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Western Washington University (WWU)

Black Pinpoint WWU Office of Admissions 516 High St | Bellingham, WA | 98225-9009

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01. Overview

02. Rankings

Rankings and Lists

Ribbon icon

Best Northeast
Ribbon icon

Green Colleges
Ribbon icon

The Best 389 Colleges

03. Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Applicants Icon
Applicants
14,058
Acceptance Icon
Acceptance Rate
93%
GPA Icon
Average HS GPA
3.43

Deadlines

Early Action
November 1
Regular
January 31

SAT & ACT Test Scores

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
580 - 680

SAT Math

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
530 - 640

SAT Composite Scores

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
1130 - 1220

ACT Composite Scores

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25th-75th percentile (enrolled students)
22 - 30

What would you score on the digital SAT today?

Take an SAT Practice Test

Testing Policies

Superscore ACT
No
Superscore SAT
Yes
Standardized testing policy for
use in admission:
Test Optional

Other Admission Factors Academic

Admission Factors Icon
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Admission Factors Icon
Academic GPA

Selectivity

4. Cost, Tuition, Expenses

Expenses per Academic Year

Approximate Expenses per year
$0

05. Academics

Student Faculty Icon
Student/Faculty
17.54 : 1
Acceptance Icon
Total Faculty
968
Terminal Degree Icon
Terminal Degree
680

Gender

Women
514
Men
454
Minority
167
International
67

Class/Lab sizes

Most frequent class size
10-19
Most frequent lab/sub section size
10-19

Rating

Graduation Rates

Graduate in 4 years
42%
Graduate in 5 years
61%
Graduate in 6 years
66%

University Degrees

Bachelor's
Certificate
Doctoral/Professional
Doctoral/Research
Master's
Post-Bachelor's certificate
Post-Master's certificate

Prominent Alumni

Bill Wright

First African American to win a USGA golf event

Ralph Munro

Former Secretary of State, Washington

Eric Dinerstein

Former Chief Scientist for the World Wildlife Fund

William Dietrich

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and novelist

Heidi Grant Murphy

Former Metropolitan Opera soloist

Ben Gibbard

Lead singer for Grammy-nominated band Death Cab for Cutie

TJ Martin

Oscar and Emmy winning documentary filmmaker

06. Student Body

Gender

56% female44% male

Out of State

13% are out
of state87% are
in-state

Students

89% are
full time11% are
part time

Student Body Profile

Total Undergraduate Enrollment
13,752
Foreign Countries Represented
41

Student Body Demographics

American Indian or Alaskan Native
0.55%
Asian
5.85%
Black
1.96%
Hispanic
11.31%
Caucasian
69.14%
Unknown
1.82%
International
0.68%

07. Mental Health

Wellness Program/Clinical Offerings

Institution has a mental health/wellness program that makes counseling, referral, and well-being services available to all students
Yes
Mental Health Website
https://www.wwu.edu/chw

Education & Training

Types of training available for students and faculty/staff
Program
Availability
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
Available for all students;
Available for faculty & staff;
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Not Reported
SafeTALK
Not Reported
Mental Health First Aid
Available for all students;
Available for faculty & staff;
Talk Saves Lives
Not Reported
Other:
Available for all students;
Other trainings description:
Available trainings include: Suicide Prevention, Consent and Healthy Relationships, Stress Resilience, and Mental Wellness Resources. Required Trainings for students: Mandatory "Voices for Change" training to all first-year, second-year, and new graduate students (sexual assault and violence prevention, and bystander intervention training) and Title IX Training for student athletes.

