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Summary
Wofford College is a private institution that was founded in 1854. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,536, its setting is city, and the campus size is 170 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Wofford College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 63. Its tuition and fees are $34,555 (2012-13).
Wofford College is a United Methodist-affiliated school that welcomes students of all faiths and beliefs. Situated in the city of Spartanburg, S.C., Wofford is situated on 170 tree-lined acres that have been designated as an arboretum. Since 1992, nearly 5,000 trees have been planted throughout the campus. Students admitted to the college are given the choice of more than 50 majors and minors, as well as numerous student organizations. Greek life is very prevalent on campus, with 14 chapters and more than 40 percent of the student body participating in a fraternity or sorority. Though students have the opportunity to live off campus, more than 90 percent of the student body decides to live on campus during their college careers. Known as the Terriers, Wofford is a member of the Southern Conference in the NCAA Division I and is represented by 18 men’s and women’s varsity programs.
Wofford College practices a 4-1-4 semester schedule, with a four-month fall semester and a four-month spring semester. The college offers an Interim period in January that allows students to concentrate on a single study project of their choosing. The intent is to move beyond the classroom structure and observe issues in action. Wofford prides itself on returning students each year, and the college boasts one of the highest freshman retention rates among national liberal arts colleges. Notable alumni of the college include Wendi Nix, an ESPN anchor; Olin D. Johnston, former senator of South Carolina; and Jerry Richardson, owner of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
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Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford is an independent college of approximately 1,600 students located in Spartanburg, S.C. The surrounding Upstate metropolitan area is best known today as the home of BMW's North American assembly plant, seven institutions of higher education, and two medical centers. Wofford is a signatory institution to the President's Climate Commitment and offers a distinctive major in environmental studies. The historic 175-acre campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features The Village, a new urban apartment-style housing for seniors. The capstone building of The Village is the location for the Mungo Center for Professional Excellence. Wofford's mission is "to provide a superior liberal arts education that prepares its students for extraordinary and positive contributions to society," as reflected in its chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (1941). The international college honor society for German studies, Delta Phi Alpha, was founded on the campus in 1927. Wofford is also frequently recognized as one of America's "best value" colleges in national publications. The college is especially well known for its academic strength in the sciences. Almost 20 percent of the most recent class graduated with a major in biology, and the past few years have seen a dramatic increase in medical school acceptance rates and attendance. Law school is also a popular choice for recent graduates, 37 of whom began their studies in the fall of 2011. Wofford is second among the nation's top 40 baccalaureate institutions for undergraduate students studying abroad for credit, according to the 2011 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, and 13 percent of the most recent graduation class majored in a foreign language. Wofford is also respected for programs related to business and finance, and in the spring of 2012, a team of five seniors advanced to the round of 16 in the Americas finals in the global CFA Institute Research Challenge competition in New York City. Wofford is one of 27 colleges and universities offering a Bonner Scholars program. Deserving students receive four-year scholarships and engage in ongoing service learning. The Bonner Foundation of Princeton, N.J. has permanently endowed the program at Wofford. Sixty Bonner Scholars provide an estimated 18,000 service hours each year to the Spartanburg community. Numerous other volunteer programs and philanthropies flourish on the campus. The Wofford Terriers compete successfully in the Southern Conference, NCAA Division I. The football team has qualified for the FCS playoffs in four of the last five years, and the men's basketball team won the SoCon championship in both 2010 and 2011. Men's soccer and baseball teams also won recent conference championships. Wofford teams averaged a score of 95 on the Graduation Success Rate report, and senior point guard Brad Loesing was a first-team Academic All-American in 2011-2012. Wofford graduates live in all 50 states and more than 30 foreign countries. Of 16,189 living alumni, 1,395 are in senior management of corporations or organizations, 1,259 practice medicine, dentistry or other health care professions, and 734 are attorneys or judges. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1854 |
| Religious affiliation | United Methodist |
| Academic calendar | 4-1-4 |
| Setting | city |
| 2011 Endowment | $165,107,417 |
Applying
When applying to Wofford College, it's important to note the application deadline is February 1, and the early decision deadline is November 15. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 1. The application fee at Wofford College is $35. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 64.8 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 64.8% |
| Application deadline | February 1 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | February 1 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Wofford College is 11:1, and the school has 55.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Wofford College include: Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Business/Managerial Economics; Spanish Language and Literature; English Language and Literature, General; and American Government and Politics (United States). The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 89.0 percent.
Student Life
Wofford College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,536, with a gender distribution of 51.2 percent male students and 48.8 percent female students. At this school, 93.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 7.0 percent of students live off campus. Wofford College is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 1,536 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Wofford College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, and health service. Wofford College 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 Wofford College, 75 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Wofford College.
| Students who have cars on campus | 75% |
| Health insurance offered | No |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Wofford College, 61.0 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $27,668.
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.
| Tuition and fees | $34,555 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $9,920 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
