University News

Western Illinois University: Academic Profile, Dual Enrollment Increase

September 5, 2018

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL -- With new academic initiatives underway, including the McCamey Crime Lab in the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration, enhanced scholarship opportunities, including a revamped Western Commitment Scholarship program, numerous new online programs in development and a focus on high-demand programs, Western Illinois University is positioned for the future and enrollment stability.

"Western has provided outstanding educational opportunities since 1902, and we are restructuring academic programs and resources to meet our goals of attracting and retaining students," Associate Vice President for Student Services and Interim Director of Undergraduate Admissions Jason Woods noted.

According to Woods, Western's academic profile has increased this fall. The average GPA of incoming students is 3.31, up from 3.22 in Fall 2017, while the new freshman ACT average is 21.3 (up from 20.8). Participation in the University's dual enrollment program, which allows high school students to take college courses, has also increased to 58 (from 41) students this fall, and Western's extension numbers have also increased, Woods added.

In addition, Honors College Dean Rick Hardy expects Honors enrollment to exceed 1,000 students again this year. Students who have grade point averages of 3.4 and higher are eligible to join the Centennial Honors College.

"Western continues to deliver on its mission. We have outstanding academic programs and incredible resources and opportunities for students to succeed at Western Illinois University. Our faculty and staff are committed to having a positive impact on our students," said Vice President for Student Services Ron Williams. "We need to impress upon the citizens of this state that Illinois public higher education, particularly WIU, will provide an outstanding education and prepare individuals for a successful future."

According to the University's 10th day enrollment report, the total number of new freshmen enrolling this fall is 934, with Western's total Fall 2018 enrollment at 8,502 [Macomb: 7,235; Quad Cities: 1,267]. Total undergraduate enrollment is 6,754, while total graduate enrollment is 1,748. Fall 2017 enrollment figures are available at https://tinyurl.com/ychxlwbe.

"We are a leading institution in terms of quality and unique academic programs," Woods added. "We are confident that we will see a positive change in enrollment, persistence and completion."

A college fair, featuring Western, along with other public and private universities, will be held on the WIU-Macomb campus Thursday, Sept. 13. In addition, Western has refined and enhanced its automatic scholarship program, the Western Commitment, for those new freshmen entering in Fall 2019. Beginning Sept. 1, prospective students can now also self-report ACT/SAT scores and grade point averages for earlier application and acceptance.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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