For those interested in studying in Kentucky, we have a very useful list. We selected the best Kentucky institutions for prospective students. Please know that rankings are based on academic research, alumni reviews, graduation rates, as well as assessment from peer colleges. On the page, you will find major admissions stats such as acceptance rate, tuition fees, average SAT scores for each ranked college or university.
| Rankings | Schools |
| 1 | University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) Tuition: in-state: $9,676, out-of-state: $19,864 Total enrollment: 27,226 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 68.4% Average freshman retention rate: 81% 6-year graduation rate: 59% Classes with under 20 students: 31.9% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 23-28 |
| 2 | University of Louisville (Louisville, KY) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 21,153 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 72.7% Average freshman retention rate: 78% 6-year graduation rate: 51% Classes with under 20 students: 26.8% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 21-28 |
| 3 | Spalding University (Louisville, KY) Tuition: N/A Total enrollment: 2,432 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 42.8% Average freshman retention rate: 71% 6-year graduation rate: 42% Classes with under 20 students: 73.4% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 16-21 |
Kentucky Recent History
On January 30, on his way to the State Capitol, William Goebel was shot by an unknown gunman. On the same day, the commission announced that Goebel had been elected governor of Kentucky, and that William Taylor had taken office illegally. Taylor announced the riot and, in his capacity as acting governor, mobilized the state militia. The next day, William Goebel was sworn in and ordered the dissolution of the militia. Taylor petitioned US President William McKinley for federal intervention, but McKinley said the US government would only intervene if absolutely necessary.
February 3, 1900, despite the best efforts of doctors, William Goebel died from his wound. Former lieutenant governor John Beckham became governor of Kentucky, and his powers were confirmed by the court.
Three people were convicted for the murder of William Goebel, the only person in US history to die at the hands of an assassin while serving as governor of a state. William Taylor, fearing prosecution on charges of complicity in the murder of Goebel, fled to Indiana.
Coal deposits were discovered in Kentucky at the beginning of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, its mining was in full swing, becoming one of the main industries. But the introduction of “prohibition” in the United States had a very negative impact on Kentucky, because the production of bourbon for many decades has been a very important component of the state’s economy. In the 1920s and 1930s moonshine, which had always been a common activity in Kentucky, flourished with renewed vigor.
During the years of the Great Depression in the United States, many Kentuckians were out of work, but at the same time, under President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, many infrastructure facilities were created in the state. New roads were built, telephones and electrification of rural regions were carried out. At the same time, the Kentucky Dam was built on the Tennessee River, which not only formed the largest reservoir in terms of area in the eastern United States, but also helped to some extent fight floods.
And flood control was a very important issue for the people of Kentucky. In 1937, there was a catastrophic flood on the Ohio River. In the area of the city of Paducah, the water rose by more than eighteen meters, more than twenty-seven thousand residents were forced to flee, leaving their homes and property. The largest city in the state, Louisville, was also badly damaged, more than 70% of the territory of which was flooded over several days.
During World War II, industry continued to develop in Kentucky. The state became the world’s largest producer of synthetic rubber, and coal production increased. Ford ‘s Louisville plant produced more than 100,000 Jeep military all-terrain vehicles during the war .
The Fort Knox military base was significantly expanded (on the territory of which the US Treasury Depository was built in 1937 – the storage of the United States gold and foreign exchange reserves). The Armored Training School, founded at Fort Knox in 1940, trained thousands of tankers for the US Army during the war.
In the sixties in Kentucky, as in other states of the United States, there were several incidents related to racial conflicts and the struggle for civil rights. In 1960, peaceful anti-segregation protests were held in Lexington, the sit-ins at the Woolworth department store. On May 27, 1968, weeks after the assassination of Martin Luther King, over four hundred black Louisville residents gathered for a protest that turned into a clash with police. A riot broke out, looting and fires began in the city. National Guard soldiers were sent to Louisville, who remained in the city for a week. As a result of the riot, two black teenagers were killed, more than four hundred people were arrested.