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Western Carolina University (WCU)

Black Pinpoint 102 Camp Building | Cullowhee, NC | 28723

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01. Overview

02. Rankings

Rankings and Lists

03. Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Applicants Icon
Applicants
19,341
Acceptance Icon
Acceptance Rate
40%
GPA Icon
Average HS GPA
3.93

Deadlines

Early Action
November 15
Regular
March 1

SAT & ACT Test Scores

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

Calendar Icon
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
520 - 620

SAT Math

Calendar Icon
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
510 - 600

ACT Composite Scores

Calendar Icon
25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
20 - 25

What would you score on the digital SAT today?

Take an SAT Practice Test

Testing Policies

Superscore ACT
No
Superscore SAT
No
Standardized testing policy for
use in admission:
Requires applicants to submit either the SAT or ACT

Other Admission Factors Academic

Admission Factors Icon
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Admission Factors Icon
Class Rank
Admission Factors Icon
Academic GPA
Admission Factors Icon
Standardized Test Scores

Non-Academic

Level of applicant's interest Icon
Level of applicant's interest

Selectivity

Admissions selectivity rating
89/99

4. Cost, Tuition, Expenses

Expenses per Academic Year

Tuition
$5,000
Average Cost for Books and Supplies
$805
Tuition / Fees Vary by Year of Study
No
Board for Commuters
4254
Transportation for Commuters
$974
Approximate Expenses per year
$11,033

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See More Arrow Down

05. Academics

Student Faculty Icon
Student/Faculty
17.2 : 1
Acceptance Icon
Total Faculty
755
Terminal Degree Icon
Terminal Degree
504

Gender

Women
388
Men
367
Minority
65
International
17

Class/Lab sizes

Most frequent class size
10-19
Most frequent lab/sub section size
10-19

Rating

Graduation Rates

Graduate in 4 years
40%
Graduate in 5 years
58%
Graduate in 6 years
61%

University Degrees

Bachelor's
Doctoral/Professional
Doctoral/Research
Master's
Post-Bachelor's certificate
Post-Master's certificate

Prominent Alumni

Michell Hicks

Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians from 2003 - present

Jerry Kiser

Retired President and CEO of LA-Z-Boy Incorporated

Frances Owl-Smith

1st female in Eastern Band of Cherokee to earn MD

Gerald Austin

Retired NFL official (25 years and 3 Super Bowls) now working for ESPN

Clyde Simmons

14-year NFL pro Defensive End, 2 Pro Bowl selections, 11th all-time in sack

Mark D. Martin

appellate court judge, NC Court of Appeals

Tony White

key player in the exploration of the human genome

06. Student Body

Gender

55% female45% male

Out of State

9% are out
of state91% are
in-state

Students

86% are
full time14% are
part time

Student Body Profile

Total Undergraduate Enrollment
10,027

Student Body Demographics

American Indian or Alaskan Native
0.76%
Asian
1.15%
Black
5.34%
Hispanic
7.10%
Caucasian
79.07%
Unknown
1.31%
International
1.04%

07. Mental Health

Wellness Program/Clinical Offerings

Institution has a mental health/wellness program that makes counseling, referral, and well-being services available to all students
Not Reported
Mental Health Website
Not Reported

Education & Training

Types of training available for students and faculty/staff
Program
Availability
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
Not Reported
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Not Reported
SafeTALK
Not Reported
Mental Health First Aid
Not Reported
Talk Saves Lives
Not Reported

Engaging the Whole Campus

Institution has a Chief Behavioral Health Officer (and/or Chief Wellness Officer)
Not Reported
Clinicians are trained to provide care to these specific groups:
Undergraduates
Graduate students
Racial/ethnic minority student
Students who are veterans
LGBTQIA+ students
Student-athletes
International students
Students on scholarship or financial aid
First-generation students

Peer-to-Peer

Institution has peer-to-peer offerings relating to mental health
Not Reported

Residential Life

Institution incorporates mental health and wellness into the residential experience
Not Reported

Student Orientation

Students who are provided an opportunity to participate in mental-health-orientation activities
First-year students
Not Reported
Incoming transfer students
else {
Not Reported
}
Returning students
Not Reported
Entering graduate students
Not Reported

Mental Health in the Curriculum

The institution offers for-credit mental health/well-being education for students
Not Reported
The institution offers non-credit mental health/well-being education for students
Not Reported

