Weber State University
Weber State University (visited 9/26/18)
Weber (pronounced “wee-ber” … “We’re not the grill!” said the Director of Admissions) is a dual-mission university offering 2- and 4-year degrees. “We pride ourselves in taking kids from where they are to where they want to be. We know how to challenge you, and we care enough to do it. You cannot avoid professors. They’re going to know who you are.” There are no TAs; all classes are taught by professors, half of whom are adjuncts because they work in their field and bring pragmatic experiences to the classroom.
There is something here for all students from the high-flyers who know exactly what they want to those who may never have though that college was for them. Because there’s no community college north of Salt Lake City, Weber has an open-enrollment mission for the 2-year programs imbedded in who they are. Students who complete the AA degree in good standing and who want to continue on may do so. Many students are first-gen because of the community college aspect; they’re on the cusp of being named a Hispanic-serving institution because of the large community in Ogden.
They have six campuses in two counties; the main campus is in Odgen. “We’re where metro meets the mountains,” said an admissions rep. Many industries (“from the IRS to ski resorts”) are headquartered here. Downtown – about 1.5 miles north of campus – is “one of the most fun, eclectic areas you’ll see.” They sit directly on the side of Mount Ogden which students hike during homecoming. A ski resort sits on the other side. “Not that I recommend this, but if you wanted to hike it up and ski down the other side, I guess you could skip the lift fee…”
A lot of students come to Utah because of the accessibility to outdoor sports, particularly skiing. Students who live in Res Hall 3 (Yes, that’s really the name; there’s also Res Hall 1. The 2nd one got named. Go figure) get a free ski pass. “The point is to group those students together. A lot of skiers and outdoors people live there,” said the tour guide. Other places give discounts to students.
Students are involved here, on and off campus. Apparently, Paddleboard Yoga is a big deal. Outdoor trips are plentiful and cheap: weekend trips cost around $35; a 5-day rafting trip cost $50. They offer 15 DI sports: Football is big and women’s soccer “is a lot of fun to watch.” Parking isn’t much of an issue: there’s plenty of space at the basketball stadium. Shuttles run every 5 minutes, and local buses also stop on campus.
About 1100 students live on campus, many from outside Utah. Cost of housing depends on if they live in Wildcat Village (traditional style) or University Village (apartment) and if they’re in singles or doubles. Out-of-state students get a $1000 scholarship if they live on campus. Every student gets a Wildcard pass, getting them free travel on Light Rail from the SLC airport to downtown Ogden (about 45 minutes). From there, they get an express shuttle (also free) to campus. They can also take free Express Buses into Provo and SLC. Because SLC is a Delta Hub, it’s easy to get into.
Classes are small; our tour guide’s largest class had 50 students (Intro to Anthropology); the smallest had 7. “That was Intro to Outdoor Pursuits. We talked about risk management and leading groups.” The 7 academic colleges offer amazing options:
- Health Professions students have the benefit of one of the state’s premier hospitals right across the street. Weber offers a range of options including Radiologic Services, Respiratory Therapy, Emergency Healthcare, and Nursing.
- Nursing “can be ridiculously competitive,” said an admissions rep; interested students are admitted to pre-nursing. They graduate more Nurses here than anywhere in the state.
- Radiology is 2nd after JHU.
The Science building is amazing! “It’s science on display. All rooms have windows except the cadaver lab,” said the tour guide. The biggest room seats 68.
- They offer the only botany major in the state.
- In addition to the usual offerings, students can major in Microbiology, zoology, and geosciences.
- Engineering and Applied Sci&Tech
-
The mascot
They have one of the only 4-year Automotive programs in the country.
- They just started a Mechanical Engineering
- Their Construction Management includes Interior Design, Building Design, Facilities Management, and Construction Management tracks.
-
- Their Social and Behavioral Science college has new buildings.
- Forensic Sciences (complete with bullet lab!) has a high job placement rate.
-
The Bell Tower quad
Education: There is a small pre-school and a high school (Northern Utah of Tech with 300 students) on campus.
- The Department of Health and Human Performance has a new Outdoor & Community Recreation Education
- Students coming out of the Business School have a 94% job placement at graduation. There is a lot of alumni support for internships and job placement.
- In addition to being it being a major, engineering students can do a cross-over minor in Supply Chain Management.
- Economics majors can complete Quantitative, Legal Studies, or International an emphasis.
Applications are straight-forward and on the website (they aren’t on Common App); they do not need an essay. Test scores can come from the testing agency or the transcript. They have a 12/1 priority deadlines for scholarships. They start awarding scholarships on 12/2 and will award until they run out of money. In-state tuition is under $6,000; out-of-state is under $16,000; WUE is under $9000. They have solid scholarships (the top one brings the out-of-state cost to in-state). All tuition scholarships are guaranteed for 4 years if they maintain a 2.5GPA with 12 credit hours per semester. They award these based on an index score (ACT/SAT + unweighted GPA). Becoming a Utah resident for tuition purposes is relatively easy as long as no one claims the student on another state’s taxes, they spend 1 full year in the state, and get driver’s license/register to vote; this does not apply if they are on WUE.
© 2018
