Established in 1939, McNeese State University is a public university in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Incorporated as Lake Charles Junior college originally, today it is a part of Louisiana State University and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Admission to McNeese State University is relatively easier with an acceptance rate of 70%.

The university is a prestigious name in the US Education System that enrolls around 7,000 students with approximately 8% international students and 60% females. The organization is the only institution in the state of Louisiana to offer the Kodály Certification Program as part of its Music Education degree. It consistently ranks high on career ROI and has been ranked third in Louisiana for the best average starting salary and best college education value by SmartAsset. 

McNeese is a member of the University of Louisiana System which includes nine universities and serves more than 94,000 students and employs 9,000 faculty and staff. The university has 6000 undergraduates and 600 graduates pursuing education with over 6% of them being international students seeking to study in the USA.

Rankings

McNeese State University has been ranked:

  • 6th in the state of Louisiana and 268th in the US in Public Universities by ‘Niche’.
  • 92nd in Regional Universities South by ‘US News’.
  • 161st in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs in the state of Louisiana by ‘US News’.#207-272 in Part-time MBA, #179-236 in Best Nursing Schools: Master's according to US News & World Report.
  • Top Public Universities in America # 268 of 668.
  • Best College Athletics in America # 309 of 1,407. 
  • Best Colleges for Student Athletes in America # 372 of 1,386 as per Niche ratings.
  • 814th in the US and 2340th in the world by ‘UniRank’.

Highlights

Type Public
Campus Setting Urban
Endowment USD 75 million
Cost of Attendance 26,195 USD
Modes of Program Full time; Part-time; Online
English Language Proficiency Proof TOEFL or IELTS
Financial Aid Available through grants, work-study programs and student loans
Student-Faculty Ratio 20:1
Student Retention Rate 66%
Admission Helpdesk admissions@mcneese.edu / 337-475-5504
internationaloffice@mcneese.edu / +1-337-562-4586

Programs, Campus and Accommodation

Courses

  • The University offers a range of courses for international students including over 33 Bachelor’s degree programs, one Associate degree, 17 Master’s degrees, and 10 certificate programs along with one Education Specialist degree program.
  • Agricultural Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health, Sciences, Engineering, and Mathematics are some popular fields in which the university provides certificate or degree programs.
  • The university offers online (Virtual) classes in Criminal Justice, General Studies, Management, Nursing, Psychology, and Sociology.
  • William J. Doré, Sr. School of Graduate Studies, College of Science and Agriculture, College of Nursing and Health professions, College of Liberal Arts, Office of Enrolment Management, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Burton College of Education and College of Business are the academic divisions of the University to provide all the courses offered to international students.
  • McNeese State University also organizes a ‘General Education Core Curriculum’ for its students consisting of coursework from six broad disciplinary areas: English Composition, Mathematics/Analytical Reasoning, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social/Behavioural Sciences.
  • The MBA program lasts 18 months and focusses on developing administrative and leadership insight to enable effective work in a globally competitive environment.

Campus

  • The McNeese University campus was established in 1939 and offers programs through the William J. Doré Sr. School of Graduate Studies and six academic colleges offering courses in agricultural sciences, Business, Teaching Profession, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Professions and Science, Engineering & Mathematics.
  • The University campus consists of 79 buildings spread over 1,560 acres.
  • The main campus encompasses 121 acres and approximately 51 buildings including Kaufman Hall, Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym, and Francis G. Bulber Auditorium; flanked by live oak trees and azaleas.
  • The institute also houses three working farms and the Centre for Advancement of Meat Processing and Production (CAMPP).
  • Being located in a fast-growing area, McNeese provides employment in local petrochemical, agricultural and hospitality industries; as well as hospitals and schools throughout SWLA.
  • McNeese has over 110 student organizations.
  • The University’s campus houses Residence halls, Stream Alumni Center, Burton Business Center, F.G. Bulber Auditorium, Jack V. Doland Athletics Complex, Library, Student Union Complex, Bookstore, Sports Facilities, Academic Centers and other useful buildings.
  • The campus also has many auditoriums, a theater, and Enrollment center and plant operations for managing waste and maintaining environmental health.

Housing facilities/Residence

  • The university has Traditional Dormitory type accommodation, Suite style 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, Garden style 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and Large suite style 6 bedrooms 2 bathroom accommodations divided into 5 residence halls.
  • The University offers all-inclusive rent so students do not have to pay various utility bills separately and provides basic furnishings and amenities in every accommodation.
  • There are fully furnished accommodations also available on campus and the campus has facilities like one site maintenance, swipe card entry, alarm system, laundry services, Internet services, business center, sports facilities and 24/7 patrol for the safety of residents.
  • Fully furnished apartments are available along with free internet, alarm system and swipe card entry.
  • Campus residents need to choose a meal plan while signing their housing lease agreement while Commuter students can pay for their meal anytime.
  • The accommodation rent is around USD 4,500 to 6,000 for one year.

