Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is a public university in Edwardsville, Illinois, located just 25 miles from the city of St. Louis. SIUE was first established as a branch of Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the 1950s. Today, the school is located on a 2,660 acre campus, one of the largest in the nation and complete with a number of lakes on campus. There are over 14,000 students enrolled at SIUE at any given time. SIUE has a strong reputation for accomodating veterans and active military personnel and attracts many military-minded students.

The university maintains branch campuses in East St. Louis and Alton as well as several community outreach programs and charter schools in St. Louis. The SIUE East St. Louis Center offers comprehensive training, programs, and service to over 6,000 people a year in the fulfillment of their mission to improve the lives of families and individuals in East St. Louis and surrounding urban communities.

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Information Summary

Ranks 22nd in Illinois and 561st overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	85.9
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$25,637
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	27 / 1220
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	17 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	75% / 30%
Enrollment Total (all students)	13,281

Academics

There are eight schools and colleges at SIUE, including College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Education, School of Nursing, School of Dental Medicine, School of Pharmacy, and the Graduate School. 68% of undergraduates study in the arts and sciences department, 10% study in the education department, 9% study in the business department, 8% study in the engineering department, and 5% study in the nursing department.

In addition to the main campus, SIUE owns University Park, a 330 acre technology park which serves to connect students with research and work opportunities in their field. Other internships and work opportunities are available at the Southwest Illinois Advanced Manufacturing Center (SIAM), a facility for basic and applied research in the development and improvement of products and processes, as well as the Environmental Resource Training Center (ERTC), the Illinois center for continuing education for water and wastewater systems.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Admissions to SIUE are competitive. Prospective students may apply online. Application requirements include application form, high school transcripts, ACT or SAT scores, and a modest fee. The average ACT score of incoming first-year students is 22.7.

Prospective students wishing to enter the School of Dental Medicine, Nurse Anesthesia program, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, or Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership should apply separately to the appropriate department.

Financial Aid

SIUE has the lowest tuition of the 12 state universities in Illinois, a draw for many prospective students. In addition to the wide range of state and financial options open to any college or university student in Illinois, SIUE offers several of its own need- and merit-based scholarships.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4586th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Illinois.

Students

Demographics

Roughly 54% of undergraduates are female and 46% are male. The average age of students is 24. 90% of students are from the state of Illinois, 8% come from other states (and off those, 75% are from Missouri), and 2% are international students. There is an international student population of more than 400. The most strongly represented countries include Turkey, China, India, Nepal, and Kenya.

Clubs and Organizations

SIUE offers a wide variety of student clubs and organizations to meet various personal and professional interests. The student newspaper at SIUE is The Alestle. It is published online on Tuesdays, in print on Thursdays during the school year, and on Wednesdays in the summer. There are nearly 20 fraternities and sororities on campus.

There is a strong emphasis on volunteerism at SIUE. Participants in the Student Leadership Development Program must complete 60 hours of volunteer service, with at least half of those in the larger Edwardsville community. All enrolled students are eligible to participate.

Living on Campus

Residents include several traditional residence halls and on-campus apartments in the 62-building Cougar Village. The residence halls all feature computer labs, Learning Resource Centers, and social lounges. Focused Interest Communities are based in Bluff Hall. First year students who wish to live on campus will be placed in Prairie Hall, Bluff Hall, or Woodland Hall. Upperclassmen, graduate students, and families may live in Evergreen Hall or Cougar Village Apartments. All residences are furnished, air conditioned, and provide wireless access and cable television access. Each residence hall is fully equipped to house disabled students.

Students at all levels are eligible to live in Focused Interest Communities (FIC), which group students in similar areas of study within the residences and foster community through social events, extracurricular learning opportunities, and field trips. FICs for first year students include business, education, engineering and technology, health professionals, nursing, psychology, future leaders, scholars, sustainability in society, and quest (a FIC for students undecided about their career direction). Upper-class FICs include second year experience, eco-house, cougar enterprises, and international house.

Dining on Campus

There are several dining options on campus, including traditional dining halls and fast food outlets, such as Pizza Hut, Auntie Anne’s, Taco Bell Express, and The Wok.

Child Care

SUIE provides a child care center for the children of enrolled students. College students studying early childhood education participate in practicums at the center.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The athletic department at SIUE is known as the Cougars. The Cougars compete at the intercollegiate level in NCAA Division I. Intervarsity men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field, and wrestling. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. For several decades the university was home to live cougar mascots, but discontinued the practice in the late 1980s. The current “cougar” is Eddie the cougar, who wears a jersey with the number 57 on it to commemorate SIUE’s founding date.

Faculty

The student-faculty ratio at SIUE is 17 to 1. Full-time faculty teach 78% of the classes, part-time faculty teach 19% of classes, and just 3% of classes are taught by graduate assistants.

Bibliography

ESLC. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Web. July 26 2011.
Factbook. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Web. July 26 2011.
Fiske, Edward B. Fiske Guide to Colleges 2011. Chicago: Sourcebooks, 2010. Print.
Housing. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Web. July 26 2011.
Pope, Loren. Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That’s Right for You. New York: Penguin. 2007. Print.

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville