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10 great things to know about KU

The hill.

You can see KU for miles around, its crimson rooflines accenting the wide blue sky. We admit getting to the top of Mount Oread is physically daunting at first. Stairs, sidewalks, streets — they're all a workout. But nothing worth achieving is ever easy, and from the top the vista is endless.
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KU's cross country course, Rim Rock Farm, is regarded as the toughest, roughest and above all the best and most beautiful course in the nation. Runners love the hills, ponds, woods, covered bridge and sculptures. But it is still not as tough as walking up the Hill to class.

The campus.

Students are known to be transformed by their first walk along Jayhawk Boulevard, past the distinguished stone edifices of Hoch, Strong, Watson, Lippincott, Dyche and Spooner halls. Walk beneath the steadfast gaze of bronzed mentor Uncle Jimmy Green, his arm guiding a young protégé, and you too will know: This is where I want to be.
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The statue of law dean James "Jimmy" Green, installed in 1924, was created by sculptor Daniel Chester French, best known for his statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The town.

The campus may be jaw-dropping gorgeous, but we also rave about the artsy downtown and its bustling tree-lined streets overflowing with eateries, small shops and galleries. The jazz, classical, rock, hip-hop and sidewalk music scene is renowned. Or just sail away on nearby Clinton Lake.
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The city of Lawrence ranks sixth in the nation for the number of residents per capita who have college degrees. Add to that a top 15 "Best Small Art Towns In America" rating, one of a "Dozen Distinctive Destinations," for historic preservation, and the KU Lied Center's badge as a "Top 10 U.S. University Presenter" for the performing arts.

The programs.

Still deciding what you want to do when you grow up? At KU you can find your passion, in the arts or the sciences or anything in between. KU has more than 100 fields of study taught by expert teachers and researchers, and more than 40 are nationally ranked, many in the top 10. A KU degree comes with cachet.
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Studio 804 architecture students receive hands-on training in designing and building environmentally efficient, innovative and affordable housing. Students have built six houses, including twice winning the Architecture magazine Home of the Year.

The price.

Kansans like to get a good price, be it for corn or college, and KU offers more for your investment in time and tuition. This is a value-added education: top-ranked, nationally respected programs low tuition rates that are fixed for 4 years! . That's why the Fiske Guide calls KU "one heck of a deal." Sweet.
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One of the most popular and affordable student housing options at KU is one of our 11 scholarship halls. Students must qualify academically, help with the cooking and cleaning but also take leadership roles in self-governing their halls.

The world.

We are not just in Kansas anymore. The economy is global, and so is a KU education. We strive to give every student an international learning experience, here or over there. One-fourth of all students study overseas, and KU is one of five Simon Award winners for campus internationalization. There's no place like Italy (or China, Morocco or Latin America) for a summer or a semester.
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The world's first graduate music therapy program was created in 1947 at KU. Music therapy is now a universally accepted method to effect positive changes in cognitive, physical, communication, social, and emotional skills.

The research.

Yes, all major universities do research, but when Forbes Magazine named only 10 as "IQ campuses" for trailblazing research, KU was one. And KU is one of 34 public universities in a select group of North American schools chosen on the basis of national significance in graduate studies and research. At KU, you are part of something great.
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It was here in 1905 that the world discovered that helium existed on earth in abundance, making it possible for us to have such things as magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear reactors and ballistic missiles.

The chant.

When you hear the long, slow, Gregorian cadences of KU's world-famous Rock Chalk chant, you understand why it's been declared the greatest college yell since it was created by a KU chemistry professor in 1886. It cheers the heart and soul of any Jayhawk: Rock Chalk Jayhawk Kaaay-youuuuuuu.
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It was a student's idea for a universitywide variety show in 1949 that launched the annual Rock Chalk Revue. Students compete yearly to perform in satirical musical performance, which raises $50,000 a year for United Way.

The game.

You know basketball is big here. But it's not just because of the national championships, raucous and revered Allen Fieldhouse, NBA stars from Chamberlain to Hinrich or even because four of the most successful college coaches of all time played or coached here. It's also because James Naismith, our first coach, happens to have invented the game. Great things start here.
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Naismith also is credited for inventing the football helmet. A little lore to go along with KU’s record-setting 2007 football season. The Jayhawks finished an unprecedented 12-1 and Orange Bowl Champions.

The Jayhawk.

It's the only one in the whole wide world, special because it is unique but also because this mascot embodies qualities we cherish: forward-looking, happy and confident, eager to compete, able to soar. Above all Jayhawks are loyal. Be one and you become part of a global family.
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This Jayhawk is all heart: Volunteer KU medical students created and operate the Jaydoc Free Clinic in Kansas City, to provide primary care services and preventive education at no charge.