Engaging the Whole Campus

Institution has a Chief Behavioral Health Officer (and/or Chief Wellness Officer)
Yes
Clinicians are trained to provide care to these specific groups:
Undergraduates
Graduate students
Racial/ethnic minority student
Students who are veterans
LGBTQIA+ students
Student-athletes
International students
Students on scholarship or financial aid
First-generation students
Please provide details on specific trainings:
Beyond relevant trainings in their masters and doctoral coursework, here are additional trainings staff have completed: Impact of Unresolved Trauma on American Indian Health Equity; Affirmative therapy with trans and nonbinary clients (Hosted by APA Division 17); Black Girls are Magic, Not Invincible: Healing Racial Trauma in Black Women; All Patients Safe 6-Hour Suicide Prevention Training; Barriers to Decolonizing Collegiate Mental Health; Telemental Health: What the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Taught Us About the Application of Telemental Health to Our Marginalized Communities; Designing Racial Equity in Higher Education: An Institutional Wellness Approach; Dance with the Ancestors: Ethical Decolonial Psychological Interventions; Supporting Black Male Athletes: The Intersection of Mental Health and Social Justice; LGBTQ+ Youth: Clinical Skills for the Current Legal/Political Climate; Clinical Frameworks and Applications in Working with LGBTQ+ People of Color; Seeing Ourselves Alongside (not Beyond) Our LGBTQ+ Clients: Clinically Self-Aware Frameworks for Inclusion; Contextualising DBT, CBT, and CFT for LGBTQ+ People; Debunking the Safety Myth: A New Framework for Healing Amidst Uncertainty (LGBTQ+); Affirming Eating Disorder Care for Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Patients; Trans Affirming Care and Practices; Doing Anti-Racism in Clinical Practice: Discussing the Why's and How's; Clinical Considerations for Racial Trauma: Assessment, Intervention and Prevention; Introduction to Decolonizing Psychology: Initial Steps Towards Creating More Inclusive Environments; Critical Race Theory as a Necessary Lens for Clinical Practice; Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies (Trauma Research Foundation);

Peer-to-Peer

Institution has peer-to-peer offerings relating to mental health
No

Residential Life

Institution incorporates mental health and wellness into the residential experience
Yes
A brief description of offerings:
Mental health Care Specialists work in the University Residences and provide after-hours support services.

Student Orientation

Students who are provided an opportunity to participate in mental-health-orientation activities
First-year students
Services offered
Incoming transfer students
Services offered
else {
Not Reported
}
Returning students
Services offered
Entering graduate students
Services offered

Mental Health in the Curriculum

The institution offers for-credit mental health/well-being education for students
No plans for such offerings
The institution offers non-credit mental health/well-being education for students
No plans for such offerings

Off-Campus Offerings

Institution offers referrals to off-campus counseling services
Yes

Health and Counseling Center Accreditation

Institution's counseling center is accredited
Yes
Accrediting body
International Association of Counseling Services

Taking and Returning from Medical Leave

Institution has an official support program in place for students returning from mental health leave of absence
No

Counseling Demand

Number of months a year counseling center is open and fully staffed
12 months

08. Campus Life

Fire safety rating
96%
Students
30%
First-Year Students
84%
Campus Environment
Small Urban
Help finding off-campus housing
Yes

Most Popular Places On Campus

Viking Union Student Center

Red Square

Performing Arts Center

Sehome Arboretum

Student Recreation Center

Most Popular Places Off Campus

Mt. Baker

Lake Whatcom (Western's Lakewood Facility)

Local businesses and shops

Historic Fairhaven

Chuckanut Drive/Bellingham Bay

9. Campus Visits

Campus Visits Contact

Diana Feinson
Assistant Director of Admissions
Location Icon
Office of Admissions 516 High Street, Mail Stop 9009 Bellingham, WA 98225-9009
Phone icon
360-650-3440

Campus Tours

Campus Visiting Center

Monday - Friday

Calendar icon
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Phone icon
360-650-3440

Campus Tours

Appointment Required:
Yes
Dates:
Year-round
Times:
Varies
Average Length:
2 hours

Visits

CLASS VISITS

Dates/Times Available
Academic Year
Arrangements
While individual class visits are unavailable, school groups can coordinate a visit by visiting this webpage (https://admissions.wwu.edu/visit), or link to: https://admissions.wwu.edu/visit/group-visits. Students who attend our spring visit program for admitted students will have the opportunity to meet with academic department representatives.

FACULTY AND COACH VISITS

Dates/Times Available
Academic Year
Arrangements
https://wwuvikings.com/sports/2018/6/4/information-for-prospective-student-athletes.aspx
Advance Notice
2 weeks

Contact Email Address for Visit

Individual coach email addresses available on staff directory page located below;

Globe Iconadmissions@wwu.edu

On Campus Interview

Campus Interviews:
No
Information Sessions:
Available
Times:
Western Admissions does not require or hold interviews for students, however counselors are happy to meet with students and families to answer any questions. Information sessions are offered as part of campus tours throughout the week, and we offer 1:1 virtual appointments to answer admissions questions. Students can register for virtual appointments on our campus visits webpage.

