North Carolina A & T State University (NCAT) Introduction and History

Introduction

For students looking for a university where minority students are pushed to excel in the sciences, North Carolina A&T State University may be the right choice.

A historically African-American college, North Carolina A&T State University produces more minority graduates in science, math, engineering and technology than any other university in the nation. The university also produces many minority graduates in the areas of veterinary science, business and landscaping.

Located in Greensboro, N.C., the university has a 200-acre urban campus and a 492-acre rural campus for its agricultural programs. The college is a large enrollment school and is also a research university.

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Information Summary

Ranks 26th in North Carolina and 940th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	81.1
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$18,136
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	22 / 1110
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	23 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	77% / 38%
Enrollment Total (all students)	12,142

History

The university was founded as a mechanical school for African-Americans in 1891, at the same time an agricultural and mechanical college was being established for whites. The college was located in Raleigh until 1893, when private donations of money and land allowed the college to relocate to Greensboro. The school enrolled female students from 1893 until 1901, and resumed co-ed studies in 1928.

The college played a role in North Carolina’s civil rights movement in 1960 when four A&T freshmen demanded service at an all-white eatery in Richmond. Students were inspired by their action and the famous Greensboro sit-ins occurred. In 1967, North Carolina A&T became a university.

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Academics

Primarily a hard science school, North Carolina A&T State University nevertheless has academic majors to suit a variety of interests.

The university offers 116 bachelor’s degrees, 54 master’s degrees and seven doctoral degrees.

Business and Marketing: 17 percent of enrollment
Engineering: 13 percent of enrollment
Communications/Journalism: 9 percent of enrollment
Psychology: 7 percent of enrollment
Engineering technology: 6 percent of enrollment

The university has a faculty to student ratio of 18-to-1, and less than 40 percent of courses have class sizes of less than 20. The first-year retention rate, a measure of student satisfaction and institutional support for students, is about 73 percent.

The university has been engaged in a number of agricultural, engineering and other research projects, including projects to remove allergens from peanuts and a recent $18 million grant from the National Science Foundation to establish an an Engineering Research Center.

A new doctoral program in nanotechnology was recently approved for the university and a facility for the program is expected to open in January 2012.

Like most colleges and universities, North Carolina A&T State University has branched out into distance learning and offers 240 courses online and 12 degrees may be earned entirely online. U.S. News and World Report ranks North Carolina A&T State University as the No. 11 historically black college in the nation and also gives the university high marks for its social work and engineering programs.

North Carolina A&T State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which accredits schools in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas, and American schools in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

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Admissions

North Carolina A&T State University has a selective admissions policy, however, nearly 61 percent of all students applying to UNC Pembroke are accepted.

Students applying to the university are required to submit high school transcripts, SAT/ACT scores, documentation of civic or community involvement, character references, class rank, and extracurriculars.

Most North Carolina A&T State University students have a GPA of 3.25 or higher and SAT scores of 810 or higher.

The priority deadline to apply to the university is Feb. 15.

As of Sept. 2011, the university has a $45 application fee.

Financial Aid

Students applying to North Carolina A&T State University are eligible for federal grants and student loans. There are also a number of grants and scholarships offered by the state of North Carolina, the college and other organizations that students may be eligible for.

The college’s website has a comprehensive list of scholarships and other programs, such as loans, students can use to attend class at North Carolina A&T State University.

Incoming freshmen are eligible for the Lewis and Elizabeth Dowdy Scholarship, which covers the full cost of tuition and is available to students with a 3.75 high school GPA and a 1200 SAT or 26 ACT score.

The college’s office of financial stands ready to help students find other grants and scholarships they may be eligible for. About 63 percent of North Carolina A&T State University students receive financial aid of some type. The average financial aid award is around $5,247.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 3859th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in North Carolina.

Students

North Carolina A&T has an enrollment of more than 9,000 students, and the student body is predominately African-American. Enrollment is majority female (53 percent). The average student age is 22.

Located in Greensboro, N.C., students at North Carolina A&T State University can take advantage of all the benefits of living in the Triad, one of the most progressive, economically growing areas of the Southeast. The city has received plaudits for its beauty and livability and has a number of attractions students can enjoy.

The North Carolina A&T State University campus also offers many stimulating recreational and learning opportunities. Students can take advantage of a fitness and wellness center and they can also participate in a number of student organizations, including professional and academic groups, religious organizations, recreational clubs and more.

There are nine fraternities and six sororities at North Carolina A&T.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

North Carolina A&T State University teams compete in NCAA Division I and in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The university has a proud athletic tradition with many conference titles.

The university offers men’s football, baseball, basketball, track and field and cross country; and women’s basketball, volleyball, bowling, tennis, cross country, softball, tennis and track and field.

The men’s football team has won 11 conference championships. The men’s basketball team has had 15 MEAC championships and has made multiple NCAA championship appearances. The men’s baseball and women’s basketball teams have also won a number of conference titles.

North Carolina A&T teams are known as the Aggies. Team colors are blue and gold.

Bibliography

College Portraits – North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University – Campus Life at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University." College Portraits. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.collegeportraits.org/NC/NCAT/campus_life>.

“University of North Carolina—Pembroke | Overall Rankings | Best College | US News.” US News & World Report | News & Rankings | Best Colleges, Best Hospitals, and more. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-north-carolina-

The College Board College Handbook, 2010 . 47th ed. New York: College Board, 2009. Print.
McGrath, Anne. Ultimate college guide 2010 . 7th ed. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks Inc., 2009. Print.

North Carolina A & T State University