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Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC

Western Carolina University, founded in 1889, is a public university part of the University of North Carolina system. Its 682-acre campus is located in Cullowhee, about 52 miles west of Asheville.

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC

Tuition & Fees

$6,904

$10,904

not including room and board

in-state out-of-state
More Financial Details
SAT ACT

Test Scores

Percent of freshmen in each score range

reading math writing
700-800
3%
600-699
31%
500-599
50%
400-499
16%
700-800
2%
600-699
23%
500-599
56%
400-499
18%
300-399
1%
600-699
6%
500-599
31%
400-499
46%
300-399
17%
composite english math
30-36
8%
24-29
27%
18-23
51%
12-17
14%
30-36
2%
24-29
37%
18-23
47%
12-17
14%
30-36
6%
24-29
35%
18-23
57%
12-17
2%
More Admissions Details

undergraduateRatios

45%

male

55%

female

1

teacher

17

students

More Student Details

Very Selective

39%

acceptance rate

Accepted 7,667
Declined + 11,674
Total Received 19,341
More Admissions Details

Public

10,027

undergraduate students

1,612

graduate students

More Student Details

Lists & Rankings

Interesting Team Mascots
Interesting Team Mascots
Four-Year Colleges in North Carolina
Four-Year Colleges in North Carolina
Interior Design Colleges
Interior Design Colleges
More Lists & Rankings

Most Popular Majors

  1. Criminal Justice
  2. Nursing
  3. Middle Grades Education
More Majors

Codes

SAT 5897
ACT 3172

Social Networks

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Location

School Facts

Western Carolina University, founded in 1889, is a public university part of the University of North Carolina system. Its 682-acre campus is located in Cullowhee, about 52 miles west of Asheville.

Public/private Public
Campus Enrollment 11,639
Established in 1889
Coeducational Coeducational College, Founded Coeducational College
Accredited by •  AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)
•  ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.)
•  ACA (American Counseling Association)
•  ACCE (American Council for Construction Education)
•  ADiA (American Dietetic Association)
•  APTA (American Physical Therapy Association)
•  ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
•  CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs)
•  CAATE (Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education)
•  CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs)
•  CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education)
•  CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation)
•  CoA-NA (Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs)
•  CSWE (Council on Social Work Education)
•  NAACLS (National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences)
•  NASM (National Association of Schools of Music)
•  NAST (National Association of Schools of Theatre)
•  NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education)
•  NEHSPAC (National Environmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council)
•  SACS (Southern Assn. of Colleges and Schools)

Scholarships

Virtual Tour

Virtual Tour

Cullowhee, NC

682-acre campus in Cullowhee (population: 6,228), approximately 53 miles from Asheville; branch campuses in Asheville and Cherokee. Air and bus serve Asheville. Public transportation serves Sylva and surrounding area.

Western Carolina University
1 University Way
Cullowhee, NC 28723

Campus Life

yes
Housing available
48%
Percent of undergraduates that live in campus-owned housing
99%
Percent of freshmen that live in campus-owned housing
yes
Students are required to live in school housing
yes
Students may have cars on campus
yes
Alcohol is permitted on campus to students of legal age
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% freshman classHigh School Class Rank

Top 1/10
14%
Top 1/4
41%
Top 1/2
77%
Bottom 1/2
23%
Bottom 1/4
4%
SAT ACT

Test Scores

Percent of freshmen in each score range

reading math writing
700-800
3%
600-699
31%
500-599
50%
400-499
16%
700-800
2%
600-699
23%
500-599
56%
400-499
18%
300-399
1%
600-699
6%
500-599
31%
400-499
46%
300-399
17%
composite english math
30-36
8%
24-29
27%
18-23
51%
12-17
14%
30-36
2%
24-29
37%
18-23
47%
12-17
14%
30-36
6%
24-29
35%
18-23
57%
12-17
2%

Admissions Facts

Application fee $65
Common application accepted no
Application deadline November 15 (priority deadline)
March 1
School has early decision program no
School has early action program yes
Early action program application deadline November 15
Admissions interview
(required or recommended)		 Neither
SAT/ACT requirements SAT or ACT Required
SAT Subject Tests Considered if submitted

Very Selective

39%

acceptance rate

Accepted 7,667
Declined + 11,674
Total Received 19,341

Admissions Factors

Very Important

Class rank
Secondary school record
Standardized test scores

Important

Character/ personal qualities
Essay
Extracurricular activities
Particular talent/ability
Recommendations
Work Experience

Considered

Geographical residence
Interview
State residency
Volunteer Work

Not Considered

Alumni/ae relationship
Minority affiliation
Religious affiliation/commitment

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Admissions Contact

Michael Langford
Director of Admissions
P: 877 WCU-4-YOU
F: 828 227-7319
admiss@wcu.edu

Financial Aid

62%

Of students' needs
were fully met

$11,521.00

Average financial aid

Cost

in-state out-of-state
Tuition $6,904
Room $5,028
Board $4,426
Books & supplies $805
Total $17,163
Average Financial Aid - $11,521
Total with Avg. Aid $5,642

Scholarships & Grants

Need-based

Federal $16,610,873
State $8,792,740
Institutional $6,772,263
Other external $1,956,945
Total $34,132,821

Non-need-based

Federal $12,456
State $264,162
Institutional $1,101,695
Other external $825,313
Total $2,203,626

Scholarships

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Required Financial Aid Forms

FAFSA

Institution's own financial aid form

Financial Aid Office

P: 828 227-7290
F: 828 227-7042
finaid@email.wcu.edu

Financial Aid Officer

Trina Orr
Director of Student Financial Aid
torr@email.wcu.edu

Financial Aid Right Now

Varsity Sports

M W
baseball
basketball
cross-country
football
golf
soccer
softball
tennis
track and field (indoor)
track and field (outdoor)
volleyball

