Applicants, Acceptance Rate, Yield Trends at WCU

36.19%

Applicants - since 2015

19.72%

Acceptance Rate

The average acceptance rate at WCU over the past 10 years is 76.21%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 78.40%. The acceptance rate at WCU is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.

The acceptance rate has decreased each year for the past 3 years, indicating increasing selectivity.

The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 26.23%, and the 2025 yield is 22.42%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 30.68% from 2015 to 2025.

The number of WCU applicants increased by 4.41% (726 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 36.19% overall.

Key Takeaways: WCU Admission Metrics

Acceptance Rate Overview

The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 78.40%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that WCU is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.

Yield Rate & Enrollment Patterns

The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 22.42%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at WCU. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.

Application Volume & Admission Trends

For the 2025 admission cycle, WCU received approximately 17,193 applications, admitted 13,479 students, and enrolled 3,022 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that WCU 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.

Acceptance Rate Changes

WCU 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at WCU over the past decade show a consistent pattern of increasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate declining year-over-year for 3 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 76.21%, while the most recent rate stands at 78.40%. 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 78.40%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 74.72% and for women is 77.17%.

The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at WCU have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 58.68% 59.22% 58.39%
2016-17 64.48%
5.80%
64.96%
5.75%
64.21%
5.82%
2017-18 68.50%
4.02%
69.91%
4.94%
67.71%
3.50%
2018-19 74.44%
5.94%
75.22%
5.31%
73.99%
6.29%
2019-20 75.32%
0.88%
72.91%
-2.31%
76.66%
2.67%
2020-21 86.25%
10.93%
83.21%
10.30%
87.98%
11.32%
2021-22 89.00%
2.75%
84.99%
1.78%
92.00%
4.02%
2022-23 87.85%
-1.15%
84.80%
-0.19%
89.71%
-2.29%
2023-24 79.20%
-8.65%
77.00%
-7.80%
80.54%
-9.17%
2024-25 78.40%
-0.80%
75.01%
-1.99%
80.49%
-0.06%
Average 76.21% 74.72% 77.17%
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Acceptance Rate Trends Over Time - Historical Admission Rate Data Visualization Chart

Admission Yield (Enrollment Rate) Changes

WCU has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 32.34% in 2015 to 22.42% in 2025, representing a 30.68% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 26.23%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.

The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at WCU from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 30.68% over this period.

YearTotalMenWomen
2015-16 32.34% 33.53% 31.68%
2016-17 30.20%
-2.15%
32.15%
-1.39%
29.08%
-2.59%
2017-18 30.31%
0.11%
32.46%
0.31%
29.06%
-0.02%
2018-19 31.11%
0.80%
32.67%
0.21%
30.20%
1.14%
2019-20 25.28%
-5.82%
28.36%
-4.31%
23.65%
-6.55%
2020-21 22.77%
-2.51%
25.09%
-3.26%
21.53%
-2.13%
2021-22 21.00%
-1.78%
24.01%
-1.08%
18.99%
-2.53%
2022-23 23.16%
2.16%
25.36%
1.35%
21.88%
2.88%
2023-24 23.67%
0.51%
25.89%
0.53%
22.37%
0.49%
2024-25 22.42%
-1.25%
25.56%
-0.33%
20.61%
-1.76%
Average 26.23% 28.51% 24.91%
West Chester University of Pennsylvania enrollment rate trends chart showing historical yield changes from 2015 to 2025

Applicants, Admitted, and Enrolled Headcount Changes

Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 14,167, the average number of admitted is 10,876, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 2,766.

The number of WCU applicants increased by 4.41% (726 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 36.19% overall.

The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at West Chester University of Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2025.

YearApplicantsAdmittedEnrolled
2015-16 12,624 7,408 2,396
2016-17 12,604
-0.16%
8,127
9.71%
2,454
2.42%
2017-18 12,667
0.50%
8,677
6.77%
2,630
7.17%
2018-19 12,002
-5.25%
8,934
2.96%
2,779
5.67%
2019-20 15,077
25.62%
11,356
27.11%
2,871
3.31%
2020-21 14,234
-5.59%
12,277
8.11%
2,796
-2.61%
2021-22 14,020
-1.50%
12,478
1.64%
2,620
-6.29%
2022-23 14,778
5.41%
12,982
4.04%
3,006
14.73%
2023-24 16,467
11.43%
13,042
0.46%
3,087
2.69%
2024-25 17,193
4.41%
13,479
3.35%
3,022
-2.11%
Average 14,167 10,876 2,766
West Chester University of Pennsylvania - 10 Year Applicants, Admissions, and Enrollment Trends Chart

Compare Acceptance Rate Change to Similar Colleges

The following table compares West Chester University of Pennsylvania' acceptance rate to similar schools.

20242025Change %
West Chester University of Pennsylvania79.20%78.40%-1.01%
The Pennsylvania State University---
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus60.56%54.22%11.69%
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus58.08%49.70%16.86%
Temple University80.41%82.92%-3.03%
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus91.15%80.27%13.55%

Ratings & Review

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