<h4 id="section---Pros"> Pros</h4> <ul><li>Room and board is less expensive than the national average </li><li>Acceptance rate is 26.2 percentage points above the national average </li><li>Offers career counseling and testing services </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons"> Cons</h4> <ul><li>Student-to-faculty ratio is higher than the national average </li><li>Graduation rate is 18 percentage points below the national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---AboutSaintCloudStateUniversity"> About Saint Cloud State University</h3> <p>Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, SCSU offers associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, as well as post-bachelor's and post-master's certificates. You also can pursue research, internship and international study opportunities. Fields of study offered at SCSU include anthropology, ecology, finance, forestry, physical education and public health education. </p> <p>For the 2012-2013 school year, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that room and board costs at Saint Cloud State were $6,994, which was significantly less than the national average of $9,315 for 4-year public schools. Additionally, the university's acceptance rate for 2012-2013 was 90%, which was substantially higher than the national average of 63.8%. </p> <p>However, NCES reported that SCSU's 4-year graduation rate was 22% in 2009, which was lower than the national average of 40%. Also, the university's student-to-faculty ratio is 24:1, based on NCES figures; this is higher than the national average of 16:1. </p> <h2 id="section---AdmissionsFinancialAidAtSaintCloudStateUniversity"> Admissions &amp; Financial Aid at Saint Cloud State University</h2> <p>If you're interested in enrolling at SCSU, you must complete an application, send in a $20 fee and submit your official high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores. Undergraduate admission is based on a variety of factors, including college preparatory courses, your high school GPA and extracurricular activities. Personal references and essays are not required but will be taken into account if you submit them. The priority deadline for applying is December 15th, and the regular deadline is August 1st, according to College Board. </p> <p>Nearly $32 million in grants and scholarships was awarded to SCSU undergraduate students during the 2010-2011 academic year, according to NCES. University-sponsored scholarships include the Freshman Scholarship, the Cultural Diversity Scholarship, the Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship and the Transfer Student Scholarship. There are also numerous privately funded scholarships available. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Application and Tuition Information </th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> December 15th (priority), August 1st***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Financial Aid Application Deadline (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> January 1st (priority)*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Admission Notification Date (2013-2014)</i> </td><td> Rolling**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Application Fee (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> $20**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Acceptance Rate (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> 90%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Tuition &amp; Fees (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> $7,472 (in-state), $15,114 (out-of-state)**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Financial Aid Package (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> $4,527****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Percent of Students with Need Met (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> 12.4%****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i> </td><td> 5.5%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtSaintCloudStateUniversity"> Student Life at Saint Cloud State University</h2> <p>More than 17,000 students, the majority of whom are from Minnesota, attend SCSU. College Board indicates that most first-year students live on-campus. The university features more than 250 student organizations and clubs in areas like music, science, politics and more. Varsity athletic teams at SCSU are a part of NCAA Division II. </p> <p>The SCSU Career Services website links students to government job postings within Minnesota and throughout the U.S., as well as international employment opportunities and internships. You also can receive resume writing and interviewing assistance or participate in on-campus career fairs and job interviews. Computerized career assessment tests, such as FOCUS and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, also are available to you as a SCSU student. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life Info </th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Setting</i> </td><td> Small city**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Population (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 17,604**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Male-to-Female Student Population (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 52% to 48%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Full-Time Students (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 71%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of In-State Students (2010-2011)</i> </td><td> 88%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of International Students (2010-2011)</i> </td><td> 0%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Retention Rate (2010-2011)</i> </td><td> 69% (full-time), 63% (part-time)**</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> 70% (first-year), 19% (all undergraduates)***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> One*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Extracurricular Activities</i> </td><td> More than 250 student organizations****</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *Saint Cloud State University, **NCES College Navigator, ***College Board, ****U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> </p> <h3 id="section---SchoolContactInformation">School Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> 115 Administrative Services, Saint Cloud State University, 720 Fourth Avenue South, Saint Cloud, Minnesota 56301-4498 </li><li><i>Phone:</i> (320) 308-3981, (877) 654-SCSU</li></ul>