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Western Carolina University
Admissions

Interested in attending Western Carolina University?

On this page, you'll learn how difficult it is to get into Western Carolina University, we'll dig into high school grades and test scores, and you'll find out the factors the school considers when reviewing applications.

71
%
Acceptance rate
3.44
Average High School GPA
February 1
Regular admission deadline

Admission Rates

Is it difficult to get into Western Carolina University?

71%

Using the most up-to-date data on record, Western Carolina accepted 71% of applicants. We classify this as less selective.

In the most recent year, 19,788 people applied and 14,001 were accepted.

Accepted/Applied
Women
8608 / 12041 (71%)
Men
5393 / 7747 (70%)

Acceptance rates at colleges can change over time, with some becoming more competitive and others accepting more students. Here’s a look at the acceptance rate trend for the past 3 years at Western Carolina University:

100%
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
2024
2025
2026

Acceptance rates at schools can vary depending on if the student is in-state, out-of-state, or international.

13%
Enrollment of those accepted
Low
Yield rate

Of those accepted, 13% ended up enrolling at Western Carolina University, making their yield rate Low. The yield rate is the percentage of accepted students who enroll at the school. You can use the yield rate to find out how coveted a school is for the students who apply to it.

Application Factors

You can increase your chances of getting into Western Carolina University by looking at what the school considers during the application process.

Here are the things Western Carolina considers:

Very Important

  • Academic GPA
  • Class Rank
  • Rigor of Secondary School Record
  • Standardized Test Scores

Important

  • Application Essay
  • Character/Personal Qualities
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Level of Applicant's Interest
  • Recommendation(s)
  • Talent/Ability
  • Work Experience

Considered

  • First Generation
  • Geographical Residence
  • Interview
  • State Residency
  • Volunteer Work

Not Considered

  • Alumni/AE Relation
  • Religious Affiliation/Commitment

Grades & Testing

Do you have the grades and test scores to get into Western Carolina University?

3.44
Average High School GPA

Grades

Students who recently attended Western Carolina University as freshmen had an average unweighted high school GPA of 3.44. 16% of freshmen who attended Western Carolina were in the top 10% of their graduating high school class, and 41% were in the top 25% of their graduating high school class.

These are the high school grade point averages (unweighted) of students who enroll:

High School GPAs
4.00
6%
3.75-3.99
25%
3.50-3.74
21%
3.25-3.49
17%
3.00-3.24
15%
2.50-2.99
14%
2.00-2.49
2%

Applicants submitting SAT Scores

5%

Applicants submitting ACT Scores

19%
SAT Math Scores
25th Percentile
520
75th Percentile
610
SAT Verb Scores
25th Percentile
560
75th Percentile
650
SAT Composite Scores
25th Percentile
1090
75th Percentile
1250

Application Deadlines

These are the deadlines for applying to Western Carolina University. Application deadlines are subject to change, so please verify all deadlines with the school.

Regular Admissions

February 1
Regular admission deadline
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CollegeIQ® relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

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