Southern Illinois University

<h4 id="section---Pros">Pros</h4> <ul><li>High number of academic programs </li><li>Accepts CLEP, AP and DANTES credit </li><li>Diverse student body </li><li>Offers remedial services, academic &amp; career counseling, employment services for students, placement services and a daycare located on-campus for students with children </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons">Cons</h4> <ul><li>Acceptance rate is 12.8 percentage points lower than the national average </li><li>Total cost is $2,794 higher than the national average for residents and $1,996 more for non-residents </li><li>Student debt following graduation is $6,088 higher than the national average </li><li>Graduation rate is 16 percentage points less than the national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingSchoolAnalysis">Ranking &amp; School Analysis</h3> <p>Southern Illinois University offers a wide selection of majors at the undergraduate level. With more than 200 majors and minors to choose from, you're sure to find a program of interest. You may also choose a double major. If you wish to continue your education, SIU offers graduate programs, including a Master of Fine Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy degree. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) states that there are 15,000 undergraduates and 4,817 graduate students. </p> <p>The College Board reports that SIU is somewhat selective with only 51% of students being admitted. You can expect to pay more to attend Southern Illinois University as the NCES reports that the total cost is $20,654 for residents. This is higher than the national average of $17,860 for attending public 4-year schools. Additionally, the graduation rate is just 24%, less than the national average of 40%. The student to teacher ratio is 15 students per teacher, which is lower than the national average of 16 students per teacher. The average amount of student debt following graduation reported by the NCES is $32,748, which is $6,088 higher than the national average. </p> <h2 id="section---AdmissionsAndFinancialAidAtSouthernIllinoisUniversity">Admissions and Financial Aid at Southern Illinois University</h2> <p>If you're a prospective freshman you can submit an application online or print one out. You must submit your application along with a $30 fee, all official high school transcripts and your ACT or SAT scores. There are no requirements for essay writing or recommendation letters when applying to SIU, but certain programs may have additional requirements. </p> <p>To help cover costs, SIU offers undergraduate students more than $8 million in scholarships each year. Additionally, there are loans and employment available on both a need and non-need-basis. You should submit a federal application to determine the level of student need and eligibility for these particular programs at SIU. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Application &amp; Tuition Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td><i>Regular School Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i></td><td> May 1st*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Financial Aid Priority Application Due (2013-2014)</i></td><td>April 1st*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Application Fee (2011-2012)</i></td><td>$30*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Acceptance Rate (2011-2012)</i></td><td>51%*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>All Tuition &amp; Living Expenses (2012-2013)</i></td><td>$20,654 for residents, $32,907 for non-residents***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average Financial Aid Package (2011)</i></td><td>$14,205*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2011)</i></td><td>$32,748****</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Percentage of Students with Need Met</i></td><td>7%****</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i></td><td>8.1%***</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---LifeAtSouthernIllinoisUniversity">Life at Southern Illinois University</h2> <p>Southern Illinois University is located in a rural setting with lakes and national parks close by. On-campus, there are more than 400 student organizations available for you to explore. Religious, special interest and academic clubs are just a few of the options. If you're into sports, SIU offers NCAA Division 1 athletics. </p> <p>The University Recreation Center offers an indoor swimming pool, rock climbing wall and two indoor tracks. Students at SIU have the opportunity to work-out and relax without leaving campus. The Morris Library and SIU Law Library are located on the Southern Illinois University campus. The Morris Library has more than 2.6 million volumes and is the main library on campus. The SIU Law Library is open to the public and provides resources for law students, lawyers and faculty members. Southern Illinois University offers you the option of joining one of 30 sororities and fraternities. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td><i>Campus Setting</i></td><td> Rural*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Population (2011)</i></td><td>15,000 undergraduates, 4,817 graduate students***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio</i></td><td>56% to 44%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of Full-Time Students</i> </td><td>87%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of In-State Students</i></td><td> 89%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of International Students</i></td><td>0%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Retention Rate</i></td><td>66%***</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>29% (all undergraduates)*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Number of Libraries</i></td><td>2**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Extracurricular Activities</i></td><td> More than 400 student organizations**</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *College Board, **Southern Illinois University, ***NCES College Navigator, ****US News and World Report.</i> </p> <h3 id="section---SchoolContactInformation">School Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> 425 Clocktower Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901 </li><li><i>Phone Number:</i> (618) 536-4405</li></ul>