Northwest Christian University is joining 10 other private, nonprofit colleges and universities to celebrate Oregon Private College Week (OPCW) by welcoming hundreds of prospective students and their families to campus. Students who register in advance and visit at least four participating colleges during the week will be eligible for application fee waivers when they apply for admission to any of the eleven participating institutions.
On June 18, Governor Kate Brown declared July 23-27, 2018 Oregon Private College Week, proclaiming the “indispensable contributions private, nonprofit colleges and universities make to Oregon’s communities and to the state’s higher education attainment goals.”
Together, the independent, nonprofit colleges and universities that comprise the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities (the Alliance) offer degrees in more than 260 fields of study, including engineering, business, law, and computer science. Oregon’s private higher education sector enrolls 19 percent of the state’s undergraduate students, awards 23 percent of its undergraduate degrees, and confers one in four of STEM and health baccalaureate degrees earned by students of color.
The majority of undergraduate students (61 percent) enrolled in Alliance member institutions finish their bachelor’s degrees in four years, the highest rate of completion in the state, and 28 percent graduate with zero debt.
During Oregon Private College Week, prospective students and their families are invited to visit, explore, ask questions, learn about academic programs and financial aid, talk to admissions staff, and tour the campuses. College officials will also counter with facts many commonly-held myths about private higher education:
- Private college students are economically, socially, and racially diverse. Nearly one in three undergraduates at an Alliance member institution receives/is eligible for Federal Pell grants. One in five is the first in their family to attend college, and one in three is a student from a demographic group historically underrepresented on the nation’s college campuses.
- Private colleges are focused on student success. One of the best indicators of success is class size, and the student to faculty ratio averages 11:1. Strong campus communities offer plenty of student support and hands-on learning applicable to real-world careers.
- Private college is affordable. Ninety-three percent of first time, first year students at private, nonprofit colleges and universities receive financial aid, with awards averaging more than $20,000 per year.
Campus visitation sessions will begin on participating campuses at 9 a.m. and at 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, July 23-27. Find more information about Oregon Private College Week, learn about Oregon’s private colleges, or register for visits.