Is Brenau University a Good School?

So, you intend to earn a bachelor’s degree without overshooting your budget. Coincidentally, someone has told you that the cost of attending Brenau University is cheaper than average. Should you add it to your college list in order to become a degree holder without being buried in student loan debt upon graduation?

While it has the Women’s College, Brenau University admits both male and female students. Other than traditional degrees, it also offers online degrees, where students can work on theirs 100% via the internet. Brenau is considered one of the best value schools nationally and locally.

Does it look like Brenau is the school for a college-bound student like you? Read on!

Brenau University Accreditation Questions Answered

The agency responsible for the accreditation of Brenau University is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The said accrediting body evaluates and accredits colleges and universities in the Southern states as well as some of those in the Latin American region.

Another proof that Brenau is far from being a diploma mill is the fact that it’s fully accredited by an agency that accredits degree-granting institutions in the following states:

• Alabama
• Florida
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Virginia

Unlike the make-believe accreditors of some diploma mills, SACSCOC is legit. As a matter of fact, both the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognize it.

Is Brenau University a Diploma Mill?

Brenau University is not a diploma mill. This means that the various online degree programs it offers are legit and the different degrees resulting from those are valuable and respected by employers and other learning institutions, too. Brenau first offered legit online degree programs in 1998.

Online degrees are more convenient and practical to earn for non-traditional students who do not have trouble-free access to a physical campus or the time to regularly step foot on it.

Thinking about attending Brenau University online to work on one of its various degree programs?

You will be more than happy to learn that it’s not a diploma mill. Many things serve as proof of this. For one, Brenau has five campuses — it’s unlikely for diploma mills operating in cyberspace to have locations that you may visit.

Regionally vs Nationally Accreditation

Brenau University is a regionally accredited institution simply because SACSCOC, which is its accreditor, is a regional accrediting agency. Generally speaking, college degrees earned from regionally accredited online schools tend to be seen by employers as well as college admissions officers as more competitive.

Many students prefer schools with regional accreditation over those with national accreditation.

It’s for the fact that regional accreditors have more rigorous quality standards. This means that degree-seeking students can have peace of mind that they will be working hard for top-notch programs.

About 15% to 40% of college students switch schools. In case you end up being one of them, chances are that the credits you earn from Brenau, which is a regionally accredited institution, are going to be accepted by another school with the same accreditation type. Even a nationally accredited school may honor them as well.

Is Brenau University a Party School?

Students at Brenau University have fun no more than average, which is why the Gainesville, Georgia-based private non-profit institution is not a party school. Still, Brenau is rich in traditions and has an active Greek life. There are also numerous student-run clubs and organizations available for attendees.

Based on a Niche survey, most students at Brenau University agree that sporting events are held but are not a major part of campus life. They add that Greek life is average.

As mentioned above, the school, which offers both traditional and online degree programs, is not a party school.

Worry not because, should you choose to attend it traditionally and reside on-campus, you can join some of the nearly 50 clubs and organizations, all of which are run by students themselves.

What are Online Classes Like at Brenau University?

Online classes at Brenau University are 100% virtual. This means that students can complete their chosen online degree programs without having to step foot on any of Brenau’s physical campuses. The institution takes pride in the fact that it had more than 20 years to fine-tune its online degree programs.

Not all online schools are cut from the same cloth. Some of them require students to attend both virtual and on-campus classes. Meanwhile, there are also those that offer classes completely online.

Brenau University’s online campus allows for the earning of a degree with zero face-to-face classes.

This does not mean, however, that you will be alone in your learning journey — online students at Brenau use what’s called Canvas in order to connect with their classmates and instructors. And a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1 means that asking questions and getting feedback should not give you a nagging headache.

University Rankings

US News ranks Brenau University #40 in Regional Universities South. The popular college ranking site also ranks it #34 in Best Colleges for Veterans and #42 in Best Value Schools. On the other hand, Niche ranks Brenau #14 in Safest College Campuses in Georgia and #19 in Best Value Colleges in Georgia.

College rankings can give you an idea of just how well a college or university fares against others. But you should refrain from attending an institution simply because the college ranking site you trust says it’s the best.

For the most fulfilling and rewarding college experience, consider personal factors.

Diversity Stats

The general consensus is that Brenau University has good diversity in terms of race or ethnicity. While there are lots of white students at the school, there’s a significant number of black or African-American attendees. In terms of gender, however, more than 80% of Brenau’s students are females.

The majority of on-campus students agree that Brenau University is diverse in ethnic heritage.

In 2020, the institution held the first-ever Diversity Week, which was composed of a series of discussions on various topics, including gender and sexuality as well as class, poverty and perceptions.

Some students assume that Brenau is an all-female school. However, this is not true, although it’s a fact that the institution has the Women’s College, which, as the name suggests, admits only females. Because of the presence of the Women’s College, female students make up around 80% of all attendees of Brenau University.

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Brenau University is 92%, which makes it a least selective type of school. The average high school GPA of first-time, first-year students admitted to Brenau is not less than 2.5. Various factors are taken into account by the admissions officers when reviewing applications.

Because of its very high acceptance rate, you can easily add Brenau to your college list as a safety school.

Just about any college or university can serve as a safety school if it has an acceptance rate of not less than 80%. However, it doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to receive an acceptance letter.

Cost of Attendance

The estimated cost of attending Brenau University for one academic year amounts to $48,400. Tuition alone is equivalent to $30,000. According to Brenau itself, a comprehensive financial aid program for qualified students is offered. Around 85% of its studentry receive some form of financial assistance.

In the US, the average cost of going to a private non-profit college or university for a year is $53,217. This makes it slightly cheaper to attend Brenau University.

Online students working on a bachelor’s degree program, meanwhile, are charged $718 per credit hour.

As mentioned earlier, about 85% of Brenau’s students get some kind of financial assistance, each one of them receiving an average of $17,000 per year.

Just Before You Apply to Brenau University

Brenau University offers not only on-campus or traditional degrees but also online ones. And any online program from the school you successfully complete leads to a degree that employers will respect and regionally accredited colleges and universities will accept should you choose to further your education.