Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College vs Cornerstone University
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Cornerstone University, while both offering a faith-based education, present distinct experiences for prospective students. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, a small, private Catholic college in Indiana, boasts a 100% acceptance rate and a focus on liberal arts and nursing programs. Cornerstone, a larger, private Christian university in Michigan, has a more selective admissions process with a 75% acceptance rate and offers a wider range of majors, including business, education, and engineering. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences in student demographics, graduation rates, and more, helping you make an informed decision about which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
  | 
       | 
          
        
          
             
          
          Cornerstone University | 
          
        
          
             
          
          Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College | 
      
|---|---|---|
    Overview | 
||
| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Saint Mary of the Woods, Indiana | 
| Campus setting | City: Midsize | Rural: Fringe | 
| College type | 4 year | 4 year | 
| Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) | 
| Calendar system | Semester | Semester | 
| Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate | 
| Students retention rate | 97.0% | 74.0% | 
    
       
      Common app member
    
   | 
      Yes | Yes | 
| Religious affiliation | Interdenominational | Catholic | 
| 
       | 
  ||
    Admission | 
||
| Acceptance rate | 91.3% | 70.3% | 
| Application fees | ||
| SAT range | 970 - 1220 | 975 - 1120 | 
| ACT range | 20 - 25 | 17 - 23 | 
| Students submitting SAT score | 69.0% | 35.0% | 
| Students submitting ACT score | 36.0% | 6.0% | 
| Total number of applicants | 1,923 | 812 | 
| Total number of admissions given out | 1,756 | 571 | 
| Admitted students who chose to enroll | 376 | 194 | 
| Yield rate | 21.4% | 34.0% | 
| Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A | 
| High school GPA | Required | Required | 
| Recommendation letters | Not required | Not required | 
| High school transcript | Not required | Not required | 
| English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Required | 
| 
       | 
  ||
    Tuition and Fees | 
||
| Sticker price | $41,010 | $42,084 | 
| Average net price | $20,780 | $15,694 | 
| Tuition | $27,040 | $29,950 | 
| Room & board | $10,310 | 
                         
            Room/dormitory:
            $4,440
           
          
            Meal plan:
            $6,800
           
                   | 
  
| Available payment plans | 
                        
  | 
      
                        
  | 
  
| 
       | 
  ||
    Financial Aid | 
||
| 
    Students receiving financial aid
     (Grants & scholarships)  | 
      
              
          99.0%
        
         Average amount $16,518  | 
      
              
          99.0%
        
         Average amount $27,800  | 
  
| Students receiving federal student loan | 
              
          63.0%
        
         Average amount $6,916  | 
      
              
          72.0%
        
         Average amount $6,600  | 
  
| Students taking out private loans | 
              
          12.0%
        
         Average amount $11,888  | 
      
              
          4.0%
        
         Average amount $9,478  | 
  
| 
       | 
  ||
    Students and Campus | 
||
| Undergraduate students | 
              
          1,507
        
        
           Men 38.7% Women 61.3%  | 
      
              
          793
        
        
           Men 17.4% Women 82.6%  | 
  
| Graduate students | 
              
          423
        
        
           Men 45.6% Women 54.4%  | 
      
              
          334
        
        
           Men 10.5% Women 89.5%  | 
  
| Racial/ethnic diversity | 
              
           Low 
    
       | 
      
              
           Very Low 
       | 
  
| Out-of-state students | N/A | N/A | 
| International students | 6.2% | 0.9% | 
| Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | Rural: Fringe | 
| Dormitory capacity | 780 | 392 | 
| First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No | 
| Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | N/A | N/A | 
| 
       | 
  ||
    Academics | 
||
| Popular study areas | 
              
  | 
      
              
  | 
  
| Students to faculty ratio | 15:1 | 10:1 | 
| Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission | 
| 
       | 
  ||
    Outcome | 
||
| Graduation rate | 59.0% | 62.3% | 
| Dropout rate | 41.0% | 36.2% | 
| Transferred out | N/A | N/A | 
| Alumni salary by major (Top 10) | 
               
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                  
  | 
      
               
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Theological and Ministerial Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                  
  | 
  
    
Compare Similar Colleges
    The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
    statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
    don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
    There, you can search for the
    specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
  
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Aurora University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Concordia University-Chicago
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Elmhurst University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Benedictine University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Judson University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        North Park University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Olivet Nazarene University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Trinity International University-Illinois
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Wheaton College
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Grace College and Theological Seminary
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Taylor University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Augsburg University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Martin Luther College
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        North Central University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        University of Northwestern Ohio
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Oklahoma Christian University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Clarks Summit University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Waynesburg University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Trevecca Nazarene University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Carroll University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Concordia University-Wisconsin
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Edgewood College
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Maranatha Baptist University
      
    
  
        Cornerstone University
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Northland College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Judson University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        McKendree University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        North Central College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Olivet Nazarene University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Quincy University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Trinity Christian College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Wheaton College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Bethel University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Goshen College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Grace College and Theological Seminary
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Marian University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Taylor University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Albion College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Aquinas College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Concordia University Ann Arbor
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Davenport University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Eastern Michigan University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Cornerstone University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Hope College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Madonna University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Michigan State University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Spring Arbor University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Walsh University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        La Roche University
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Mount Aloysius College
      
    
  
        Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
        
      
      vs
      
        
        Wisconsin Lutheran College
      
    
  
      Common app member