Wichita State University College Portrait
Wichita State University1845 Fairmount St Wichita, KS 67260
(316) 978-3085
Wichita State University
The only urban-serving university in Kansas
WSU is a public, four-year, co-educational institution located in Wichita, Kan. Established in 1895 as Fairmount College, WSU continued to grow over the years. With 15,100 students and an idyllic 330 acre campus, WSU has the most diverse student body out of all the Kansas state universities, as well as the only urban setting. WSU also has an excellent cooperative education program with many work-based learning opportunities. Athletics at WSU include baseball, basketball, volleyball, cross country, golf, softball, tennis and the spirit squad. WSU is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, NCAA Division 1. The WSU mascot, WuShock, recalls the early days of Fairmount College when students shocked wheat to earn money during the harvest season.
Living in the Shockers Community
Life as a Shocker
A variety of student organizations are present at WSU, including Greek life, academic, political, religious, artistic, multicultural groups, honor societies and student government. WSU has several traditions that take place yearly, which offer live entertainment and give students an opportunity to mingle with and meet faculty. There is also a variety of housing options at WSU. WSU offers three different residence halls; Fairmount Towers, Brennan Hall, and Wheatshocker Apartments. WSU also offers several forms of academic support. The Intensive English Language Center is available for native and ESL students. Several TRIO programs are available including Disability Support Services, Student Support Services and the McNair Scholars Program. Tutoring labs, computer labs and the Writing Center are also valuable resources to students. The Counseling and Testing Center offers personal counseling as well as academic placement tests. Finally, Career Services offers career counseling and exploration, career fairs and workshops, and assistance writing resumes and mock interviews. Internship and cooperative education placements are also available.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
More Information
| Total Students | 15,100 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 12,243 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 6,561 | 54% |
| Men | 5,682 | 46% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 143 | 1% |
| Asian | 770 | 6% |
| African American / Black | 858 | 7% |
| Hispanic | 871 | 7% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 8 | <1% |
| White | 7,932 | 65% |
| Two or More Races | 221 | 2% |
| International | 762 | 6% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 678 | 6% |
| Where do WSU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 91% |
| Other US States & Territories | 4% |
| Other Countries | 5% |
| How old are WSU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 25 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 32% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2011)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 21 - 26 | |
| Math | 19 - 26 | 480 - 630 |
| English | 20 - 26 | |
| Critical Reading | 440 - 620 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class | 48% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 79% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 87% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.39 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 94% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $14,475.00
Out-of-State & Other Costs
More Information
The cost to attend Wichita State University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 31% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $4,540.00. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 38% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,755.00. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2009 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
WSU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 20 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 66% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 89% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 445 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 42% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 18% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 81% |
More Information
Campus-based Housing
36% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
8% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
Public safety is one of the primary goals of the WSU police department. The police patrol the campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other services offered include safety escorts at night, crime prevention programs, lost and found, and assistance if locked out of car. WSU also has a partnership with Designated Drivers through a program called Shocker Safe Ride, which gives free rides to WSU students that have been drinking alcohol.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Research Universities (high research activity)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily nonresidential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Medium full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, high graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Doctoral, humanities/social sciences dominant
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
More Information
Student Activities and Involvement at WSU
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 90% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 53% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 18% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 84% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 16% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 43% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 53% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 9% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 89% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 94% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 65% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 55% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 93% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 52% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 75% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 93% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 64% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 65% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 85% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 56% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 79% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 82% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 78% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Wichita State University in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Associate's | 32 |
| Bachelor's | 1,959 |
| Master's | 772 |
| Doctoral | 86 |
| Total | 2,849 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 6% |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 6% |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 4% |
| Accounting | 4% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at Wichita State University |
|---|
Associate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 75% four-year success and progress rate means that 75% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
More Information
Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 1,151 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 843 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 73%
Student Learning at Wichita State University
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
The Collegiate Learning Assessment measures institutional contribution to the learining gains made by students. Students are tested yearly using a representative sample of 100 freshmen and 100 seniors. Skills tested include critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written communication, and problem solving. Two testing instruments are used to evaluate these skills; the Performance Task and the Analytic Writing Task. The Performance Task requires students to complete a "real-world" activity and the Analytic Writing Task evaluates students' ability to articulate complex ideas, support those ideas, and sustain a discussion using standard written English.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
2010 - 11 Results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment
The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication using a performance task and an analytic writing task. The scores from the tasks are reported separately below.
Test Administration Process
Test Information
Performance Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the performance task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1211
Senior Score: 1264
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1182
Senior Score: 1138
Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1229
Senior Score: 1267
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1182
Senior Score: 1138