NC STate university
Officially, NC State reports that for freshman admission, the most important factor affecting admission is the student's high school academic record. The most competitive students take a rigorous college prep curriculum and maintain at least a B+ average or better throughout high school. When reviewing your application, the Admissions Office considers: Level and difficulty of classes taken, overall GPA and class rank, SAT or ACT Plus Writing scores not more than 5 years old, extracurricular activities including leadership and community service.
Each year NC State becomes more competitive. In 2008, 58.7% of applicants were accepted. By 2012, only 49.1% of applicants were accepted. The freshman class of 2012-2013 included 111 valedictorians, 95 salutatorians, and 79% of the class was in the top 20% of their high school class. The average weighted GPA was 4.37. The average unweighted GPA was 3.65 with an average SAT math/reading score of 1219 and ACT composite of 27. Sixty-six percent (2,869) of first year students that intended to enroll submitted AP scores with an average of 4.4 AP exams per student.
In addition to traditional, on-campus courses, NC State offers a Distance Education program where anyone admitted to the school can take online classes in a variety of subject areas. This allows students to balance family or work demands with their education. To prepare our graduates to land the best jobs in the fields they've chosen, beginning freshman year, NC State offers co-op, internship, service-learning and other applied opportunities to students for on-the-job experience. These programs not only increase employability, they also let students explore their choice of majors or career fields, work with experienced professionals and state-of-the art equipment, develop communication skills and a knowledge of workplace cultures, earn money for college and develop more specific career and lifetime goals. Many NC State professors encourage their students to study abroad. The university offers opportunities to study with a group from NCSU or to study individually at a university abroad for credit at State. Over 1,000 students take advantage of these programs each year.
Although the Wolfpack family includes more than 31,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff, you’re more than a nameless face in the crowd at NC State. The student-to-faculty ratio is 18 to 1, while the average class size is 35, ensuring that your professors know you and you have the opportunity to build lasting relationships with your classmates and faculty as well.