Education

So Your Academic Credentials Suck! Here Are 14 Perfectly Good Colleges With High Acceptance Rates

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It’s back-to-school time across America. One of many things that means is that many high school seniors — not to mention other people considering college enrollment — must confront and lament their less-than-stellar grades and test scores.

If your credentials aren’t so good, or if you have a kid or two in such a predicament, don’t panic! The Daily Caller is here to help.

Here are 14 colleges and universities around the country which have wonderfully high acceptance rates and which range from good to pretty good.

West Virginia University (Photo: Youtube) With 180 degree programs and an acceptance rate around 85 percent, West Virginia University is a name-brand university to which you — yes, you! — can probably get admitted. The flagship state school with a famous tradition of couch-burning boasts among its alumni actors Don Knotts and Chris Sarandon, that guy who played Prince Humperdinck in the movie “The Princess Bride.”

Loyola University Chicago YouTube screenshot Loyola University ChicagoIf you are looking for a very solid education from a well-known school, you could do way, way worse than Loyola University Chicago. The acceptance rate at the Windy City’s Jesuit school is over 90 percent. The windswept campus on Lake Michigan is very nice. A second campus in the heart of the Gold Coast is even better. Notable alumni include former White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley and some amazing editors.

University of Wisconsin: Milwaukee (Photo: Youtube)It’s not Madison and never will be, but the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the largest university in the metropolitan area of Milwaukee and it’s a nice consolation prize for any resident of the The Badger State looking for a good, affordable degree. The acceptance rate hovers around 88 percent. Alumni include Golda Meir, Israel’s famed fourth prime minister, and Satya Nadella, the current CEO of Microsoft.

Texas El Paso YouTube screenshot UTEPNo matter what your grades are you can almost certainly find an academic home at the University of Texas at ​El Paso, which has an acceptance rate pretty close to 100 percent. UTEP offers over 150 degree programs. Notable attendees include Oscar-winning actor F. Murray Abraham. To date, UTEP is the only school in Texas to bring home a NCAA men’s basketball Championship. The 2006 movie “Glory Road” describes the win.

University of Wyoming YouTube screenshot University of Wyoming FoundationThe acceptance rate at the University of Wyoming is nearly 96 percent. The flagship state school of over 13,000 students offers 170 academic programs. The surrounding town of Laramie is charming. Outdoor enthusiasts — and anyone who enjoys a cold winter — will find plenty of thrills and chills. Famous alumni include Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss and former vice president Dick Cheney.

YouTube screenshot University of Colorado BoulderStudents at the University of Colorado-Boulder enjoy great academics and perhaps the best college town on the planet. After graduation, UC Boulder’s national reputation can carry students far. Notable alumni include Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of “South Park,” and a bunch of astronauts.

University of Kansas YouTube screenshot College Fight MusicThe University of Kansas is a large, well-known and academically excellent school in a very cool college town. The hilly (yes, hilly) campus is beautiful. And, of course, the KU men’s basketball team is an annual powerhouse. Games in Allen Fieldhouse are a semi-religious experience.

YouTube screenshot AuburnTigersAuburn University, out on the plains of Alabama, has as an acceptance rate of nearly 83 percent. Enrollment is almost 20,000. Notable alumni include Apple CEO Tim Cook and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales. Auburn is also a space-grant research center. If you attend, you’ll say “War Eagle” a lot and you will likely develop a lifelong hatred for the University of Alabama.

Drexel University YouTube screenshot Drexel UniversityThe acceptance rate at private, Drexel University is close to 82 percent. The gritty, urban location in  the heart of Philadelphia, Pa. can be less than ideal but, on the plus side, Drexel is one of the only universities in the country with a serious cooperative education program. It allows students to gain up to a year of paid work experience before graduation.

Suffolk University YouTube screenshot suffolkuniversityThe annual acceptance rate at Suffolk University is about 80 percent. This midsize, private school offers solid, career-oriented academics and a location in downtown Boston — arguably America’s collegiate capital and a neat place to spend a few years.

YouTube screenshot IowaStateCheerIowa State University is a big, name-brand school with a slew of great programs and an acceptance rate of about 86 percent. Off campus, Ames is underrated as a college town. Also, through thick and thin, Iowa State has very loyal sports fans. Notable alumni include George Washington Carver.

University of Dallas YouTube screenshot University of DallasThe University of Dallas is a small, private Catholic bastion actually located 15 miles outside of Dallas. The big draw here is a world-class great books program. All students must complete a true liberal arts core curriculum replete with English, history, math and theology. The acceptance rate is around 88 percent.

Arizona State University boasts one of the largest undergraduate student populations in the nation and a generous acceptance rate of over 80 percent. This mega-school is home to over 1,000 student organizations and offers more than 250 undergraduate majors. Big-school atmosphere doesn’t get much bigger. The party scene is, of course, rightfully legendary. Distinguished attendees include lefty golfer Phil Mickelson, Wonder Woman Lynda Carter and television host Jimmy Kimmel.

public domainMissouri University of Science and Technology is located in the rural Show-Me State town of Rolla has an acceptance rate of about 90 percent. Don’t let that number fool you. It’s a hardcore place where you are likely to flunk out quickly if you can’t hack it — especially if you go the engineering route. Its regional reputation is tremendous. Missouri S&T also has a great tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day because, of course, St. Patrick is the patron saint of engineering.  Former students include Jack Dorsey, the co-creator of Twitter.

(Photo credits: YouTube screenshot/ucanhali123, YouTube screenshot/Loyola University Chicago, YouTube screenshot/UW-Milwaukee Media Team, YouTube screenshot/UTEP, YouTube screenshot/University of Wyoming Foundation, YouTube screenshot/University of Colorado Boulder, YouTube screenshot/College Fight Music, YouTube screenshot/AuburnUniversity, YouTube screenshot/Drexel University, YouTube/screenshot suffolkuniversity, YouTube screenshot/IowaStateCheer, YouTube screenshot/University of Dallas, Getty Images/Christian Petersen, public domain)