WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY B-8

516 High St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-5996
Tel: (360)650-3000; Admissions: (360)650-3440; E-mail: [email protected]; Web Site: http://www.wwu.edu/

Description: State-supported, comprehensive, coed. Awards bachelor's and master's degrees. Founded 1893. Setting: 223-acre small town campus with easy access to Seattle and Vancouver. Endowment: $4.3 million. Research spending 2002-03: $9.7 million. Educational spending 2002-03: $4482 per student. Total enrollment: 13,845. Faculty: 618 (453 full-time, 165 part-time). Student-undergrad faculty ratio is 20:1. 7,652 applied, 76% were admitted. 21% from top 10% of their high school class, 51% from top quarter, 80% from top half. 8 National Merit Scholars, 69 valedictorians. Full-time: 11,451 students, 57% women, 43% men. Part-time: 1,026 students, 56% women, 44% men. Students come from 47 states and territories, 35 other countries, 7% from out-of-state, 2% Native American, 3% Hispanic, 2% black, 7% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 0.4% international, 8% 25 or older, 30% live on campus, 8% transferred in. Retention: 84% of 2003 full-time freshmen returned. Academic areas with the most degrees conferred: business/marketing; social sciences and history; engineering/engineering technologies. Core. ESL program, services for LD students, advanced placement, accelerated degree program, self-designed majors, honors program, independent study, distance learning, double major, summer session for credit, adult/continuing education programs, co-op programs and internships, graduate courses open to undergrads. Off campus study at National Student Exchange, International Student Exchange Program. Study abroad program.

Entrance Requirements: Options: Common Application, electronic application, international baccalaureate accepted. Required: high school transcript, minimum 2.5 high school GPA, SAT I or ACT. Recommended: essay. Entrance: moderately difficult. Application deadline: 3/1. Notification: continuous until 4/15.

Costs Per Year: Application fee: $37. State resident tuition: $3639 Full-time, $121 per credit part-time. Nonresident tuition: $12,411 full-time, $414 per credit part-time. Mandatory fees: $543 full-time, $181 per year part-time. Full-time tuition and fees vary according to location. Part-time tuition and fees vary according to location. College room and board: $5945. College room only: $3902. Room and board charges vary according to board plan and housing facility.

Collegiate Environment: Orientation program. Drama-theater group, choral group, student-run newspaper, radio station. Social organizations: 140 open to all. Most popular organizations: intramurals, Residence Hall Association, Associated Students, Outdoor Center, Ethnic Student Center. Major annual events: Fall New Student Convocation, Information Faire, Earth Day. 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. 3,927 college housing spaces available; 3,702 were occupied in 2002-03. Freshmen guaranteed college housing. Option: coed housing available. Wilson Library plus 3 others with 1.3 million books, 1.9 million microform titles, 4,834 serials, 26,095 audiovisual materials, an OPAC, and a Web page. Operations spending 2002-03: $6.8 million. 1,567 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: Bellingham overlooks Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. The city enjoys a temperate climate with a summer temperature seldom exceeding 73 degrees, and winter temperatures range from 28 to 55 degrees. There are frequently winters without snow, and the average rainfall is 34 inches. County industries include shipbuilding, food processing, oil refining, and manufacturing of aluminum, cement, plywood, and paper products. There is also a commercial fishing fleet. The community has hospitals, theatres, and major civic and fraternal organizations. Local recreation includes hiking, fishing, sailing, golf, baseball, softball, and bowling. Mt. Baker for skiing and climbing is 50 miles away. Part-time employment is available.