My Campus Visit to Butler University

Butler University, located in the Broad Ripple Neighborhood, is located six miles from downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The school was established in 1855 and eventually named in recognition of its founder Ovid Butler. It was the first college in Indiana and the third in the nation to admit men and women. It was named in the 2013 edition of U.S. News & World Report as the second best college in the Midwest Region.

1. College of Pharmacy and the Butler Promise

Butler academics is most known for their School of Pharmacy. When completed, this six year program allows a student to earn both a Bachelor's of Arts Degreea and Doctorate of Pharmacy. During the first two years, students enroll in a pre-pharmacy curriculum. Students who meet a specific criteria will be directly entered into the four year doctoral curriculum. This guaranteed admission is known as the Butler Promise. Students are still required to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). The School of Pharmacy is ranked first for private institutions and seventh nationally. Their student's average passing rate of 99.26% on the North American Pharmacy Licensing Exam (NAPLEX) and has achieved a perfect passing rate six times. 

2. Physician Assistant Program 

Physician Assistant (P.A.) programs in colleges are becoming increasingly popular as this field is rapidly expanding. What is a P.A.? A P.A. is a professional who has gone through a course of study in medicine medicine. They can practice medicne, but only under the supervision of a licensed physician. As of a 2010 U.S. News & World Report ranking, the Masters in Physician Assistant (MPAS) program at Butler, created in 1995 was ranked 56th in the country. 

Similar to the College of Pharmacy requirements, a P.A. student must complete a two year pre-professional curriculum. Once the requirements are satisfied, the students continues with another three years of P.A. coursework. These students graduate with a dual bachelor and masters degree in Physician Assistant Studies. Qualified students can earn a auto-advance in their pre-P.A. courses. These students automatically advance to the professional studies phase of the program a semester early if certain requirements are satisfied.

As with the School of Pharmacy, the Indianapolis metropolitan area and abundance of healthcare institutions allow for many opportunities and a variety of
internships.

3. Jordan College of the Arts

Butler University's challenging curriculum blends their pre-professional programs with liberal arts coursework. The Jordan College of the Arts is a nationally
recognized liberal arts curriculum taught in a conservatory-style program. This
specialized area of study means that up to three fourths of the credits a
students earns are in their specific arts major. The is difference from a liberal arts education where a student earns fine art credits while taking a courses in other concentrations.

Butler collaborates with Indianapolis area programs and companies to promote their students and expose them to professional programs. One way the JCA acts upon this is with the Metro Indy Event Credit program. In this program, students are required to attend local shows in their arts discipline. This experience helps to broaden a student's educational experience while showcasing the talent in the Indianapolis Metro Area. 

4. The ‘Flutie Effect’

This midsized university (approximately 4600 students) has been in the national spotlight recently as their men's basketball team has risen to NCAA Division I prominence. In consecutive years (2010 and 2011) the team finished as the national runner up. It has been no coincidence that the basketball program's success has exposed Butler to many high school students outside the Midwest. This is known as the Flutie Effect.

The Flutie Effect is named after Doug Flutie, who in 1984 threw a Hail Mary touchdown pass that allowed Boston College to defeat then, defending national champion University of Miami. This brought national recognition to the Boston school and a large increase of admission applications the following year. The same has occurred in Indianapolis. According to ESPN, Butler has seen a 41% rise in out of state applications. This is one major reason their 2012 freshmen class is the largest in school history with 1111 students.