Kansas State University

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Quick Stats
Anderson Hall

Manhattan, KS 66506

[map]
Phone: (785) 532-6011
2010-2011 Tuition
$7,376
in-state
$18,404
out-of-state
Students
19,205
enrolled
52%
male /
48%
female
Admissions
rolling admission
98.5%
accepted

More Information

_

U.S. News Rankings

Ranking score and category
U.S. News rank Category Name
#143 National Universities

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Summary

Kansas State University is a public institution that was founded in 1863. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 19,205, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 664 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Kansas State University's ranking in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 143. Its in-state tuition and fees are $7,376 (2010-11); out-of-state tuition and fees are $18,404 (2010-11).

Kansas State University is located in the city of Manhattan, in the northeast region of the state. Students at K-State, as it is known, can choose from more than 250 undergraduate majors and more than 60 master’s degrees, including those in the fields of business, engineering, and education. K-State is home to the Biosecurity Research Institute, where students can train to research infectious diseases, and the Landon Lecture Series, which has hosted many prestigious speakers, including five former U.S. presidents.

K-State students can join more than 450 organizations, dozens of fraternities and sororities, and student government. It’s also easy to stay busy on campus by visiting the school’s golf course, insect museum, dairy bar, and gardens. Student athletes at K-state can play at the recreational level or try out for one of the many K-State Wildcats varsity sports teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference. Notable K-State alumni include actor Eric Stonestreet, who appears on the television show Modern Family, and chief White House photographer Pete Souza.

School mission (as provided by the school):

Founded in 1863, Kansas State University was one of America's first land-grant colleges. K-State's Manhattan campus offers a classic collegiate experience in a classic college town. With three campuses across the state, it is now working to become a top 50 public research university by 2025. The university had a record year in 2010 for research funding. Projects include food safety and security, animal health, stem cells, basic cancer research and more. K-State has three CASE/Carnegie National Professors of the Year who teach undergraduates. The university's expertise and the Biosecurity Research Institute have drawn several prestigious federal labs to the area, including the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, making it a bioscience leader. K-State's School of Leadership Studies building is LEED Gold certified, and the university is included in the Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges. The university's proximity to Fort Riley and flexible program offerings for soldiers and their families have made K-State one of G.I. Jobs and Military Advanced Education magazine's most military-friendly schools in the nation for three of the last four years. K-State's Landon lecture series has drawn seven U.S. presidents, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and international leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev and Vicente Fox.

General Information

School type public, coed college
Year founded 1863
Religious affiliation N/A
Academic calendar semester
Setting urban
2010 Endowment $277,580,000

Applying

When applying to Kansas State University, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due August 1. The application fee at Kansas State University is $30. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 98.5 percent.

For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.

Selectivity selective
Fall 2010 acceptance rate 99%
Application deadline rolling
SAT/ACT scores must be received by August 1

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Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Kansas State University is 21:1, and the school has 49.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Kansas State University include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences; Social Sciences; Education; and Engineering. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 79.2 percent.

Class sizes
Class sizes
Student-faculty ratio 21:1
4-year graduation rate 26% - Medium
Five most popular majors for 2010 graduates
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 19%
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences 12%
Social Sciences 11%
Education 10%
Engineering 9%

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Student Life

Kansas State University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 19,205, with a gender distribution of 52.0 percent male students and 48.0 percent female students. 17.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 83.0 percent of students live off campus. Kansas State University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

See what students are saying about life at Kansas State University.

Total enrollment 23,588
Student gender distribution
Student gender distribution
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
Collegiate athletic association NCAA I

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Campus Info & Services

Kansas State University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Kansas 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). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Kansas State University.

Students who have cars on campus N/A
Health insurance offered Yes
Students required to own/lease a computer No

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Paying for School

At Kansas State University, 52.3 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $4,318.

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 $7,376 (2010-11)
Out-of-state tuition and fees $18,404 (2010-11)
Room and board $6,954 (2010-11) - Low
Financial aid statistics
Financial aid statistics

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Student Reviews

The campus is well laid out, and people are generally friendly. The buildings are sometimes old, but renovations to the interior bely the beautiful exterior that many hold. The town can seem small, but there is everything a college student needs to survive. Students hold lots of pride in K-State, and Aggieville is fun from Thursday to Sunday.

Andrew Sophomore

The best thing about K-State is by far the sense of community. Everyone is usually friendly on campus and the sporting events are great- especially basketball, volleyball, and football. The purple pride really shows. Manhattan is a great town and very friendly towards the students. The administration is great at K-State- they really care about us! Kids complain a lot about being bored, but I think that is crap because there is always a ton of stuff to do if you are willing to try new things.

Lora Freshman

The best thing about K-State has got to be the people. Some of the nicest people I have ever met are people I met at K-State. Its just a friendly, comfortable environment. I would have to say that Manhattan is the epitome of a college town. Everyone that lives here eats, sleeps, and breathes K-State sports. I have never seen so much purple in my entire life! Its really great to be surrounded by so much school spirit and so many other people who love the school as much as you do. One experience I will always remember happened before I even attended K-State. I was there for my orientation and enrollment, and Dean Bosco was giving a speech. He is the reason I came to K-State in the first place! He loves this school with all his heart and he will tell you everything you would want to know. I wanted to come here because I wanted to love my school as much as Dean Bosco did, he is so inspirational. I couldn't wait to be a wildcat after hearing him speak.

Michaela Sophomore

More student reviews

* Overview details based on 2010 data

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