
Combined charge for room and board: \$7,570
Room charge: \$4,182
Meal charge: \$3,388

Academic Profile and Student Life

The student-faculty ratio at Miles College is 12:1.

Graduation and Retention Rates

Miles College has a graduation rate of 26%, which is among the 8% lowest for universities in the US. The four-year graduation rate is 16%. Full-time retention rate - 56%

Salary After Graduation

Six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $25,822.

Majors Offered

Miles College has granted 145 bachelor's degrees across 18 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Miles College.

Business Administration and Management, General: 22
Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Administration: 20
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other: 18
Social Work: 17
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other: 16
Biology & Biological Sciences, General: 8
Child Development: 8
Psychology, General: 7
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications: 6
Political Science and Government, General: 5
History, General: 4
Accounting: 3
English Language and Literature, General: 3
Music, General: 3
Mathematics Teacher Education: 2
Accounting and Business & Management: 1
Chemistry, General: 1
English & Language Arts Teacher Education: 1

Research and Publications

Miles College has published 2,150 scientific papers with 55,257 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Biochemistry, Genetics, Engineering, Organic Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics, and Liberal Arts & Social Sciences.

Publication / Citation count by topic

Biology 1,581 / 49,248
Chemistry 1,340 / 41,405
Medicine 1,130 / 35,298
Biochemistry 1,016 / 35,446
Genetics 904 / 34,547
Engineering 841 / 24,554
Organic Chemistry 788 / 23,582
Environmental Science 778 / 18,174
Physics 701 / 20,010
Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 604 / 11,000
Computer Science 540 / 14,061
Materials Science 418 / 13,154
Geology 404 / 11,227
Psychology 389 / 11,895
Immunology 362 / 13,171
Ecology 344 / 8,810
Geography and Cartography 327 / 4,459
Quantum and Particle physics 311 / 10,343
Pathology 309 / 10,471
Paleontology 294 / 7,779
Pharmacology 261 / 9,096
Political Science 234 / 3,984
Surgery 228 / 6,856
Psychiatry 227 / 7,560
Botany 220 / 4,585
Philosophy 219 / 3,543
Law 202 / 3,853
Molecular Biology 201 / 7,775
Metallurgical Engineering 194 / 7,143
History 191 / 2,235
Mathematics 189 / 3,368
Neuroscience 171 / 5,158
Business 166 / 2,363
Anesthesiology 163 / 4,480
Nutrition and Food Science 162 / 3,470
Statistics 158 / 3,272
Sociology 156 / 3,597
Anatomy and Physiology 154 / 7,158
Optical Engineering 151 / 3,596
Physical chemistry 147 / 4,363

Annual publication & citation counts

Year	Publications	Citations
1992	85	1130
1993	130	1214
1994	131	1269
1995	86	1389
1996	29	1439
1997	21	1440
1998	11	1488
1999	6	1403
2000	22	1496
2001	7	1416
2002	9	1291
2003	8	1279
2004	13	1295
2005	17	1223
2006	12	1224
2007	15	1180
2008	25	1157
2009	17	1242
2010	9	1234
2011	16	1267
2012	20	1351
2013	28	1395
2014	22	1345
2015	23	1369
2016	27	1288
2017	29	1200
2018	27	1238
2019	31	1332
2020	26	1481
2021	18	1531
2022	32	1282
2023	43	1315
2024	14	1068

Notable Alumni

Miles College boasts a distinguished list of alumni who have made significant contributions in various fields. Among them are:

Autherine Lucy: A pioneering activist and the first African-American student to attend the University of Alabama.
Richard Arrington, Jr: A former entomologist, politician, and zoologist who served as the mayor of Birmingham for 20 years.
Bernard Kincaid: An American politician and former mayor of Birmingham, Alabama.
Juandalynn Givan: An American lawyer and politician serving in the Alabama House of Representatives.
Bennett M. Stewart: Former U.S. Representative from Illinois and member of the Chicago City Council.
Cleopatra Tucker: An American Democratic Party politician representing the 28th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly.

General Information

Alternative names: MC
Founded: 1898
Motto: Knowledge and Peace and Love for all
Colors: Purple, gold
Academic calendar: Semesters
Total FTE staff: 230
Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Address: 5500 Myron Massey Blvd Fairfield, Alabama, 35064-2621 United States
City population: 10,000
Phone: 20592910001645

Admissions Policy

Miles College has an open admission policy (non-competitive). The only requirement is a certificate of attendance or a highschool diploma or a General Educational Development certificate.

Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity

Black or African American 1095 (95%)
White 29 (3%)
Hispanic 21 (2%)
Two or more races 3 (0.3%)
Race or Ethnicity unknown 2 (0.2%)
Asian 1 (0.1%)

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