Off-Campus Offerings

Institution offers referrals to off-campus counseling services
Not Reported

Health and Counseling Center Accreditation

Institution's counseling center is accredited
Not Reported
Accrediting body
Not Reported

Taking and Returning from Medical Leave

Institution has an official support program in place for students returning from mental health leave of absence
Not Reported

Counseling Demand

Number of months a year counseling center is open and fully staffed
Not Reported

08. Campus Life

Fire safety rating
87%
Students
48%
First-Year Students
99%
Campus Environment
Rural
Help finding off-campus housing
Yes

Most Popular Places On Campus

University Center

Campus Recreation Center

Hunter Library

Courtyard Dining Hall

Ramsey Regional Activity Center

New state-of-the-art Health and Human Sciences Building.

Most Popular Places Off Campus

Cataloochee Ski Area

Nantahala Outdoor Center

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Blue Ridge Parkway

Asheville

Our campus is located within 53 miles of Asheville (approx. 1 hour), 106 miles from Greenville/Spartanburg, SC (approx. 2 hours), 119 miles of Knoxville, TN (approx. 2 hours), 153 miles of Atlanta, GA (approx 2 hours and 45 minutes), and 182 miles of Charlotte, NC (approx. 3 hours).

9. Campus Visits

Campus Visits Contact

Chris Parrish
Senior Assistant Director of Admissions
Location Icon
Office of Admissions 102 Camp Bldg. Cullowhee, NC 28723
Phone icon
877-928-4968

Campus Tours

Campus Visiting Center

Phone icon
8779284968

Campus Tours

Appointment Required:
Yes
Dates:
Varies
Times:
Monday-Friday at 2pm; Monday and Friday at 11 am
Average Length:
1 hour

Visits

CLASS VISITS

Dates/Times Available
Year-round
Arrangements
Contact Admissions Office

FACULTY AND COACH VISITS

Dates/Times Available
Year-round
Arrangements
Contact Coach Directly
Advance Notice
2 weeks

Contact Email Address for Visit

Individual coach email addresses available on staff directory page located below;

Globe Iconkjamison@email.wcu.edu

On Campus Interview

Campus Interviews:
Yes
Information Sessions:
Available
Times:
Mon-Fri -- 10am and 2pm

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays
Not Available

Campus Tours


TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO CAMPUS

Asheville Regional Airport is 57 miles from campus (approx. 1 hour trip). Information about our on-campus shuttle service, CAT-TRAN, is available at http://www.wcu.edu/9729.asp


DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO CAMPUS

From Asheville, NC and points east: Follow I-40 West to Exit 27 (Highway 74 West). Follow Highway 74 West to Exit 85 in Sylva. At third light turn left onto Highway 107 South. Follow Highway 107 South to campus. From Knoxville, TN and points west: From I-40 East, take Exit 27 to Highway 74 West. Follow Highway 74 to Exit 85 in Sylva. At third light turn left onto Highway 107 South. Follow Highway 107 South to campus. From Charlotte, NC: From I-85 South, exit onto Highway 74 West towards Shelby. Follow Highway 74 West to I-26 West to Asheville. In Asheville, exit left onto I-40 West. Follow directions above from Asheville. From Atlanta, GA: From I-85 North, exit left onto I-985. I-985 will turn into GA 365 and will then merge with 441 North. Follow 441 North to Dillsboro, NC. At the light in Dillsboro, turn right onto Business 23. Follow Business 23 through Dillsboro and Sylva to Highway 107 South intersection. Go straight through intersection and follow Highway 107 South to campus.

LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS

Best Western River Escape Inn & Suites 828-586-6060 www.bestwestern.com/riverescapeinnandsuites Holiday Inn Express & Suites of Dillsboro 828-631-1111


10. Sports & Athletics

Icon

Athletic Division I

Men's Sports (Catamounts)

Icon
Basketball
Icon
Cross Country
Icon
Football
Icon
Golf
Icon
Track Field Indoor
Icon
Track Field Outdoor

Women's Sports (Catamounts)

Icon
Basketball
Icon
Cross Country
Icon
Golf
Icon
Soccer
Icon
Softball
Icon
Tennis
Icon
Track Field Indoor
Icon
Track Field Outdoor
Icon
Volleyball

11. Housing & Activities

Hosting Features

Icon
Disabled Student
Icon
Dorms Coed
Icon
Dorms Female
Icon
Dorms Male
Icon
Frat Sorority
Icon
Theme Housing
Icon
Wellness Housing

Special Needs Admissions

Director
Paul Perrotta
College Entrance Tests Required
No
Interview Required
No

Student Activities

Registered Student Organizations
150
Number of Honor Societies
7
Number of Social Sororities
9
Number of Religious Organizations
17

12. Student Services

Day Care
Health
Womens Center
Minority Support Groups
LGBT Support Groups

CAMPUS SECURITY REPORT

The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.