McNeese State University Application Process

How to apply?

Application Portal: The admission application can be made online.

Application Fee: USD 30 non-refundable

Application Deadlines: Fall- August 1; Spring- December 1; Summer- May 15

Standardized Test Scores: SAT score of 1020 and ACT composite score of minimum 20 is required. Graduate programs require GRE/GMAT scores.

Acceptance Rate: McNeese is fairly selective in granting admission with an acceptance rate of 70% in Fall 2018. Over 400 international students constituting 6.1% of the population study at McNeese.

Basic Admission Requirements

  • Official transcripts of High school/College degree with GPA of 2.35 plus or equivalent. These transcripts must be attested by the issuing university or Board.
  • English Language proficient test(s) IELTS 5.0, TOEFL iBT 61 for international non-native English speaking applicants.
  • Financial support documents, Statement of Purpose, Immunization record required.
  • Personal or Virtual Interview
  • GRE/GMAT score (for graduate admission)
  • Immunization Form
  • A copy of your Passport
  • A signed affidavit and bank letter from your sponsor.
  • CV/Resume requirements may vary depending upon the graduate programs.
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation (only for Chemistry and Environmental Science graduates)

McNeese State University Cost of Attendance

The instute scores high on affordability. Housing and Meal Costs are flexible too for convenience. The Net Price Calculator might be used for individualized expected costs. The distribution of expenses in the form of an estimated budget for international students looking to study in the US is as mentioned below.

Cost Head Expenses in USD (Approximate) Academic year
Tuition Fees 20,000
Room and Board (on Campus) 6,820-10,220
Books and Supplies 1,300
Personal Expenses 3,500
Health Insurance 500

Scholarships/Financial Aid for International Students

  • The institute provides Grants, Student Loans, Work-Study Programs, Tuition Waivers and scholarships for international students to study in the USA.
  • McNeese has awarded on average more than 34 million in federal financial aid. The value of average financial aid package exceeds 9,000 and 12,000 USD for undergraduate and graduate students respectively.
  • The University offers a special type of scholarship to undergraduate students known as the ACCESS Award only to United states students from outside Louisiana enabling them to pay the local student fee.
  • For University’s International Graduate scholarship an application needs to be submitted and a GPA of 3-4.0 is required. The application is made at the time of admission only and the student will know about the scholarship grant along with admission only.
  •  The university also has Freshman Academic scholarships based on GPA and standardized test scores and normally given on a first come first serve basis. The amount awarded is USD 18,000 to USD 44,000 for the four year period in a different category of scholarships.
  • Almost 91% of students receive some type of financial aid at the University.
  • Other than Academic, following are the scholarships available to students:
    • Taylor Opportunity for Students (TOPS) for students who graduated from Louisiana high schools after August 1996.
    • Athletic Scholarships.
    • The Horatio Alger National and Bill Doré Louisiana Scholarships for high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives.
    • Honors College Scholarships for those who desire an alternative course of instruction at the college level.
    • Performance Scholarships.
    • Non-Resident/Out of State Scholarships.
  • ‘Direct Subsidized Loans’ and ‘Direct Unsubsidized Loans’ are provided under Student Loans based upon financial need, credit hours and whether one is an independent or dependent student.[xxxvii]
  • To stay eligible for federal financial assistance, a student must maintain a minimum GPA of at least 2.00 and 3.00 as an undergraduate and graduate respectively, along with Minimum Pace i.e.; a minimum number of credit hours per term.

Alumni Network

  • McNeese Alumni association has a newsletter and a magazine and uses online resources to stay connected with its members.
  • There are alumni awards, scholarships, Travel events, credit unions and career centers amongst other services and events organized by the association.
  • The alumni association also has a prestigious license plate costing USD 102 in addition to the registered number plate for the newly purchased vehicles and the money collected goes towards the scholarship money for university students.
  • Some notable alumni of the University are Doug Kershaw, Cajun musician; Chuck Kleckley, Politician; Luke Lawton, Sportsperson; Demond Mallet, Basketball player; Keith Ortego, American football player; Eric Pete, Author; Kavika Pittman, Sportsman; and Dan Richey, Politician.

Placements

Following placement and credit examination programs are run to let students obtain credit and facilitate placement:

  • College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP)
  • McNeese State University Advanced Placement Program
  • College Board College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
  • McNeese State University Credit Examinations
  • Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Portfolio

The University’s Career and Student Development Center takes care of placement students and organizes various career and internships fairs and guides the students to be successful in securing a job/internship. There is an online job portal joinhandshake.com which allows the students to upload their resume and look for suitable available positions. The portal helps them in enhancing their employment skills too.

The center also works towards preparing students for interviews and securing them from job scams. About 90% of students of the college are able to get a job within 2 years of graduation earning around USD 38,200 per year against the national average of USD 33,028.