Western Michigan University: Narrative Description

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WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY N-9

1903 West Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5202
Tel: (269)387-1000; Admissions: (269)387-2000; Fax: (269)387-2096; E-mail: [email protected]; Web Site: http://www.wmich.edu/

Description: State-supported, university, coed. Awards bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees and post-master's certificates. Founded 1903. Setting: 1,200-acre urban campus. Endowment: $110.5 million. Research spending 2002-03: $21.5 million. Educational spending 2002-03: $5064 per student. Total enrollment: 29,178. Faculty: 1,189 (986 full-time, 203 part-time). Student-undergrad faculty ratio is 16:1. 15,100 applied, 86% were admitted. 16% from top 10% of their high school class, 34% from top quarter, 72% from top half. Full-time: 20,248 students, 51% women, 49% men. Part-time: 3,061 students, 53% women, 47% men. Students come from 54 states and territories, 110 other countries, 7% from out-of-state, 0.4% Native American, 2% Hispanic, 5% black, 1% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 3% international, 9% 25 or older, 30% live on campus, 7% transferred in. Retention: 76% of 2003 full-time freshmen returned. Academic areas with the most degrees conferred: business/marketing; education; communications/communication technologies. Core. Calendar: semesters. Academic remediation for entering students, ESL program, services for LD students, advanced placement, accelerated degree program, self-designed majors, freshman honors college, honors program, independent study, distance learning, double major, summer session for credit, part-time degree program, adult/continuing education programs, co-op programs and internships, graduate courses open to undergrads. Off campus study at Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Davenport College of Business. Study abroad program. ROTC: Army.

Entrance Requirements: Options: Peterson's Universal Application, electronic application, early admission, deferred admission. Required: high school transcript, SAT I or ACT. Required for some: interview. Entrance: moderately difficult. Application deadline: Rolling. Notification: continuous.

Costs Per Year: Application fee: $25. State resident tuition: $4934 full-time, $164.43 per credit hour part-time. Nonresident tuition: $12,446 full-time, $414.88 per credit hour part-time. Mandatory fees: $602 full-time, $162 per term part-time. Full-time tuition and fees vary according to course load. Part-time tuition and fees vary according to course load. College room and board: $6496. College room only: $3350. Room and board charges vary according to board plan.

Collegiate Environment: Orientation program. Drama-theater group, choral group, marching band, student-run newspaper, radio station. Social organizations: 275 open to all; national fraternities, national sororities, local fraternities, local sororities; 8% of eligible men and 8% of eligible women are members. Most popular organizations: Golden Key Society, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, Malaysian Student Organization. Major annual events: Homecoming, Bronco Bash, Gold Rush. Student services: legal services, health clinic, personal-psychological counseling, women's center. Campus security: 24-hour emergency response devices and patrols, student patrols, late night transport-escort service, controlled dormitory access. College housing designed to accommodate 6,300 students; 6,528 undergraduates lived in college housing during 2001-02. No special consideration for freshman housing applicants. Options: coed, men-only, women-only housing available. Waldo Library plus 4 others with 4.2 million books, 1.9 million microform titles, 6,707 serials, 32,535 audiovisual materials, an OPAC, and a Web page. Operations spending 2002-03: $12.5 million. 2,000 computers available on campus for general student use. A campuswide network can be accessed from student residence rooms and from off campus. Staffed computer lab on campus.

Community Environment: At one time a gathering place of the Potawatomies, the city received its name from the Indian word meaning"place where the water boils." Today the city is an important paper-manufacturing center with an annual production of over three million tons. The city is also prominent in the manufacture of pharmaceutical drugs. Part-time work is available for students. The largest city in southwest Michigan, Kalamazoo has many parks and picnic areas, 9 golf courses, ski areas, sandy beaches, and good hunting in season. Community service is provided by several churches, 2 hospitals, and shopping malls. The municipal library, art center, civic players, and symphony orchestra provide cultural outlets.

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Western Michigan University: Narrative Description

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Western Michigan University: Narrative Description