University of West Georgia

Public · Moderately Selective · GA

Photo: USGS (Public Domain)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationGA · South

SettingRural

Undergrads7,520

Student:faculty18:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate24.8%

6-yr grad rate43.5%

Drop-out rate22.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$6k

Out-of-state tuition$18k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity50.7%

Gender diversity62%

International1.3%

Identity—

Overview

Public regional university in Carrollton, an hour west of Atlanta, part of the University System of Georgia. It is predominantly undergraduate and primarily residential, serving as an anchor institution for west Georgia while also drawing heavily from the Atlanta metro. Its modest size lets it keep a traditional campus feel despite functioning as an access-oriented regional university rather than a research flagship.

Academics

Core strengths sit in the College of Education, long the largest program on campus and a major regional teacher-training pipeline, along with nursing and business through the Richards College of Business. The university has also built out criminal justice and communication programs that draw commuting students from surrounding counties. Class sizes lean smaller than at Georgia's larger public flagships.

Campus & student life

The Carrollton campus is compact and walkable, mixing traditional dormitories with suburban-style apartment housing. Athletics compete at the Division I FCS level as the Wolves, and football and basketball carry visible energy on game days. A meaningful share of students commute from nearby Atlanta suburbs, giving campus culture a blend of residential and commuter life rather than one dominant mode.

Getting in

Admission is a straightforward, credential-based review rather than a heavily holistic process, consistent with Georgia's public university system relying on GPA and coursework rigor. It functions as an accessible option for students throughout west Georgia and metro Atlanta, including many first-generation college students, without the elaborate essay-and-interview culture found at the state's most selective public flagships.

Worth knowing

The education program carries a long-standing reputation across Georgia's public schools, with many west Georgia teachers and principals holding West Georgia degrees. The university's history as a two-year institution before expanding into a full university still shapes some of its older academic traditions.

westga.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate51.6%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 950–1140 · ACT 17–22

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early actionOct 31

Regular decisionJan 31

AdmissionRolling

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying