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University of Kentucky

Kentucky's Flagship University

Nestled in the heart of the scenic Bluegrass region, the University of Kentucky was founded in 1865 as a land-grant university. UK is a public, research-extensive university dedicated to improving people's lives through excellence in teaching, research, health care, cultural enrichment, and economic development. Students from over 100 countries, every state in the nation and every Kentucky county provide a diverse learning and cultural environment that enriches the educational experience at UK. Our students enjoy an enormous array of choices, with some 200 majors and degree programs available in 17 academic and professional colleges. UK is one of only a handful of universities with both a full-service academic medical center as well as a College of Agriculture on a single campus.

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Living in the Wildcats Community

A Cat's Life

Graphic Silhouette of College Students

Academic support at the University of Kentucky is offered in many ways, such as peer tutoring, academic consultations, and guided study groups through our Academic Enhancement program. Students can also find assistance with academic performance, psychological needs, career counseling, and specialized services through various departments and programs. UK offers a variety of opportunities outside the classroom with over 350 student organizations including academic clubs, social groups, Greek organizations, student media, cultural events, and leadership activities. UK students are also actively involved in making Lexington a better place through the Center for Community Outreach and events like UK FUSION (For Unity and Service In Our Neighborhoods) where over one-thousand students participate with faculty and staff in a one-day service event throughout Lexington. UK also offers over 50 varsity, club, and intramural sports and a state-of-the-art recreational facility.

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The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Total
Total Students 27,226
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Undergraduate Snapshot

Undergraduate Student Demographic Breakdown
Total Undergraduate Students 20,099
 
Gender
Women 9,934 49%
Men 10,165 51%
 
Race/Ethnicity
American Indian / Alaskan Native 39 <1%
Asian 478 2%
African American / Black 1,497 7%
Hispanic 453 2%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 9 <1%
White 16,297 81%
Two or More Races 286 1%
International 412 2%
Race/Ethnicity Not Reported 628 3%
Geographic Distribution (Degree-Seeking)
Where do UK undergraduates call home?
 
Kentucky 79%
Other US States & Territories 19%
Other Countries 2%
 
How old are UK undergraduates?
Average Age 21
Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older 9%
 
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New Student Applications (Fall 2011)

Of the 15,153 new freshman applicants, 68% were admitted and 40% of the admitted students enrolled at University of Kentucky in Fall 2011.
Of the 2,962 transfer applicants, 60% were admitted and 64% of the admitted students enrolled at University of Kentucky in Fall 2011.
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New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores

Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended

Shows middle 50% of testing range
Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen ACT SAT
Composite 23 - 28  
Math 22 - 27 500 - 630
English 22 - 29  
Critical Reading   490 - 610
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
High School Preparation
High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen
 
Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class 62%
Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class 88%
Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA 56%
Average High School GPA (4-point scale) 3.46
Percent who submitted High School GPA 99%
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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: $21,452.00

The cost to attend University of Kentucky 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

  • 25% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $5,306.00. 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

  • 34% 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 $4,201.00. 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 2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid

NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.

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UK Classes & Instructors

Classroom Environment
 
Students per Faculty 18 to 1
Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students 64%
Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students 85%
 
Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty 1,375
% of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female 36%
% 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 93%
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Campus-based Housing

92% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
26% of all undergraduates live on campus

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Campus Safety

The University of Kentucky's on-going safety and security initiatives include a campus-wide emergency notification system, a focus on peer influence to reduce violence, widespread safety and security education, improved campus lighting and landscaping, innovative fire safety practices, expanded police patrols, and enhanced health and mental health services. UK constantly and continuously examines and refines its policies and procedures to ensure a safe and secure campus environment.

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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 (very high research activity)
Size and Setting
Large four-year, primarily residential
Enrollment Profile
High undergraduate
Undergraduate Profile
Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
Undergraduate Instructional Program
Professions plus arts & sciences, high graduate coexistence
Graduate Instructional Program
Comprehensive doctoral with medical/veterinary

NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.

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Student Activities and Involvement at UK

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

  • 94.0% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
  • 58.0% of seniors tutored or taught other students
  • 27.0% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports

Active Learning Experiences

  • 81.0% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
  • 24.0% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
  • 55.0% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
  • 61.0% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
  • 15.0% of seniors participated in study abroad
  • 94.0% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year

Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success

  • 93.0% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
  • 62.0% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
  • 54.0% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
  • 92.0% 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

  • 50.0% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
  • 72.0% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
  • 96.0% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
  • 71.0% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class

Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas

  • 64.0% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
  • 86.0% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
  • 48.0% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity

Student Satisfaction

  • 79.0% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
  • 82.0% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
  • 79.0% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
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Majors and Degrees

Degrees awarded at University of Kentucky in 2010-11
Degrees awarded at University of Kentucky in 2010-11
Bachelor's 3,712
Master's 1,307
Doctoral 783
Total 5,802
Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11
Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11
 
Business/Commerce, General 9%
Biology, General 6%
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 6%
Psychology, General 6%
Accounting and Related Services 6%
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Future Plans of Bachelor's Degree Recipients

Survey Response Rate: 100%
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Student Success & Progress Rate

A 90% four-year success and progress rate means that 90% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
  • 3,825 First-Time, Full-Time Students
  • 1,076 Full-Time Transfer Students
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Retention of Freshman Class

First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 82%

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Student Learning at University of Kentucky

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.

UK is committed to assessing what students know and can do with the education they receive. Assessment of student learning outcomes occurs at multiple levels. Faculty assess student learning at both the course and program levels where techniques such as the use of rubrics to evaluate samples of student performance are employed. University level assessments obtain performance and satisfaction data from students to provide multiple perspectives on the quality of student learning and the environment for learning. As examples, results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment show that UK seniors perform better than expected on a series of performance tasks, given their incoming academic preparation; the Graduating Seniors Survey reveals that 9 of 10 students rate the quality of instruction by faculty as good or excellent; and over 75% of respondents to the Undergraduate Alumni Survey indicated their current position was either directly or somewhat related to their majors. Key findings from these and other surveys can be found at: http://www.uky.edu/IRPE/students/surveys.html.

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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.

At the University of Kentucky, a second longitudinal study as has been initiated with the fall 2011 freshman cohort.  Future administrations will occur in spring 2013 and spring 2015.    The fall 2011 cohort’s mean scores were higher than the overall mean scores of all schools that participated in the CLA last fall.  The mean for total CLA scores, task scores, and the standard deviations can be located on our website.

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