Appalachian State University College Portrait
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC 28608
(828) 262-2120
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is home to more than 17,000 students from 47 states and 62 foreign countries who seek academic and personal growth in a unique community of opportunity. Appalachian combines the traditions of classroom instruction, solid student support services, and rich co-curricular activities to enhance this ideal learning environment.
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, Appalachian State University offers a challenging academic environment, energetic campus life and breathtaking location. Appalachian combines the best attributes of a small liberal arts college with those of a large research university. Known for its value and affordability, Appalachian enrolls about 17,000 students and offers more than 140 undergraduate and graduate majors. Small classes and close interactions between faculty and students create a strong sense of community, which has become an Appalachian hallmark. Appalachian, located in Boone, N.C., is one of 16 universities in the University of North Carolina system.
Living in the Mountaineer Community
Appalachian's blend of liberal arts learning, opportunities for undergraduate research, and a rich collection of activities outside the classroom contribute to a true college experience. Being part of the Appalachian Family truly means immersing yourself in the campus and community.
Student learning at Appalachian State University integrates both in-class and out-of-class experiences of students. These educational efforts are directed at developing both intellect and character of students. To accomplish this, the University makes available a wide range of educational opportunities through programs and activities that complement and support the academic experience in the classroom. Although the primary focus of these activities is to advance student learning, they also provide needed services, support, and recreational venues to help students meet the challenges of college and to enhance the quality of student life.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
More Information
| Total Students | 17,222 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 15,137 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 7,886 | 52% |
| Men | 7,251 | 48% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 54 | <1% |
| Asian | 200 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 485 | 3% |
| Hispanic | 458 | 3% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 6 | <1% |
| White | 13,198 | 87% |
| Two or More Races | 192 | 1% |
| International | 138 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 406 | 3% |
| Where do Appalachian undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 91% |
| Other US States & Territories | 8% |
| Other Countries | 1% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are Appalachian undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 21 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 7% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2010)
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 | 22 - 26 | |
| Math | 22 - 26 | 530 - 610 |
| English | 21 - 27 | |
| Critical Reading | 510 - 610 |
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 | 57% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 92% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 87% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.92 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 99% | |
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: $16,102
Costs for 2011-12 will be updated soon.
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend Appalachian 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
- 41% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $6,935. 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
- 36% 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 $5,343. 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 2008-2009 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
Appalachian Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 16 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 73% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 92% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 862 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 45% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 7% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 99% |
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Campus-based Housing
99% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
34% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
Appalachian State University works hard to ensure a safe and secure learning, living and working environment on its campus. The safety of our students, faculty and staff is very important to us and it is our goal to foster and support a culture and climate of safety, respect, trust, open communication and emotional support for all. To that end, we have established a Safety and Security Council to coordinate and promote all safety and security programs on campus. The Council uses an all hazard committee structure to assess and advance a security and safety culture on campus. Our three year crime statistics can be found in the below annual report.
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, more selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Single doctoral (education)
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
Student Activities and Involvement at Appalachian
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
- 95% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 55% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 31% 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
- 23% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 53% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 67% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 16% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 99% 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
- 71% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 72% 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
- 61% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 83% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 97% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 78% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 67% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 84% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 46% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 87% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 89% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 88% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Appalachian State University in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 3,000 |
| Master's | 768 |
| Doctoral | 10 |
| Total | 3,778 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| EDUCATION | 20% |
| BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES | 19% |
| COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS | 8% |
| SOCIAL SCIENCES | 7% |
| VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS | 7% |
| Links to degree programs at Appalachian State University |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 91% four-year success and progress rate means that 91% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
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Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 2,516 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 707 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 87%
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Student Learning at Appalachian 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.
Appalachian has an obligation to provide relevant student information to the UNC System and periodically surveys and/or tests designated groups within its student population. Surveys/tests are used to assess academic programs, student achievement, student perceptions and attitudes, etc. The information obtained plays an important role in the determination of policy at the institutional level, and in the creation and continuation of programs. For program assessment purposes, examples of students’ work are routinely selected to provide evidence of student learning. This type of evidence is required for program improvement purposes and to document institutional effectiveness to the groups that accredit the institution. Students should understand that information obtained through the assessment process is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a federal statute that prohibits the release of student information in a form that identifies an individual student. Such information can be released, but only with the explicit written permission of that student.
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: 1219
Senior Score: 1266
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1190
Senior Score: 1198
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: 1191
Senior Score: 1290
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1190
Senior Score: 1198