College Admission Requirements

The Four-Year College and University Process

Four-year colleges and universities offer students the chance to continue their education in all subject areas and the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree by focusing on a specific major.  Some also offer graduate and professional degrees. 

The most significant difference that students need to be aware for college entrance requirements is that colleges DO NOT consider "D" grades to be passing grades.  So, if you passed a class in high school with a "D", colleges will not count that as passing for their admission process.  Please talk to your counselor if you have earned "Ds" in your high school classes and want to attend a four-year university after graduation.

Within the four-year college choices, you will find public as well as private/independent schools.  These various types of colleges have different standards for admissions.  However, all colleges will expect students to have shown in high school that you are dedicated to school and are ready for college-level work.  That means earning Cs and above in high school classes, having a GPA that is generally 3.0 or above, and taking college entrance tests like the ACT or SAT.

Advantages of the Four-Year College Path:

There are a variety of advantages to selecting the four-year college path.  For example:   

1. Competitive scholarships are offered to students based on academic skills, athletic abilities, special talents or other characteristics. (Please note: these vary by college.)
2. Many colleges offer study-abroad or study-away programs to enhance the college experience.
3. There may be opportunities for on-campus work, internships and/or research projects with Ph.D. level faculty.
4. Facilities, technology and classrooms may be updated more frequently.
5. Students generally live on-campus for at least one year of the college experience; many campuses also offer a “commuter” student option for students attending a college near their family home.  
6. There are typically a wide variety of sports, activities, music and club offerings in which students can participate.

Minimum Entrance Requirements for the Oregon Public Universities

The Oregon Public Universities (Eastern Oregon, Oregon Tech, Oregon State, Portland State, Southern Oregon, University of Oregon and Western Oregon), require students to meet 15 Subject Area Requirements to be eligible for admissions.  These Subject Area Requirements are:

4 credits English

3 credits Math

3 credits Science

3 credits Social Studies

2 credits World Language 

The universities also set minimum GPA expectations for admission.  Eastern Oregon sets a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 2.75, but all other Oregon Public Universities require that students have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 or higher to be considered for “regular admissions”.

However, in addition to “regular admissions”, the Oregon Public Universities also conduct more comprehensive review of applicants who do not meet the minimum required GPA for admission.  Reviews include additional factors such as standardized test results, rigor of courses taken, review of a writing sample or personal essays, non-cognitive factors, and other indicators that predict potential success in college.  Academic performance and meeting minimum qualifications are not the sole criteria for admission to one of Oregon’s Public Universities.  A university may evaluate other factors to determine ability to maintain the standards of academic and professional conduct expected at the university.

For information regarding other entrance requirements for a specific university, please check the individual university’s website.

The Two-Year College Process

Community Colleges:

Most Community Colleges are public schools offering education and training programs that are two years in length or shorter. These programs lead to an associate of arts (AA) degree, associate of science (AS) degree or associate of applied science degree (AS). In many cases, students who earn two-year degrees may receive credit toward their Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees if/when they transfer to four-year colleges or universities.  Community Colleges also offer many pathways and certificates for technical and professional programs.

Junior Colleges:

There are also several private two-year institutions that prepare students to transfer to four-year colleges or universities.  These institutions are called "Junior Colleges". Different from community colleges, Junior Colleges have more housing options and will often have more of a “college campus” feel than community colleges.  Similar to Community Colleges though, the highest degree that they offer is usually an associate's degree and many of the credits earned there can be transferred to four-year colleges and universities.

Advantages of the Two-Year College Path:

1. There are a variety of advantages to selecting the two-year college path.  For example:
2. Tuition, fees and the general cost of the educational experience may be much less expensive.
3. It provides an opportunity to gain experience in college level classes in a more flexible environment than most four-year colleges or universities can provide.
4. It is often easier to have a job while attending two-year institutions.
5. If students struggled academically in high school, completing coursework at a two-year college allows them to demonstrate their readiness for college level work. 
6. Transfer admissions requirements to four year colleges or universities are generally less rigorous; so, doing well at a two-year college can give you a wider variety of four-year university options.