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays
Not Available

Campus Tours


TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO CAMPUS

Greyhound buses and Amtrak trains are located in the Fairhaven Transportation Center 5 minutes from campus And FlixBus has a stop at Lincoln Creek Parking Lot, a WWU facility about 5 minutes from campus. The Whatcom Transit Authority (WTA) buses stop every 10-15 minutes on campus. A WWU/WTA bus pass costs students $30.00 per quarter and also provides free access to the Starlight Shuttle, the student late-night shuttle that begin when the WTA buses stop running for the day. Uber and Lyft both operate in Bellingham. The Bellingham International Airport is located 15 minutes from campus and offers flight service to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) and other locations. Many visitors fly into Sea-Tac which is located 1 hour and 45 minutes away and take the Airporter Shuttle, FlixBus, Amtrak, or drive a rental car to Bellingham.


DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO CAMPUS

From Interstate 5, take exit 252 and follow signs to Western Washington University. Enter the campus at South College Drive and stop at the Visitors Center to obtain a campus map and parking permit.

LOCAL ACCOMMODATIONS

There are dozens of hotels, motels, B&Bs and AirBnBs located within 10 minutes of campus. For luxurious lodging, The Hotel Bellwether and The Chrysalis Inn and Spa offer European service with breathtaking Northwest waterfront views. Both hotels are located 5 minutes from campus and rates range from $195-$675 per night. The Four Points by Sheraton and Best Western Heritage Inn offer accommodations with moderate pricing. Conference centers, pools, workout facilities, and newer, clean rooms are a frequent choice for visiting families. The Four Points by Sheraton is located 5 minutes from campus while the Best Western Heritage Inn is located 10 minutes from campus. Rates range from $139-$229 night. For other accommodations, and applicable discounts, see Western's webpage.


10. Sports & Athletics

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Athletic Division II

Participate in intramural sports
13%
Participate in intercollegiate sports
2%

Men's Sports (Vikings)

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Basketball
Icon
Cross Country
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Golf
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Soccer
Icon
Track Field Indoor
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Track Field Outdoor

Women's Sports (Vikings)

Icon
Basketball
Icon
Cross Country
Icon
Golf
Icon
Soccer
Icon
Softball
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Track Field Indoor
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Track Field Outdoor
Icon
Volleyball

11. Housing & Activities

Hosting Features

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Apartment Single
Icon
Disabled Student
Icon
Dorms Coed
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Other
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Theme Housing

Special Needs Admissions

Director
Josef Mogharreban
College Entrance Tests Required
No
Interview Required
No

Student Activities

Registered Student Organizations
224
Number of Honor Societies
17
Number of Social Sororities
0
Number of Religious Organizations
12
Join a fraternity
0%
Join a sorority
0%

12. Student Services

Day Care
Health
Minority Support Groups
LGBT Support Groups

Sustainability

School Has Formal Sustainability Committee
Yes
Sustainability-focused degree available
Yes
School employs a sustainability officer
Yes
Public GHG inventory plan
Yes

Green rating

91%

Food budget spent on local/organic food

26%

Available Transportation Alternatives

School Adopted A Policy Prohibiting Idling
Checkmark icon
School Developed Bicycle Plan
Checkmark icon

CAMPUS SECURITY REPORT

The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.

Please visit The Princeton Review's page on campus safety for additional resources:

Visit Page
Warning Icon

The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/

Other Information

Campus-wide Internet Network
Checkmark icon
Fee for Network Use
Checkmark icon
Personal computer included in tuition for each student
X Mark icon
Discounts Available with Hardware Vendors
Checkmark icon
Description Dell, Apple

13. Financial Aid

Dates

Icon
Notification DateMar 20

Required Forms

FAFSA

Financial Aid Statistics

Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$12,829
Average Undergraduate Total Need-Based Gift Aid
$12,626
Average Need-Based Loan
$4,335
Undergraduates who have borrowed through any loan program
40%
Average amount of loan debt per graduate
$21,835
Average amount of each freshman scholarship/grant package
$6,902
Financial aid provided to international students
Yes

