General stuff
Tuition equity, signed into Oregon law in April, is
now in effect. This means that undocumented students who earn a high
school diploma or GED in Oregon and meet certain other requirements will
be allowed to pay resident, rather than non-resident,
tuition rates for a set period of time.
A wider percentage of students nationwide are
taking the curriculum-based ACT instead of the SAT. The ACT rate in
Oregon has increased to 34 percent.
Get FAFSA done in EARLY EARLY JANUARY. Oregon
Opportunity Grant funds are gone by end of January. Federal work study
funds also run out early in January.
Advise students to check their email (AND SPAM FOLDER) often for FAFSA related communications.
For juniors who started their electronic OSAC
Activities charts, etc. last year, all that information should still be
available on the version of the scholarship application being used this
year.
About 120 Ford Scholarships are given out each year and cover 90 percent of college costs for eligible students
The OUS Viewbooks we normally receive this time of
year will now be published in the spring. I have two samples of the
mini-version released last month available in the ASPIRE office for
reference. I will place them on the counter by all
of the college catalogs.
OSU
With an 84% retention rate (of freshmen returning
as sophomores) and a significant increase in freshmen this year, Oregon
State has announced alterations to its admission process, including the
addition of a wait-list policy. This will
give OSU the opportunity to offer admission, as space is available, to
some less-qualified applicants the college feels would be successful at
OSU. As a result, most new freshmen (for Fall 2014) will be considered
for admission at the conclusion of the Nov.
1 Early Notification Application round; or after the Feb. 1
Priority Application deadline. The changes provide OSU a control
mechanism should the enrollment application demand by students be
greater than the university’s freshmen capacity.
EOU
The 2013 biology graduates placed in the top 25
percent in the national Major Field Test in the sub-discipline of
molecular biology and genetics.
OIT
The engineering program, climbed 25 spots in a year to No. 35 in the nation in U.S.News and World Report.
The Wilsonville campus now offers the full
component of prerequisite courses for medical imaging technology and
clinical laboratory sciences. As well, bachelor’s degrees in emergency
medical services and in geomatics have been added there.
OSU Cascades
Will be expanding to a full four-year university by Fall 2015
PSU
The college is committed to helping students
graduate in four years, saving thousands of dollars in tuition and other
college costs. Full-time freshmen can enter into an agreement toward a
four-year degree if they follow their course schedule;
seek academic advising and maintain academic progress.
SOU
Merit-based scholarships will expand significantly.
Full application fee waivers are available on a case-by-case basis. The
House Seminars, or learning communities, where students work together
under a common theme, started this year and
will expand to six in 2014. The Honors College is in its first year:
Honors students’ fees and tuition are covered by scholarships. Major and
minor programs are now offered in emerging media and digital arts.
UO
Summit and Apex scholarships for the
highest-achieving students increased by 75 percent. Pathway Oregon,
which provides full tuition and fees to Pell Grant-eligible Oregonians
with a 3.40 GPA , will see funds increase 75 percent to $more
than $1 million .
WOU
New academic programs are: Early childhood
education, a non-licensure major in working with children from birth
through fourth grade; and interdisciplinary studies, with focuses on
things like public relations and community planning; environmental
journalism and criminal investigation. WOU is the only public
university in Oregon to offer a comprehensive textbook rental program,
which has saved students there more than $1 million.
