O3 Student Base, Needs, Requirements

Western students characteristically are first-generation college students coming from families with one of the lowest average income levels in the Missouri four-year public sector. Students qualify for need-based aid at a level that is nearly 17 percent greater than the average at Missouri four-year public higher education institutions. Eighty-three percent of students receive some form of financial aid; 52.4 percent receive need-based aid.

According to Fall 2006 data, most of Western’s 5,295 students came from Missouri and surrounding counties. Ninety-one percent (4,842) of students were Missouri residents. Seventy-three percent (3,879) came from a ten-county area. Eight percent (447) came from out of state, and 0.2 (11) were international students.

Sixty-nine percent of students (3,647) were full-time students. Ninety-one percent (4,769) were degree-seeking. Twenty-two percent of all students were nontraditional (age 25 and older). Twenty percent of students lived on campus. Fifty-nine percent of all students were female and 41 percent were male. More than 14 percent of students who reported their ethnic origin were minorities. Of the total enrollment, 10 percent were African-Americans. Caucasians comprised about 85 percent of the student enrollment. The average age of all students was 23.7 years.

In Fall 2006, about 26 percent (363) of the new degree-seeking students at Western transferred from other institutions. There were 189 new students from approximately 35 colleges and universities within Missouri, and 169 new students transferred from 30 other states. Major two-year “feeder” schools in Missouri were Maple Woods Community College (30), North Central Missouri College (23), and Penn Valley Community College (11). Major four-year “feeder” schools were Northwest Missouri State University (35), Central Missouri State University (18), and the University of Missouri—Columbia (7). There were 69 students from colleges and universities in Kansas (31 of those were from Highland Community College), 16 from Iowa colleges and universities, 11 from Illinois, and 10 from California.

In Fall 2006, Western had 1,055 first-time degree-seeking freshmen. Twenty-one percent graduated in the upper 20 percent of high school classes. The average age of incoming freshmen was 20 years. The average ACT was 19.5. If just-out-of high school students identified as tri-risk (about 114) are excluded, the average ACT is 22. Tri-risk is defined as not having completed the high school core, ranking below the 50th percentile high school rank, and having an ACT less than 17. With these students excluded, Western recruits students similar in profile to more selective Missouri four-year institutions. Six-year fact trends can be found on the Institutional Research web site.