Western Kentucky University College Portrait
Western Kentucky University1906 College Heights Blvd. Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270) 745-2551
Western Kentucky University
This is an extremely exciting time in the life of WKU. WKU is becoming a leading American university with international reach. The transformation is physical, intellectual, cultural, attitudinal, academic, social, and economic.
With an enrollment of over 21,000 students for fall 2011, WKU is a hot campus which continues to be the fastest growing university in Kentucky - a trend we have sustained over the last ten years. Western Kentucky University is highly ranked academically and possesses programs of national prominence in journalism and broadcasting, engineering, and forensics. WKU is the home of the Gatton Academy for Math and Science - the destination point for Kentucky's most gifted and talented students. WKU is also home of Kentucky's first and only Honors College - where gifted and talented students study in an intimate scholarly environment on campus and abroad. These are among the reasons why WKU is becoming the intellectual heartbeat of Kentucky.
Living in the Hilltoppers Community
WKU's commitment is to ensure value in a holistic learning experience through high standards for student achievement and conduct, a strong faculty, technological innovation, personalized attention, broad access, and public accountability for actions and outcomes.
As a nationally prominent university, WKU is engaged internationally in acclaimed, technologically driven academic programs. An inspiring and talented faculty promotes a high level of scholarship and an entrepreneurial attitude leading to success for all within WKU’s reach. The WKU experience occurs on a unique campus and through a spirit which attracts an intellectually exciting and diverse family of the nation’s best students. WKU places a premium on student learning. Its faculty engage in creative activity and diverse scholarship designed to expand knowledge, improve instruction, increase learning, and provide optimum service to the state and nation. Maintaining a campus of distinctive history and character, WKU sustains a student population of increasing quality. It fulfills its responsibility for access through its community college, regional campus programs, and distance learning.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
More Information
| Total Students | 21,036 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 17,970 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 10,436 | 58% |
| Men | 7,534 | 42% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 47 | <1% |
| Asian | 174 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 1,944 | 11% |
| Hispanic | 327 | 2% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 15 | <1% |
| White | 14,593 | 81% |
| Two or More Races | 262 | 1% |
| International | 412 | 2% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 196 | 1% |
| Where do WKU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | 82% |
| Other US States & Territories | 15% |
| Other Countries | 2% |
| How old are WKU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 23 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 22% |
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 | 18 - 24 | |
| Math | 17 - 24 | 430 - 590 |
| English | 18 - 25 | |
| Critical Reading | 440 - 580 |
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 | 40% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 68% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 48% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.15 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 98% | |
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: $17,137.00
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend Western Kentucky 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
- 48% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $5,199.00. 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
- 52% 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 $3,973.00. 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.
WKU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 19 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 76% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 95% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 771 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 49% |
| % 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 | 70% |
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Campus-based Housing
74% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
29% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
Western Kentucky University is committed to providing a safe, secure environment for its students, faculty, staff and visitors. WKU’s Police Department employs 28 professionally trained full-time police officers. The Mission of the WKU Police Department is to provide a safe and secure atmosphere that is conducive to learning and teaching. Furthermore, the University Police Department is committed to providing a “Community Policing
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
- Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- Very high undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Balanced arts & sciences/professions, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate comprehensive
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
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Student Activities and Involvement at WKU
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
- 88% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 52% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 23% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 83% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 16% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 42% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 58% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 11% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 92% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 93% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 72% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 59% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 94% 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
- 58% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 80% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 96% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 69% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 68% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 86% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 49% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 86% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 85% 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 Western Kentucky University in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Associate's | 215 |
| Bachelor's | 2,591 |
| Master's | 906 |
| Doctoral | 14 |
| Total | 3,726 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| General Studies | 11% |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 7% |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 5% |
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General | 4% |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at Western Kentucky University |
|---|
Associate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Future Plans of Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Survey Administration Process
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 80% four-year success and progress rate means that 80% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
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Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 2,312 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 584 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%
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Student Learning at Western Kentucky 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.
Like WKU's strong strategic planning process, which has greatly improved the university's focus and effectiveness, we anticipate that a visible emphasis on engaging students for success in a global society will enhance the education we offer and provide a distinguishing student learning feature to the WKU experience. Unlike strategic planning, which must concern itself with the whole range of university services and activities, this QEP zeros in on student learning by explicitly tying academic experiences to co-curricular activities and concepts. We hope to encourage students to see their education as directly tied to their own lives beyond the time they spend in the classroom and to their continuing responsibilities as citizens of a broader community. Although our ultimate plan is to encourage individual programs, faculty, and students to pursue engagement in their own ways, we expect designated initiatives to advance our QEP student learning goal by promoting one or more positive outcomes.
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.
This university is in the process of collecting and analyzing learning outcomes test results.