Available Aid

Financial Aid Methodology
Scholarships and Grants

Need-Based Aid

01 - Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
02 - Need-Based Federal Pell
03 - Need-Based Private Scholarships
04 - Need-Based SEOG
05 - Need-Based State Scholarships

Federal Direct Student Loan Programs

01 - Direct PLUS Loans
02 - Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
03 - Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans

Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFEL):

01 - State Loans
Is Institutional Employment Available (other than Federal Work Study)
Yes

14. Career Services & Jobs

Graduation Rates

Graduate in 4 years
42%
Graduate in 5 years
61%
Graduate in 6 years
66%

Career Services

01 - Alumni Network
02 - Alumni Services
03 - Classes
04 - Interest Inventory
05 - Internships
06 - Regional Alumni

Opportunities at School

01 - Experiential
02 - Internship

15. Majors

Down Arrow Icon

01 AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES.
  • Canadian Studies.
  • East Asian Studies.
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other.
  • Latin American Studies.
Down Arrow Icon

02 BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
  • Biochemistry.
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General.
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology.
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography.
  • Neuroscience.
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03 BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
  • Accounting.
  • Business Administration and Management, General.
  • Finance, General.
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce.
  • Management Information Systems, General.
  • Management Science.
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General.
  • Operations Management and Supervision.
Down Arrow Icon

04 COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
  • Journalism, Other.
  • Journalism.
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric.
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05 COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General.
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance.
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06 EDUCATION.
  • Art Teacher Education.
  • Bilingual and Multilingual Education.
  • Biology Teacher Education.
  • Chemistry Teacher Education.
  • Computer Teacher Education.
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching.
  • Earth Science Teacher Education.
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs.
  • Elementary Education and Teaching.
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education.
  • French Language Teacher Education.
  • German Language Teacher Education.
  • History Teacher Education.
  • Mathematics Teacher Education.
  • Music Teacher Education.
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching.
  • Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education.
  • Social Science Teacher Education.
  • Social Studies Teacher Education.
  • Spanish Language Teacher Education.
  • Special Education and Teaching, General.
  • Special Education and Teaching, Other.
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other.
Down Arrow Icon

07 ENGINEERING.
  • Manufacturing Engineering.
  • Polymer/Plastics Engineering.
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08 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
  • Creative Writing.
  • English Language and Literature, General.
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09 FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
  • Chinese Language and Literature.
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General.
  • French Language and Literature.
  • German Language and Literature.
  • Japanese Language and Literature.
  • Linguistics.
  • Spanish Language and Literature.
Down Arrow Icon

10 HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General.
  • Community Health and Preventive Medicine.
  • Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other.
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse.
Down Arrow Icon

11 HISTORY.
  • History, General.
Down Arrow Icon

12 LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies.
Down Arrow Icon

13 MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
  • Applied Mathematics, General.
  • Mathematics and Statistics.
  • Mathematics, General.
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14 MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.
  • Biological and Physical Sciences.
  • Marine Sciences.
  • Mathematics and Computer Science.
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General.
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other.
  • Sustainability Studies.
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15 NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
  • Environmental Science.
  • Environmental Studies.
  • Natural Resources Management and Policy.
Down Arrow Icon

16 PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, AND FITNESS STUDIES.
  • Kinesiology and Exercise Science.
  • Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies.
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17 PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
  • Philosophy.
  • Religion/Religious Studies.
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18 PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
  • Chemistry, General.
  • Geology/Earth Science, General.
  • Geophysics and Seismology.
  • Physics, General.
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19 PSYCHOLOGY.
  • Developmental and Child Psychology.
  • Psychology, General.
Down Arrow Icon

20 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
  • Human Services, General.
Down Arrow Icon

21 SOCIAL SCIENCES.
  • Anthropology, Other.
  • Anthropology.
  • Archeology.
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics.
  • Economics, General.
  • Economics, Other.
  • Geography.
  • Political Science and Government, General.
  • Sociology.
Down Arrow Icon

22 VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation.
  • Art/Art Studies, General.
  • Dance, General.
  • Design and Visual Communications, General.
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General.
  • Film/Cinema/Video Studies.
  • Industrial and Product Design.
  • Music History, Literature, and Theory.
  • Music Performance, General.
  • Music Theory and Composition.
  • Music, General.
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General.

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