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Summary
Appalachian State University is a public institution that was founded in 1899. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 15,460, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 1,300 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Appalachian State University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (South), 10. Its in-state tuition and fees are $5,859 (2012-13); out-of-state tuition and fees are $17,907 (2012-13).
Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the Appalachian State University campus provides students with a green, rural setting where they can study in any of six undergraduate colleges. Appalachian State also offers several opportunities for students to learn outside of the classroom, from the Center of Entrepreneurship to the WASA student radio station. On the more recreational side, students can join one of the many fraternities and sororities and dozens of clubs, or they can attend an event from the stacked Appalachian arts calendar. Appalachian also gives students a chance to be the ones planning the events through the Appalachian Popular Programming Society, whose members schedule, plan, and promote film screenings, concerts, and other activities for their peers. Appalachian athletics consists of about 20 varsity, 20 club, and more than 80 recreational sports teams. The Mountaineer football team, which competes in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference, once graced the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine when it pulled an upset against Michigan.
Graduate students at Appalachian can choose from several programs, including those at the Walker College of Business and the Reich College of Education. Notable alumni include Stephen Dubner, coauthor of the international bestselling book, Freakonomics.
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Located in Boone, North Carolina, within the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northwest North Carolina, Appalachian State University combines the best attributes of a small liberal arts college with those of a large research university. Close interaction between faculty and students creates a strong sense of community and is an Appalachian State hallmark. The mountains surrounding the campus provide unique opportunities academically, culturally and recreationally. Known for its value, affordability, and 'the Appalachian Experience,' Appalachian State offers high quality academics, life-changing co-curricular activities and an energetic campus life that prepares students to succeed in a complex, ever-changing world. Founded in 1899 as a teachers college, the school became a four-year, degree-granting institution named Appalachian State Teachers College in 1929. Appalachian was accredited by the American Association for Teacher Education in 1939 and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1942. Appalachian State Teachers College became Appalachian State University in 1967, and in 1971, Appalachian State University became a member institution of the University of North Carolina system. Fall 2011 enrollment was 17,344, of which 89 percent were undergraduates, 54 percent were women, 11 percent were ethnic minorities, 8 percent were registered through distance education, and 91 percent were from in-state. Appalachian is considered a selective institution with well over half of admitted freshmen in the top 25 percent of their high school classes. The most recent freshman-to-sophomore retention rate for full-time students is 88 percent, and the six-year graduation rate is 66 percent. Appalachian offers approximately 185 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs through its College of Arts and Sciences, College of Fine and Applied Arts, Reich College of Education, Walker College of Business, University College, Hayes School of Music, College of Health Sciences, and Cratis D. Williams Graduate School. Appalachian also offers a variety of distance education courses and degree programs at 15-20 locations across Western North Carolina. Using the two digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code, among undergraduates, the highest enrollment is in business, teacher preparation, visual and performing arts, health sciences, and psychology. Graduate programs that have received regional or national recognition include accounting, addictions counseling, engineering physics, and industrial-organizational psychology. Graduate students in the technology program received international recognition for their entry into the Solar Decathlon 2011. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1899 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | rural |
| 2011 Endowment | $69,551,090 |
Applying
When applying to Appalachian State University, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling. The application fee at Appalachian State University is $55. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 61.8 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 61.8% |
| Application deadline | rolling |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | N/A |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Appalachian State University is 17:1, and the school has 39.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Appalachian State University include: Elementary Education and Teaching; Psychology, General; Business Administration and Management, General; Criminal Justice/Safety Studies; and Political Science and Government, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 87.0 percent.
Student Life
Appalachian State University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 15,460, with a gender distribution of 48.0 percent male students and 52.0 percent female students. At this school, 35.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 65.0 percent of students live off campus. Appalachian State University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 17,344 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Appalachian State University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Appalachian State University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Appalachian State University, 25 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Appalachian State University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 25% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Appalachian State University, 46.1 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $7,226.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $5,859 (2012-13) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $17,907 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $7,060 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
