West Virginia State University

Learn about West Virginia State University in Institute, WV. Read about its admission info, degree programs, and financial aid in order to make an informed education decision.

About West Virginia State University

West Virginia State University is a historically black college located in Institute, West Virginia, near the downtown area of Charleston. West Virginia State was originally founded as a public land-grant university, West Virginia Colored Institute, in 1891, and at the time only provided high school instruction and vocational and teacher training. It wasn't until 1915 that the school began to offer college degrees, and the name was changed to West Virginia Collegiate Institute.

Between 1915 and 1929, the school expanded and became West Virginia State College, which eventually became known as a prominent school for the higher education of blacks. After the school was desegregated in 1954, enrollment took a downturn; recruitment efforts led to an increasingly diverse student body in the ensuing decades. As of 2011, about two-thirds of the student body was white, and about one-third was at least 25 years old. The school became a university in 2004 and awarded its first master's degree in 2005.

Academics

West Virginia State University offers students the chance to earn a bachelor's degree, master's degree or postbaccalaureate certificate. The school has four colleges: the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business Administration and Social Sciences, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the College of Professional Studies. Undergraduates can choose from 18 degree programs, and three graduate degrees are available. As of 2011, the most popular programs among undergraduates included liberal arts and business administration; graduate students favored biotechnology and media studies programs. All students can gain real-world experience while earning school credit through West Virginia State's cooperative education program.

Admissions

Students seeking admission to West Virginia State University should complete an application and submit official high school transcripts, any applicable college transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, and immunization records. Men between the ages of 18 and 25 must be registered with the Selective Service. Some programs may require separate application once a student is admitted to the university; others may have additional admission requirements.

Students should have completed college prep courses during high school, including two units of a foreign language, and should have satisfactory ACT scores. In 2010, more than 1,100 students applied for admission, and all of them were accepted. West Virginia State recommends that students submit their applications six months before the semester in which they plan to enroll. If this is not possible, students should wait no later than thirty days before the beginning of the semester to submit their application.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Residents of West Virginia pay $222 per credit hour for undergraduate tuition in 2012-2013; students living in certain areas of the five states bordering West Virginia pay $409 per credit hour through the school's Metro Tuition program; non-residents pay $525 per credit hour.

Tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates at West Virginia State University for the 2011-2012 school year were nearly $5,000, plus an additional $1,200 for books and supplies. Students choosing to live on campus during the same year paid roughly $6,602 for room and board and $3,490 for other living expenses. Off-campus students who didn't live with their families were estimated to spend about the same on room, board, and other expenses.

In the 2010-2011 school year, more than 75% of full-time beginning undergraduates at West Virginia State University received some type of financial aid. The school does offer some scholarships based on merit or financial need, including the Opportunity Scholarship and the WVSU Foundation Scholarship. Students may qualify for federal or state assistance by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY QUICK FACTS
School Type	4-year, public**
Degrees Offered	Bachelor's, master's, postbaccalaureate certificates**
Religious Affiliation	None**
Academic Calendar	Semesters*
School Setting	Midsize suburb**
Student Body	Roughly 2,772 undergraduate and 55 graduate students as of Fall 2011**
Student Housing	Four residence halls*
ACADEMICS
Schools and Programs	Four schools; 18 undergraduate and three graduate programs*
Student-Faculty Ratio	15 to 1**
Most Popular Fields of Study by Degree Level (Number of Recipients)	In 2010-2011: Bachelor's: General studies (89) Master's: Biotechnology (6), Mass communication/media studies (6)**
Undergraduate Graduation Rates	For students beginning in 2003: 6% in four years 24% in six years 26% in eight years**
ADMISSIONS
Admission Rate	100% in 2010**
Entering Class Size	307 in 2010***
First-Year Retention Rates	58% for full-time and 41% for part-time students in 2011**
Average ACT Score of Admitted Students	Middle 50% ACT composite scores: 17-22 in 2010**
Application Due Date	At least 30 days prior to the start of a semester*
TUITION & FINANCIAL AID
Tuition	$222/credit hour for in-state undergraduates; $409/credit hour for undergraduates paying Metro Tuition rates; $525/credit hour for out-of-state undergraduates (2012-2013)*
Financial Aid Sources Available (Percent of Students Receiving it)	For full-time beginning undergraduates in 2010-2011: Federal grants (55%), state and local grants (39%), institutional scholarships (19%), student loans (49%)**
Percent of Students Receiving Some Form of Aid	77% of full-time beginning undergraduates in 2010-2011**

Sources: *West Virginia State University, **College Navigator, National Center for Education Statistics, ***IPEDS Data Center, National Center for Education Statistics.

School Contact Information

Address: Office of Admissions, Room 106, Ferrell Hall, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV 25112-1000
Phone: (800) 987-2112
Website: www.wvstateu.edu