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ECU ASU UNC Charlotte UNCW University of North Carolina at Asheville ETSU UNCG NC State UNC Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Pembroke BYU GS| Meredith College | Western Carolina University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Meredith | WCU | ||
| Location | Raleigh, NC | Cullowhee, NC | ||
| Setting | Large City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 1,587 | 11,635 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #396 | #763 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | meredith.edu | wcu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Meredith | WCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $42,420 | $1,000 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $42,420 | $5,000 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,544 | $11,173 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,259 | $13,022 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $29,825 | $4,526 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 99% |
Admission |
Meredith | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,775 | 17,917 | ||
| Admitted | 1,299 | 15,201 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 73.2% | 84.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 25.6% | 12.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.52 | 3.44 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 22/28 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1140/1320 | 1020/1240 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 15, 2025 | Mar 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Meredith | WCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Meredith | WCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 59% | 50% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,000 | $39,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 58% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $22,010 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $227 |
Diversity |
Meredith | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 41% | ||
| % Women | 98% | 59% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 79% | ||
| % Black | 10% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Meredith | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 80% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 18% | ||
Campus |
Meredith | WCU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Carolina University is larger than than Meredith based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,587 students)
Meredith vs. WCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Meredith or WCU?
- Meredith College is 4,142% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($42,420.00 vs. $1,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 748.4% higher at Meredith than Western Carolina University ($42,420.00 vs. $5,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Meredith ($13,022 vs. $23,259)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 12.3% lower than costs at Meredith College ($11,173 vs. $12,544)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Meredith College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Meredith College students is 559% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($29,825 vs. $4,526)
Meredith vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Meredith or WCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WCU or Meredith .
- The average SAT score at Meredith College (1036) is 4 points higher than at WCU (1032)
- Incoming Meredith students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
- Accepted freshman Meredith students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WCU (3.44)
- WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Meredith (73.2%)
Meredith vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Meredith or WCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between WCU and Meredith.
- The graduation rate at Meredith is higher than Western Carolina University (59% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Meredith College earn on average $900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,100)
- Western Carolina University students graduate with a $3,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Meredith graduates. ($22,010 vs. $26,000)
- WCU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Meredith graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
- More Meredith graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 58%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/