Western Washington University Description:
Founded in 1893, Western Washington University is a highly ranked regional public university located in Bellingham, Washington, a small city is situated about 90 miles north of Seattle and 50 miles south of Vancouver. The university has a 23 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and close to 75% of classes have fewer than 30 students. The university takes pride in the fact that 98% of classes are taught by the faculty, not grad students, and the retention and graduation rates are significantly higher than many comparable universities. In athletics, the WWU Vikings compete in the NCAA Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Admissions Data (2011):
- Percent of Applicants Admitted: 78%
- What Are Your Chances? (from Cappex.com)
- Test Scores -- 25th / 75th Percentile
- SAT Critical Reading: 500 / 620
- SAT Math: 500 / 610
- SAT Writing: 490 / 600
- ACT Composite: 22 / 27
- ACT English: 21 / 28
- ACT Math: 21 / 26
Enrollment (2010):
- Total Enrollment: 14,979 (13,809 undergraduates)
- Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female
- 92% Full-time
Costs (2011 - 12):
- Tuition and Fees: $7,756 (in-state); $18,103 (out-of-state)
- Books: $1,020 (why so much?)
- Room and Board: $9,100
- Other Expenses: $2,913
- Total Cost: $20,789 (in-state); $31,136 (out-of-state)
Western Washington University Financial Aid (2009 - 10):
- Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 70%
- Western Washington Scholarships (Cappex.com)
- Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
- Grants: 45%
- Loans: 47%
- Average Amount of Aid
- Grants: $6,051
- Loans: $5,132
Most Popular Majors:
Business Administration, Communication Studies, Creative Writing, English, Finance, General Studies, History, Human Services, Marketing, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology
Graduation and Retention Rates:
- First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 85%
- 4-Year Graduation Rate: 36%
- 6-Year Graduation Rate: 69%
Data Source:
National Center for Educational Statistics
Western Washington University Mission Statement:
mission statement from http://www.wwu.edu/president/mission.shtml
"Western Washington University is committed to engaged excellence in fulfilling its tripartite mission of teaching, scholarship, and community service in a student-centered environment, with a liberal arts foundation and opportunities to develop professional skills. As a public institution of higher education, Western serves the needs of the citizens of the state of Washington by providing undergraduate and select graduate programs in Bellingham and at selected locations elsewhere in the state. Western provides students with a personalized teaching and learning environment of the highest quality. Through engaged excellence:
- Western instills in graduates a life-long passion for learning and fosters individual curiosity, intellectual rigor, critical thinking, and creativity.
- Western promotes scholarly and creative work of significance and applies that scholarship in regional, national, and global communities.
- Western creates opportunities for students to display leadership, civic engagement, social responsibility, and effective citizenship.
- Western brings together an increasingly diverse and talented student body, faculty, and staff to form a learning community that, along with community partners, involves its members in active learning, scholarly discourse, and reflection.
- Western provides a high quality environment that complements the learning community on a sustainable and attractive campus intentionally designed to support student learning and environmental stewardship.
