Yeah Wolfpack !

So I usually do not do two posts in one day but I have to brag a little bit.
I was reviewing this year’s Princeton Review for the 100 Best Value Colleges for 2009 and NC State ranks #6 in the top ten Public Universities! Go Wolfpack!

Here is the little “blip” that was written about us:
(and check out the rest of the article here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/best-value-colleges.htm)

North Carolina State University

About the School:
Science and technology are a big deal at North Carolina State University, which also has nationally reputable major programs in architecture, design, textiles, management, engineering, agriculture, humanities and social sciences, education, physical & mathematical sciences, natural resources, and veterinary medicine. The College of Engineering and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences form the backbone of the academic program. Professors are generally well prepared to work inside the classroom, and students must often be prepared to work outside the classroom; an important part of NC State’s undergraduate curriculum is its cooperative education program, which allows students to work in the real world for college credit. The university’s First Year College is also notably good at helping undecided students select a major.

Students are a very open, friendly, and tight-knit group, especially considering they attend one of the nation’s larger schools. Of course, when upward of 30,000 graduate and undergraduate students congregate in the same place, it’s a given that great people who have common interests will get along. Atlantic Coast Conference sports are a major part of life. On-campus food and dorms aren’t that great, but a majority of NC State students live off campus and almost all of them go outside of campus to find fun things to do. The campus is big but not too spread out, and its location in the heart of Raleigh allows access to lots of shopping. The bars on Hillsborough Street are also very popular. Raleigh is home to many local bands; hence, students enjoy a happening music scene.

School Stats:
Undergrad enrollment: 22,070
57% male and 43% female
4.12 Average high school GPA
16:1 student to faculty ratio
9% classes taught by TAs

Bang For Your Buck:
At North Carolina State annual expenditures for research and industry-sponsored programs exceed $440 million. The university is ranked 16th among national research universities that conduct nonfederally funded research and 35th nationally in its total expenditures for research and development. It is also ranked 2nd in total state and local research funding among (big-time) research universities. The bottom line is that there is a lot of research going on and a lot of money funding it.

Despite recent tuition increases, NC State continues to be a bargain. The average scholarship and grant packages have increased along with tuition; perhaps more importantly, the average loan debt of students has decreased. Tuition for residents is incredibly low. Out-of-state tuition rates are good, but not great—NC State is not always affordable for nonresidents with a high financial need. The university offers a number of merit-based scholarships, including about 50 Park Scholarships. These scholarships cover full tuition for four years and are awarded on the basis of scholarship, character, leadership, and service. In addition, several hundred merit scholarships are awarded to undergraduates each year, many of which are based on your major. Financial need is a requirement for the allocation of a large percentage of scholarships and grants. The philosophy is to offer loans as a last resort and to first exhaust all scholarship, grant, and work funds.

The Bottom Line:
A year of tuition, fees, room and board, and books is approximately $12,682 for residents and $24,980 for nonresidents. Financial need notwithstanding, there is a huge difference between what residents and nonresidents will have to pay out of pocket. Maybe that’s why only 7 percent of NC State’s domestic undergraduate students hail from outside the Old North State. About 50 percent of all NC State students take out loans—students who borrow money graduate with an average loan debt of roughly $14,930.

CONGRATULATIONS NC STATE!