University News
Western Continues High Marks In University Ratings Publications
August 30, 2005
MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University officials look at its top tier ratings among Midwestern colleges and universities as an endorsement of institutional success and as a benchmark for the goals outlined in �Higher Values in Higher Education,� Western�s strategic plan.
Princeton Review�s �Best Midwestern College 2006� guide lists Western as among the best 158 colleges and universities in the Midwest based on student opinion data from a total of 646 schools. It is the second consecutive year Western has received the designation from Princeton Review.
As a top tier Midwestern University in US News and World Report ratings Western has established an outstanding record for its residential experience, access for transfer students and its affordability, according to Assistant to the President for Planning and Budget Joe Rives (pronounced REEVES).
Western is among 24 public universities included in the Midwest top tier of 71 masters institutions. Nationally Western is 70th among all public masters comprehensive universities in the 2006 US News listing.
�Western is the only Illinois public university where more than half of the undergraduates live on campus and is among the top 100 public universities in the country for enrolling transfer students,� Rives said.
Western is also the only university in Illinois with a Cost Guarantee program which freezes tuition, fees and room and board rates for incoming students at undergraduate and graduate levels. The Western program is the model for the state�s truth-in-tuition program and has helped students control costs, Rives added.
Western ranks ninth for public Midwest regional universities for lowest student debt load ($13,900) and is 19th for public Midwest regional universities for lowest percentage of graduates with debt (66 percent). The Western Illinois University Alumni Association has implemented a Student Loan Consolidation Program that locks in fixed interest rates, lowers monthly payments by as much as 54 percent and simplifies repayments into one monthly payment.
In addition to Western�s Cost Guarantee and other financial incentives, Western offers a special admission program to students who wish to enroll in school, but have not achieved the minimum requirements for general admission. Among the entering freshman class of approximately 1,900 each year, Western admits 300 new freshmen who show academic promise but do not meet all minimum entrance standards.
�While the inclusion of special admission students lowers our freshman ranking according to the U.S. News reporting system, we strongly believe our commitment to making higher education available to a wide range of high school graduates is essential,� Rives added. �It�s important to provide educational opportunities to students who otherwise might not attend a four year university.�
�As Western continues to implement the �Higher Values in Higher Education� strategic plan we can further measure our progress in areas of affordability, retention, graduation and other categories through the US News rankings as we strive to achieve our vision to become the leading comprehensive university in the United States,� Rives said.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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