Bridgewater College vs Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU)

Bridgewater College and Virginia Wesleyan University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Virginia, offer distinct educational experiences. Bridgewater College, nestled in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Virginia Wesleyan University, located in the vibrant city of Virginia Beach, attracts a diverse student body, with a higher percentage of international students. While Bridgewater College excels in the fields of business, education, and health professions, Virginia Wesleyan University shines in the areas of business, communication, and psychology. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, ensuring that students are well-prepared for their future endeavors. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Bridgewater College	Virginia Wesleyan University
Overview
Location	Bridgewater, Virginia	Virginia Beach, Virginia
Campus setting	Suburb: Small	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	68.0%	66.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Anabaptists	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.1%	86.4%
Application fees
SAT range	1065 - 1250	1150 - 1380
ACT range	22 - 28	27 - 31
Students submitting SAT score	17.0%	13.0%
Students submitting ACT score	3.0%	4.0%
Total number of applicants	3,388	2,076
Total number of admissions given out	2,544	1,793
Admitted students who chose to enroll	398	341
Yield rate	15.6%	19.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$52,750	$51,994
Average net price	$19,592	$22,584
Tuition	$37,500	$36,010
Room & board	$13,360	$10,264
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $32,545	99.0% Average amount $27,737
Students receiving federal student loan	66.0% Average amount $5,510	62.0% Average amount $5,299
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $14,207	13.0% Average amount $13,485

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,427 Men 46.3% Women 53.7%	1,241 Men 39.2% Women 60.8%
Graduate students	36 Men 36.1% Women 63.9%	83 Men 41.0% Women 59.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	1.8%	1.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,380	858
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Biological and Biomedical Sciences Psychology Communication and Journalism Liberal Arts	Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Multidisciplinary Studies Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	62.1%	46.8%
Dropout rate	37.7%	16.2%
Transferred out	N/A	36.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,588 Year 2: $38,559 Year 3: $45,603 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,293 Year 2: $41,565 Year 3: $42,550 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,003 Year 2: $31,042 Year 3: $40,629 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,642 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $40,434 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,400 Year 2: $26,353 Year 3: $40,402 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $36,416 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,542 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $35,072 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,753 Year 2: $30,771 Year 3: $34,515 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,038 Year 2: $32,467 Year 3: $33,797 Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $23,649 Year 3: $26,916	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,664 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $43,880 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,137 Year 2: $35,330 Year 3: $42,341 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: $38,256 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,903 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $35,121 Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,851 Year 3: $33,071 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,084 Year 2: $26,643 Year 3: $30,475 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $30,197 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $19,227 Year 3: N/A Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: N/A International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,781 Year 3: N/A

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