University of North Carolina at Asheville College Portrait
University of North Carolina at AshevilleOne University Heights Asheville, NC 28804
828-251-6481
University of North Carolina at Asheville
North Carolina's Public Liberal Arts University
UNC Asheville combines strong academics with practical experience from internships, service-learning and study abroad for a holistic and transformative education. Small class size, award-winning faculty and a nationally acclaimed undergraduate research program foster student innovation and recognition. The scenic 265-acre campus is located in the vibrant city of Asheville, a mecca for the arts, music, film-making and outdoor adventures.
Living in the UNC Asheville Community
UNC Asheville students develop an inquisitive, interdisciplinary, engaged way of life in a vibrant university community which is just, collaborative, and increasingly diverse. About one-third of our students live on campus and another third live less than a mile away. The lively campus offers more than 80 student organizations, entertainment and cultural programming, a comprehensive outdoor experience program and NCAA Division I athletics. Nearby downtown Asheville is a vibrant center for the arts, music, restaurants, nightlife and shopping. Students regularly make the short drive to the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains for hiking, biking, climbing, camping, whitewater rafting and kayaking, and caving.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
More Information
| Total Students | 3,967 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 3,916 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 2,177 | 56% |
| Men | 1,739 | 44% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 13 | <1% |
| Asian | 47 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 123 | 3% |
| Hispanic | 153 | 4% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 3 | <1% |
| White | 3,382 | 86% |
| Two or More Races | 53 | 1% |
| International | 43 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 99 | 3% |
| Where do UNC Asheville undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | 88% |
| Other US States & Territories | 11% |
| Other Countries | 1% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are UNC Asheville undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 22 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 16% |
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 - 27 | |
| Math | 22 - 26 | 520 - 620 |
| English | 22 - 28 | |
| Critical Reading | 540 - 650 |
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 | 58% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 95% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 76% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.91 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 92% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2009-10 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $15,927
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend University of North Carolina at Asheville 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
- 46% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $6,202. 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
- 32% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,011. 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.
UNC Asheville Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 14 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 91% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 97% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 216 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 44% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 13% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 84% |
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Campus-based Housing
95% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
33% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
UNC Asheville Campus Police officers patrol the campus seven days a week to provide a safe and secure environment for students, faculty and staff. Police services include security escorts, campus-wide emergency call boxes, motorist assist services, and assistance obtaining domestic violence protection and civil no-contact orders regardless of residence status. The Campus Care and Crisis Team offers round-the-clock emergency response and threat assessment for the campus community.
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
- Baccalaureate Colleges--Arts & Sciences
- Size and Setting
- Medium four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- Very high undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, more selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Arts & sciences focus, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Single postbaccalaureate (other field)
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
Student Activities and Involvement at UNC Asheville
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
- 92% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 57% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 17% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 89% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 32% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 54% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 61% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 17% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 99% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 96% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 76% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 60% 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
- 45% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 88% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 99% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 84% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 76% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 83% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 47% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 84% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 90% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 76% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 672 |
| Master's | 5 |
| Total | 677 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| PSYCHOLOGY | 14% |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 8% |
| English Language and Literature, General | 8% |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 8% |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 6% |
| Links to degree programs at University of North Carolina at Asheville |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster's |
Future Plans of 2009-10 Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Survey Administration Process
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 87% four-year success and progress rate means that 87% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
More Information
Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 695 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 202 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 82%
More Information
Student Learning at University of North Carolina at Asheville
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.
As the UNC system’s designated undergraduate liberal arts campus, teaching and learning are at the core of the UNC Asheville experience. We use a variety of mechanisms to assess student learning and growth throughout their careers at UNC Asheville. In addition to administering standardized measures such as the Collegiate Learning Assessment and the National Survey of Student Engagement, UNC Asheville faculty collaborate to develop customized assessments within each academic program and for each element of the Integrative Liberal Studies program, our award-winning core curriculum. Additional periodic assessments linked to accreditation studies by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and various professional societies.
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.
- 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 what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1193
Senior Score: 1314
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1196
Senior Score: 1220
Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1250
Senior Score: 1323
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1202
Senior Score: 1201