45.7% of WVU freshmen come from West Virginia (home, transfer to)

[Evergrey]

Where Does Your Freshman Class Come From? - Facts & Figures - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Over half of WVU freshmen come from out-of-state.

West Virginia 2,267 45.7%
Pennsylvania 749 15.1%
Maryland 442 8.9%
Virginia 388 7.8%
New Jersey 386 7.8%
New York 245 4.9%
Ohio 150 3.0%
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[ClarkStreetKid]

Va.

[ChristineVA]

My daughter was one of them. VA also.

[CTMountaineer]

So what? That just means WVU is an attractive national university that also has nearly twice as many students from West Virginia as any other school. WVU is the only true large/national university in our state, and while it has a state mandate, it also has a national mandate by virtue of its status as a Land Grant school. It was founded with Federal money.

West Virginia is also our state's flagship, comprehensive doctoral level institution. Since we are a small state, that national character is essential in order to maintain that level of proficiency.

[mattec]

Or it just means that its cheap and easier to get into than the home state schools of out of state students...

[adam36]

Originally Posted by mattec

Or it just means that its cheap and easier to get into than the home state schools of out of state students...

Easier - wouldn't know - though it's difficult to give a kid a failing grade - department (won't say which) always wants to fight it. Cheaper - definitely.

The reality of modern baccalaureate-level education is that no school is much harder than any other school, so I doubt WVU is easier. You can interpret retention stats through two lenses - the common one is that schools with low retention have such because they bring in many bad students. The other side of the issue is that the low retention rate is actually a positive because the students are not getting through. Look at data carefully and interpret reasonably - not just how someone else does.

[CTMountaineer]

State school admissission requirements for in state students typically vary with population dynamics in a particular state. Also, many out of state universities in large states start their more marginal students out in branch campuses with them moving to the main campus in year 3. Ohio State, Pitt, and Penn State are examples. We do take some students on our main campus that would be in branch campuses at some schools, but overall the requirements are similar. The difference is the reporting statistics differ because we make less use of the branch campuses.

In addition, you have to consider the applicant pool. In our state, for example, state schools will give a kid with a 2.0 average a chance but there are differences in pre requisite courses. WVU requires 2 years of the same foreign language in high school along with advanced math. Other schools might require 2 years but allow different languages, and require three math courses but not an advanced math (calculus, etc.).
Our students are as qualified as any, and the fact that our graduates, on average, earn higher salaries than do Pitt graduates is a testiment to that quality. The product speaks for itself.

[Evergrey]

Originally Posted by CTMountaineer

the fact that our graduates, on average, earn higher salaries than do Pitt graduates is a testiment to that quality. The product speaks for itself.

That's interesting. Can you provide us with a source for this analysis?

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

That's interesting. Can you provide us with a source for this analysis?

Yep... Top US Colleges

To find the comparison easily, go to "filter list by state schools".

[ChristineVA]

Well, I hate to say this because it doesn't speak too well of my daughter's academic record but she is in WVU because her GPA was poor in high school and NOT ONE Virginia 4-Year Public School would accept her. WVU did. She is now in her third year there, could transfer to a VA state school at this point, but loves WVU now.

A good friend of mine is a WVU alum and has told me that their acceptance standard is a bit lower than many colleges; however, they are pretty serious about booting you out if you cannot perform. So while they are easier to get into (maybe not the engineering/medical school), they expect you to maintain a certain standard when you get there. LOTS of kids are asked to leave after freshman year.