Please visit The Princeton Review's page on campus safety for additional resources:

Visit Page
Warning Icon

The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/

Other Information

Campus-wide Internet Network
Checkmark icon
Fee for Network Use
X Mark icon
Partnerships with Technology Companies
Checkmark icon
Personal computer included in tuition for each student
X Mark icon
Discounts Available with Hardware Vendors
Checkmark icon
Description Apple Computer, Dell

13. Financial Aid

Dates

Icon
Notification DateApr 1

Required Forms

FAFSA
School

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$6,742
Average Undergraduate Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$6,349
Average Need-Based Loan
$6,447
Undergraduates who have borrowed through any loan program
63%
Average amount of loan debt per graduate
$10,038
Financial aid provided to international students
No

Available Aid

Financial Aid Methodology
Scholarships and Grants

Need-Based Aid

01 - Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
02 - Need-Based Federal Pell
03 - Need-Based Private Scholarships
04 - Need-Based SEOG
05 - Need-Based State Scholarships

Federal Direct Student Loan Programs

01 - Direct PLUS Loans
02 - Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
03 - Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans

Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL):

01 - Federal Perkins Loans
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
Yes

14. Career Services & Jobs

Graduation Rates

Graduate in 4 years
40%
Graduate in 5 years
58%
Graduate in 6 years
61%

Career Services

01 - Alumni Network
02 - Alumni Services
03 - Interest Inventory
04 - Internships

Opportunities at School

01 - Coop
02 - Experiential
03 - Internship

15. Majors

Down Arrow Icon

01 BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General.
Down Arrow Icon

02 BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
  • Accounting.
  • Business Administration and Management, General.
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies.
  • Finance, General.
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General.
  • Management Information Systems, General.
  • Marketing, Other.
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General.
Down Arrow Icon

03 COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
  • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other.
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric.
Down Arrow Icon

04 COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
  • Computer Science.
Down Arrow Icon

05 EDUCATION.
  • Art Teacher Education.
  • Elementary Education and Teaching.
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education.
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching.
  • Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching.
  • Mathematics Teacher Education.
  • Music Teacher Education.
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching.
  • Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education.
  • Social Studies Teacher Education.
  • Spanish Language Teacher Education.
  • Special Education and Teaching, General.
Down Arrow Icon

06 ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES AND ENGINEERING-RELATED FIELDS.
  • Construction Engineering Technology/Technician.
  • Engineering Technology, General.
Down Arrow Icon

07 ENGINEERING.
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  • Engineering, General.
Down Arrow Icon

08 FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
  • Spanish Language and Literature.
Down Arrow Icon

09 HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
  • Athletic Training/Trainer.
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General.
  • Dietetics/Dietitian.
  • Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic).
  • Environmental Health.
  • Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator.
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management.
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse.
  • Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy.
Down Arrow Icon

10 HISTORY.
  • History, General.
Down Arrow Icon

11 HOMELAND SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTING AND RELATED PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies.
Down Arrow Icon

12 MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
  • Mathematics, General.
Down Arrow Icon

13 MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.
  • International/Global Studies.
Down Arrow Icon

14 NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
  • Environmental Science.
  • Natural Resources Management and Policy.
Down Arrow Icon

15 PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, AND FITNESS STUDIES.
  • Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management, General.
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management.
Down Arrow Icon

16 PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
  • Philosophy.
Down Arrow Icon

17 PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
  • Chemistry, General.
  • Forensic Chemistry.
  • Geology/Earth Science, General.
Down Arrow Icon

18 PSYCHOLOGY.
  • Psychology, General.
Down Arrow Icon

19 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
  • Public Administration.
  • Social Work.
Down Arrow Icon

20 SOCIAL SCIENCES.
  • Anthropology.
  • Geography.
  • Political Science and Government, General.
  • Sociology.
Down Arrow Icon

21 VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
  • Art/Art Studies, General.
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General.
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General.
  • Interior Design.
  • Music Performance, General.
  • Music, General.

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