The average acceptance rate at Western Carolina over the past 10 years is 60.90%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 81.83%. Compared to the previous year, it became slightly more competitive to gain admission to Western Carolina in 2025.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 21.33%, and the 2025 yield is 12.70%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 44.76% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Western Carolina applicants increased by 8.57% (1,559 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 11.54% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 81.83%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Western Carolina is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 12.70%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Western Carolina. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Western Carolina received approximately 19,742 applications, admitted 16,154 students, and enrolled 2,052 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Western Carolina is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
Western Carolina 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Western Carolina over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 60.90%, while the most recent rate stands at 81.83%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 81.83%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 60.91% and for women is 61.01%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Western Carolina have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 40.27% | 40.88% | 39.85% |
| 2016-17 | 40.69% 0.42% |
42.18% 1.30% |
39.68% -0.18% |
| 2017-18 | 38.84% -1.85% |
41.71% -0.47% |
36.99% -2.69% |
| 2018-19 | 39.66% 0.82% |
42.35% 0.65% |
37.94% 0.95% |
| 2019-20 | 68.71% 29.05% |
68.78% 26.42% |
68.66% 30.72% |
| 2020-21 | 48.48% -20.23% |
49.29% -19.49% |
47.98% -20.69% |
| 2021-22 | 79.00% 30.51% |
79.00% 29.71% |
80.00% 32.02% |
| 2022-23 | 84.84% 5.84% |
83.07% 4.07% |
86.10% 6.10% |
| 2023-24 | 86.66% 1.82% |
83.16% 0.09% |
88.92% 2.83% |
| 2024-25 | 81.83% -4.84% |
78.64% -4.52% |
84.01% -4.92% |
| Average | 60.90% | 60.91% | 61.01% |
Western Carolina has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 23.00% in 2015 to 12.70% in 2025, representing a 44.76% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 21.33%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Western Carolina from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 44.76% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 23.00% | 25.21% | 21.46% |
| 2016-17 | 25.84% 2.85% |
27.89% 2.68% |
24.36% 2.90% |
| 2017-18 | 26.53% 0.68% |
28.37% 0.48% |
25.18% 0.82% |
| 2018-19 | 28.65% 2.12% |
30.84% 2.47% |
27.09% 1.91% |
| 2019-20 | 27.56% -1.09% |
30.03% -0.81% |
25.89% -1.20% |
| 2020-21 | 25.01% -2.55% |
27.87% -2.15% |
23.16% -2.73% |
| 2021-22 | 18.00% -7.01% |
21.00% -6.87% |
16.00% -7.16% |
| 2022-23 | 12.71% -5.29% |
14.10% -6.89% |
11.83% -4.17% |
| 2023-24 | 13.35% 0.64% |
14.87% 0.76% |
12.45% 0.61% |
| 2024-25 | 12.70% -0.64% |
13.99% -0.88% |
11.93% -0.52% |
| Average | 21.33% | 23.42% | 19.94% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 16,905, the average number of admitted is 10,155, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 1,953.
The number of Western Carolina applicants increased by 8.57% (1,559 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 11.54% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Western Carolina University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 17,699 | 7,127 | 1,639 |
| 2016-17 | 18,297 3.38% |
7,445 4.46% |
1,924 17.39% |
| 2017-18 | 19,391 5.98% |
7,532 1.17% |
1,998 3.85% |
| 2018-19 | 19,344 -0.24% |
7,672 1.86% |
2,198 10.01% |
| 2019-20 | 11,128 -42.47% |
7,646 -0.34% |
2,107 -4.14% |
| 2020-21 | 15,036 35.12% |
7,290 -4.66% |
1,823 -13.48% |
| 2021-22 | 12,308 -18.14% |
9,723 33.37% |
1,750 -4.00% |
| 2022-23 | 17,917 45.57% |
15,201 56.34% |
1,932 10.40% |
| 2023-24 | 18,183 1.48% |
15,758 3.66% |
2,103 8.85% |
| 2024-25 | 19,742 8.57% |
16,154 2.51% |
2,052 -2.43% |
| Average | 16,905 | 10,155 | 1,953 |
The following table compares Western Carolina University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Carolina University | 86.66% | 81.83% | -5.57% |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 81.09% | 77.02% | 5.28% |
| Samford University | 82.36% | 82.23% | 0.16% |
| Mercer University | 68.89% | 66.46% | 3.66% |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 22.72% | 98.09% | -76.84% |
| Furman University | 42.95% | 52.57% | -18.30% |
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