Valdosta State University

<h4 id="section---Pros">Pros</h4> <ul><li>Average student indebtedness upon graduation is about $3,000 lower than the national average </li><li>Cost of room and board is around $2,000 lower than the national average </li><li>Accepts AP and dual credit </li><li>Diverse student body </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons">Cons</h4> <ul><li>Student-teacher ratio is 7 points higher than the national average of 16:1 </li><li>Graduation rate is 23 percentage points lower than the national average </li><li>Located more than 50 miles from an international airport or major city </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsAndSchoolAnalysis">Rankings and School Analysis</h3> <p>Valdosta State University ranks 67th on <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i>'s list of regional universities in the South for 2013. This ranking compares many different data points, including retention and graduation rates and program offerings, which can help you decide if Valdosta State is right for you. </p> <p>According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), 67% of full-time first-year students who began their studies in 2010 chose to return the following year. However, only 17% of those who started their bachelor's degree programs in 2005 completed program requirements in 4 years. This graduation rate is 23 percentage points lower than the national average of 40% for 4-year institutions. </p> <p>Some other points to keep in mind when comparing Valdosta State University to other schools include its high student-teacher ratio of 23:1, as reported by NCES in 2011. This is 7 points higher than the national average. On the plus side, The Princeton Review reports that only 1.8% of classes are taught by teaching assistants, and 406 out of 616 faculty members held PhDs as of 2013. </p> <p>Additionally, Valdosta State features an Air Force ROTC program and is recognized as a military friendly school. This means that <i>GI Jobs Magazine</i> has distinguished this institution for its commitment to providing educational opportunities to members of the military as well as their children and spouses. These include degree-completion programs, online degrees and professional development programs. </p> <p>Valdosta State also offers traditional academic majors and minors ranging from applied mathematics, biology and athletic training to interior design, marketing and sociology. Some unique programs in American Sign Language interpreting and environmental geoscience are available as well. </p> <p>In addition to the variety of academic programs, you might be interested to learn that Valdosta State students graduated with an average debt of $23,847 in 2011, according to the College Board. This was $2,813 less than the average debt of students nationwide. The cost of room and board at Valdosta State is also lower than at many other 4-year schools. With a cost of $7,070 for the 2012-2013 academic year, per <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i>, housing expenses were $2,245 less than the national average cost of $9,315. </p> <h2 id="section---GettingInFinancialAidAtValdostaStateUniversity">Getting In &amp; Financial Aid at Valdosta State University</h2> <p>According to NCES, 59% of students who applied to Valdosta State were admitted in 2012, which is slightly lower than the national average acceptance rate of 63.8% for 2011. A little more than half of those admitted (53%) actually decided to enroll. </p> <p>Applicants to Valdosta State are expected to have completed a college preparatory curriculum while in high school and to have a minimum composite score of 900 on the math and reading sections of the SAT. NCES reported that the middle half of accepted students scored 480-560 in reading and 470-550 in math in 2012. The school also accepts applicants with ACT composite scores over 18, though only 29% of students submitted these test results in 2012. </p> <p>Valdosta State accepts students on a rolling basis. Once you've submitted your standardized test score reports, high school transcripts and application, you can expect the school's admission decision within 7-10 days. </p> <p>According to College Board, 82% of undergraduates at Valdosta State applied for need-based financial aid in 2011, and 23% of applicants had their full need met. The average financial aid package for first-year students at this time totaled $14,611, and 43% of that aid consisted of grants and scholarships. This means that the remaining aid offered consisted of work-study aid and loans. Criteria used to determine your eligibility for need-based financial aid at Valdosta State include residency and minority status as well as any possible talents you may have in the areas of art, music or athletics. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Admissions and Financial Aid</th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2013)</i> </td><td> Rolling admissions*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Financial Aid Application Deadline (2013)</i></td><td> June 1*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Admission Notification Date (2013)</i> </td><td> 7-10 business days upon receipt of documents*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Application Fee (2012-2013)</i></td><td>$40**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Acceptance Rate (2012)</i></td><td> 59%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Tuition &amp; Fees (2012-2013)</i></td><td> $5,792 in-state; $15,613 out-of-state**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average Financial Aid Package (2011-2012)</i></td><td> $14,611 for first-year students***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Percent of Students With Need Met (2011)</i></td><td> 23%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2011)</i></td><td> $23,847***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i></td><td> 8.2%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtValdostaStateUniversity">Student Life at Valdosta State University</h2> <p>According to NCES, Valdosta State has a diverse student body of more than 13,000 students. In 2011, 54% of undergraduates were White and 34% were Black or African American; 4% of the student population was Hispanic or Latino. </p> <p>One of Valdosta State's points of pride is its NCAA Division II softball team, which won the national championship in 2012. With 183 registered clubs and organizations, you'll have plenty of options to keep you busy, even if you're not a softball fan. </p> <p>Almost two-thirds of undergraduate students at Valdosta State live off campus, which accounts for its designation by College Board as a commuter campus. This was despite of the fact that all first-year students are required to live in one of the university's residence halls. If you're interested in attending the university from out of state, you might also want to be aware that Valdosta, GA, is located more than an hour's drive from the international airports in Orlando and Atlanta, though there is a regional airport only ten miles away. </p> <p><i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> lists business, healthcare and education as some of the popular majors at Valdosta State, and the school encourages students to extend learning outside of the classroom by taking advantage of internships as well as study abroad and community service opportunities. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life</th><th /></tr> <tr><td><i>Campus Setting</i></td><td> Small city**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Population (2011)</i></td><td> 10,728 undergraduate and 2,361 graduate students**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2011)</i></td><td> 40% male to 60% female**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of Full-Time Students (2011)</i></td><td> 86%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of In-State Students (2011)</i></td><td> 97%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of International Students (2011)</i></td><td> 1%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Retention Rate (2011)</i></td><td> 67%**</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> 78% of first-year students, and 28% of all undergraduates***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> 1*</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Extracurricular Activities</i></td><td>183 clubs and organizations****</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Noteworthy</i></td><td> 2012 NCAA Division II softball national champions*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *VSU, **NCES, ***College Board, ****U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> </p> <h3 id="section---ContactInformation">Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> 1500 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31698-0170 </li><li><i>Phone:</i> (800) 618-1878 or (229) 333-5791</li></ul>