Club Sports - Men's

climbing, cycling, dance, disc golf, equestrian sports, fencing, in-line hockey, jiujitsu, karate, lacrosse, polo, rugby, swimming, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, wrestling

Club Sports - Women's

climbing, cycling, dance, disc golf, equestrian sports, fencing, in-line hockey, jiujitsu, karate, lacrosse, polo, rugby, swimming, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball

Intramural/Recreational Sports

arm wrestling, badminton, bench press, basketball, bowling, cross-country, darts, disc golf, dodgeball, fishing, flag football, football, four square, indoor water polo, kickball, racquetball, soccer (indoor/outdoor), softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, water polo, weight lifting, Wiffle ball, wrestling

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Athletic Directors

Randy Eaton (men's)
Director Of Athletics
email

Stacey Miller (women's)
Associate Athletic Director Of Student Services/swa
email

Athletic Facts

Athletic conference memberships
Southern Conference (Division I, Football I-AA)
Mascot
Catamounts/Lady Cats
School colors
purple and gold

Athletics Right Now

Majors

Assc. Bach. Mast. Doct.
Accountancy
Accounting
Anthropology
Art Education
Athletic Trainer
Biology
Biology Education
Birth-Kindergarten Education
Business Administration
Business Administration/Law
Chemistry
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Communication
Communication Sciences Disorders
Communication Sciences/Disorders
Comprehensive Education
Computer Information Systems
Computer Science
Construction Management
Criminal Justice
Educational Leadership
Electrical Engineering
Electrical/Computer Engineering Technology
Elementary Education
Emergency Medical Care
Emergency/Disaster Management
Engineering
Engineering Technology
English
English Education
Entrepreneurship
Environmental Health
Environmental Science
Film/Television Production
Finance
Forensic Science
Geology
Graphic Design
Health Sciences
Health/Physical Education
Higher Education Student Affairs
History
Hospitality/Tourism Management
Human Resources
Inclusive Education
Interior Design
International Studies
Management
Marketing
Mathematics
Mathematics Education
Middle Grades Education
Music
Music Education
Natural Resource Conservation/Management
Nursing
Nursing Practice
Nutrition/Dietetics
Parks/Recreation Management
Philosophy
Physical Therapy
Political Science
Project Management
Psychology
Public Affairs
Recreational Therapy
School Counseling
School Psychology
Science Education
Social Sciences Education
Social Work
Sociology
Spanish
Spanish Education
Special Education
Sport Management
Stage/Screen
Studio Art
Technology
Theatre
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Most Popular Majors

  1. Criminal Justice
  2. Nursing
  3. Middle Grades Education

Programs Offered

  • Certificate programs
  • Distance Learning
  • Double majors
  • Dual degrees
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Self-designed majors

Cooperative Education Programs

  • Art
  • Business
  • Computer Science
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Health Professions
  • Humanities
  • Natural Science
  • Social/Behavioral Science
  • Technologies

Pre-professional Programs

  • Other
  • Pre-dentistry
  • Pre-law
  • Pre-medicine
  • Pre-optometry
  • Pre-pharmacy
  • Pre-veterinary science

11,639

total students

91%

in-state

9%

out-of-state

Undergraduate

Graduate

86%

10,027
students

Female
55%
5,485

Male
45%
4,542

14%

1,612
students

Female
69%
1,107

Male
31%
505

undergraduateFull-time

undergraduatePart-time

85%

8,617
students

Female
54%
4,632

Male
46%
3,985

15%

1,410
students

Female
61%
853

Male
39%
557

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Student Break-down

1%
Nonresident aliens
5%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic/Latino
< 1%
Native American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic/Latino
1%
Asian, non-Hispanic/Latino
7%
Hispanic/Latino
78%
White, non-Hispanic/Latino
1%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown
4%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic/Latino
< 1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic/Latino

Transfer Admissions

67%

Transfer applicants accepted

70%

Applicants accepted who enroll

Transfer Requirements

Minimum requirements College GPA: 2.00
High school transcript Required of Some
College transcript(s) Required of All
Essay or personal statement Not Required/Recommended
Interview Not Required/Recommended
Standardized test scores Required of Some
Statement of good standing from prior institution(s) Required of All

Transfer Application Deadlines

Fall: June 1

Spring: November 15

Summer: April 15

Transfer Credits

Minimum transfers must complete

32

semester hours

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Counseling services

  • Academic
  • Birth control
  • Career
  • Military
  • Minority student
  • Older student
  • Personal
  • Psychological
  • Veteran student

Remedial services offered

Not Reported

Career placement services

  • Alumni network
  • Co-op education
  • Interest inventory
  • Internships
  • Interview training
  • On-campus job interviews
  • Resume assistance

Percent of the campus accessible to physically disabled students

91%

Additional services

  • Day care
  • Health insurance
  • Health service
  • Nonremedial tutoring
  • Placement service
  • Women's Center

Special programs for physically disabled students

  • Adaptive equipment
  • Braille services
  • Interpreters for hearing-impaired
  • Note-taking services
  • Reader services
  • Special housing
  • Talking books
  • Tape recorders
  • Tutors
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International Students

Number of foreign countries represented by degree-seeking undergraduate non-resident aliens 10
Countries most often represented Australia
Germany
Japan
The United Kingdom
Special services offered for international applicants Host family program
Other
Special counselors/advisors
Special orientation

International Student Contact

Ling Gao LeBeau
Director of International Programs and Services
828 227-3433
lglebeau@wcu.edu

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