New Programs at Western Illinois University Support Access for All Students
By Riley Cosgrave, 11th and 12th Grade Counselor
Quick Stats on Western Illinois University (WIU):
• Location: Macomb, IL
• Total Enrollment: 11, 458 Students
• Average Class Size: 21 Students
• Student: Faculty-15:1
• 2014-15 freshman class size: 1,535
Students In the interest of making higher education more affordable, one of the premiere state universities, Western Illinois University (WIU), has adopted a number of initiatives to increase enrollment for many diverse populations. Starting with a simple formula to calculate admission (using a combination of ACT scores and GPAs) students are now readily able to see if they are admissible on their own. Students with a score of 20 on the ACT and 3.0 GPA will automatically receive $2,000 annually in financial assistance. If they are Pell Grant-eligible, they may receive additional money equaling up to $5,000 annually. In some of the best news yet, undocumented students are eligible for both merit- and need-based aid, creating opportunities for our DREAMers.
In addition, the new Linkages Program allows students to take classes at both WIU and Spoon River College (a community college that feeds into WIU) to significantly reduce the cost of attendance. Students who are concurrently enrolled at Spoon River College and WIU will be eligible to reside in University Housing at WIU and receive in-district rates at the community college. All admitted students to WIU will receive the chance to visit campus with a guest, and ensure it is the right fit for them to attend. According to the three students from the class of 2015 that are now attending WIU, the chance to visit campus helped make the decision to attend that much easier.
Source: Andy Borst. “State Articulation Conference.” Director of Admissions at Western Illinois University. Northeastern University, Chicago, IL. 25 September, 2015.