Coastal Carolina University

<h4 id="section---Pros">Pros</h4> <ul><li>Acceptance rate in 2010 was higher than the national average </li><li>Accepts Advanced Placement and dual credits </li><li>Offers academic and career counseling and employment services </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons">Cons</h4> <ul><li>Total college expenses were $5,010 more than the national average in 2011-2012 </li><li>Graduation rate is 15 percentage points lower than the national average </li><li>Student debt following graduation was $7,380 more than the 2011 national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsSchoolAnalysis">Rankings &amp; School Analysis</h3> <p>CCU was ranked #63 of Regional Universities (South) in the Best Colleges 2013 edition by <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report.</i> The acceptance rate for this school as of 2010 was at 74%, which is 8.5 percentage points higher than the national average; however, only 28% of those accepted actually enrolled, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). As such, this is a smaller university with less than 10,000 students. The retention rate at CCU was 63% for full-time students in 2011. The graduation rate, on the other hand, was 25% for students who began in 2005 and graduated in 2009, which is significantly lower than the national average of 40%. </p> <p>This university offers 56 areas of undergraduate study, and ten of those areas were only added in recent years. Some of the newest academic fields of study offered at the university include musical theater, criminology, biochemistry, graphic design, sociology, economics and information systems. As of 2013, CCU offered a total of seven master's degree programs in such areas as coastal marine and wetland studies, business administration, writing and education. </p> <h2 id="section---AdmissionsFinancialAidAtCoastalCarolinaUniversity">Admissions &amp; Financial Aid at Coastal Carolina University</h2> <p>You can apply for admission using a paper application, though CCU prefers that individuals use the online application. Besides submitting high school transcripts, an admission application and test scores from either the ACTs or SATs, students also have to complete a community standards questionnaire. According to the CCU website, the questionnaire ensures that students are mature enough to treat other students with respect and promote a learning environment of safety and tolerance. </p> <p>The average total expenses for undergraduate students who are state residents living on campus during the 2011-2012 school year were $22,146, per the NCES. This amount is about $5,000 more than the national average for 4-year, public universities. Only 32% of financial aid awarded to CCU students was through scholarships and grants. The other 68% of financial aid was offered through loans or work-study programs. During that same year, the College Board showed that the average need-based grants or scholarships awarded were $4,794, whereas the average non-need-based aid was $12,764. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th><b>Application &amp; Tuition Info</b></th><th /></tr> <tr><td><i>Regular Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i></td><td> August 1***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Financial Aid Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i></td><td> March 1***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Application Fee (2013-2014)</i></td><td> $45*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Acceptance Rate (2011-2012)</i></td><td> 74%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Tuition &amp; Fees (2011-2012)</i></td><td> $9,760 for state residents<br /> $21,560 for out-of-state residents**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average Financial Aid Package (2012)</i></td><td> $9,363***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Percent of Students with Need Met (2012)</i></td><td> 7%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2012)</i></td><td> $34,040***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i></td><td> 7.1%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtCoastalCarolinaUniversity">Student Life at Coastal Carolina University</h2> <p>The NCES reveals that CCU is not very ethnically diverse: in 2011, 72% of the undergraduate student body was white. However, 52% of the undergrad students were from out of state, which could add regional and cultural diversity to your life on campus. If you're interested in Greek life, there are several fraternities and sororities on campus. In fact, there are three Greek systems represented on campus, including the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Interfraternity Council. </p> <p>Student housing is available on campus, and according to the <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report,</i> at least 39% of CCU students lived in dorms or apartments that were owned by or affiliated with the university in 2011. On-campus student services include counseling, a women's resource center, international student services, campus dining and veterans' services. Other student services offered at CCU included career counseling, health services, tutoring and disability services. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th><b>Student Life Info</b></th><th /></tr> <tr><td><i>Campus Setting</i></td><td> Small city**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Population (2011)</i></td><td> 8,517 undergraduates<br /> 567 graduate students**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2011)</i></td><td> 47% male to 53% female**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of Full Time Students (2011)</i></td><td> 92%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of In-state Students (2010)</i></td><td> 47%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of International Students (2010)</i></td><td> 1%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Retention Rate (2011)</i></td><td> 63%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Campus Housing Available</i></td><td> Yes**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of Students Living on Campus</i></td><td> 39%****</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Extracurricular Activities</i></td><td> Various sports, organizations and extracurricular activities*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Noteworthy</i></td><td> University research centers include the Burroughs &amp; Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies and the Coastal Science Center*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *Coastal Carolina University, **National Center for Education Statistics, ***College Board, ****U.S. News &amp; World Report.</i> </p> <h3 id="section---SchoolContactInformation">School Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> Office of Admissions, Coastal Carolina University, P.O. Box 261954, Conway, SC 29528-6054 </li><li><i>Phone:</i> (843) 347-3161</li></ul>