About Appalachian State University

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Nestled at the base of Howard Knob, the university is located in downtown Boone, NC (year-round pop. 15,000), a small town which thrives as one of the Southeast's premier tourism and outdoor recreation destinations. The nearby Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest provide a beautiful natural setting with unlimited possibilities for outdoor adventure.

1. U.S. News & World Report's 2008 America's Best Colleges Guide placed Appalachian fifth among the South's top masters-degree granting public universities and 10th among public and private universities in the South. Appalachian has ranked in the top 15 among southern universities since the rankings first appeared in 1986.
2. Appalachian is one of 186 colleges in the nation considered a best value for undergraduate education, according to The Princeton Review. The listing appears in the 2008 edition of "America's Best Values in Colleges."
3. Appalachian has been included in Consumers Digest magazine's listing of the top 50 best values for public colleges and universities. In the article "2007 College Road Map — Making the Right Choices," the magazine ranks Appalachian 21st based on cost, quality of education offered, academic excellence of freshman enrollment, student-faculty ratio, graduation rates and the number of faculty members holding a Ph.D. or highest terminal degree in their field. These factors were weighed against out-of-state tuition.

4. Appalachian is included in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's "100 Best Values in Public Colleges." In the February 2007 listing, Appalachian ranks 31st in terms of in-state costs.
5. Contributions to the Appalachian State University Foundation Inc. exceeded $11.6 million in the 2006-07 fiscal year. The Yosef Club for scholarships for student-athletes received $1.28 million in private giving in 2006-07, a 92 percent increase from 2004-05.
6. Eight types of bachelor's degrees with 98 undergraduate major programs are available at Appalachian. Eight types of master's degrees with 45 programs are available at the graduate level. Additionally, Appalachian offers majors leading to an educational specialist degree, one major leading to a specialist in school psychology, and one major leading to a doctorate of education. Several graduate certificate programs are offered as well.
7. Appalachian provides study abroad opportunities in more than 17 countries.
8. Faculty/student collaboration on research and creative endeavors is highly encouraged at the undergraduate level. A total of $11.1 million in research grants and contracts was awarded to the university in 2006-07.
9. The Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) office at Appalachian provided an estimated $1.74 million of volunteer service to the community during the 2006-07 school year based on the national standard for volunteer time.