Western Carolina University

Western Carolina University logo
Western Carolina University logo
[source]

School Description

Provided by Western Carolina University

A member of the University of North Carolina, Western Carolina University offers courses in the arts, sciences, technologies, humanities, and professions. Students can elect degree programs at the bachelor’s or master’s-level, or doctoral-level study in educational leadership. As a regional comprehensive institution, it serves the people of North Carolina from its residential campus at Cullowhee and through off-campus instruction in Asheville and other locations.

Teaching and learning constitute the central mission of Western Carolina University. The university seeks to create a community of scholarship in which the activities of its members are consistent with the highest standards of knowledge and practice in their disciplines. The commitment of the community to service, research, and creative activities complements the central mission and extends the benefits of its scholarship to society. As a major public resource for western North Carolina, the university assists individuals and agencies in the region through the expertise of its faculty, its staff, and its students. Western Carolina University seeks to provide an environment in which students, faculty, and staff jointly assume responsibility for learning, where free exchange of ideas, intellectual challenge, and high standards of scholarship prevail.

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Western Carolina University

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Western Carolina University (WCU) is a coeducational public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The university is a constituent campus of the University of North Carolina system.

The fifth oldest institution in the system, the university was founded to educate the people of the western North Carolina Mountains. The university has expanded its mission to serve the entire state and the nation and has grown to become a major cultural, scientific, and educational force in the the state and region. WCU now serves more than 11,000 full time undergraduate and post graduate students, providing an education to students from 46 states and 39 countries.

Location

Western Carolina University is located in Jackson County, in the unincorporated village of Cullowhee, North Carolina. The university operates satellite campuses in both Asheville and Cherokee with programs offered online and at various community colleges. The main campus is located in a picturesque valley of the Tuckasegee River between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, west of Asheville, North Carolina. The university lies close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation (officially known as the Qualla Boundary) and some of the nation's most beautiful national forest lands. At an elevation of 2,100 feet, but located in a thermal valley, the campus enjoys the best of all four seasons but is shielded from most extreme temperatures by surrounding peaks. Cullowhee typically enjoys a rather mild winter season, in fact, Cullowhee can go some winters without snowfall or with just a trace.

While winters in the valley are generally mild, snow is not unusual in the higher elevations of Jackson County around Cashiers or Balsam. In nearby Sapphire Valley, snowmaking machines maintain prime snow skiing conditions from mid-December through February. Locations in Jackson County are also within reasonable driving distance to ski slopes at Maggie Valley. The Blue Ridge Parkway is usually closed during winter weather, and has become popular with cross country skiiers during those times.

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Southeast
Setting:
Small Town Setting
Type:
Public
Size:
Large (5,000 to 10,000 Undergrad)
Mascots:
Catamounts, Lady Cats

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
6,087
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
99%
Athletic Programs:
Available
> More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 12,846
Students Receiving Aid:
71%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 40
Selectivity:
Selective
> More Admissions

Students

General
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 99%
Part-Time 1%
Men vs. Women
Women 52%
Men 48%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 89%
Other 5%
African-American 5%
Hispanic 1%
Asian 0%
Geography
In State vs. Out-of-State
In-State 92%
Out-of-State 8%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
North Carolina 92%
Georgia 2%
Florida 1%
South Carolina 1%
Virginia 0%
Percent of Students International: 4%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 55%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: Yes

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Football (Southern Conference)
Basketball (Southern Conference)
Baseball (Southern Conference)
Track (Southern Conference)
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) In-State Out-of-State  
Published Tuition and Fees:
$ 3,410 $ 12,846  
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 1,651 $ 11,087  
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 1,759 $ 1,759  
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
$ 2,708 24%  
State and Local Grants:
$ 1,978 30%  
Institutional Grants:
$ 1,041 55%  
Student Loans:
$ 3,256 49%  
Any Aid:
  71%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 76% (Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 95%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 460, Math: 470
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 560, Math: 560
ACT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting ACT Scores: 17%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Composite: 18, Verbal: 16, Math: 17
Top 75th Percentile: Composite: 22, Verbal: 21, Math: 22

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 40.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Recommended
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Required
High School GPA: Required
High School Rank: Required
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Not Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Required

Degree Programs at Western Carolina University

Bachelor's Level Majors

Photos

  • Western Carolina University logo
    Western Carolina University logo [source]
  • The Joyner Building served as a combination classroom and administration facility
    The Joyner Building served as a combination classroom and administration facility [source]
  • R.L. Madison, founder and first president
    R.L. Madison, founder and first president [source]
  • The main campus is located in the mountains of North Carolina
    The main campus is located in the mountains of North Carolina [source]
  • Ramsey Center basketball and volleyball arena
    Ramsey Center basketball and volleyball arena [source]
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