TRiO ETS

RCC Home > Student Services > Educational Talent Search > TRiO ETS

Applying to College

Browse through the frequently asked questions about applying for college for general information that can assist you. The following section lists Oregon universities and colleges with their addresses and websites. Click on the college name to go to the college's website.

Oregon Public 4-year Universities

Eastern Oregon College 1 University Boulevard La Grande, OR 97850-2899 Phone: (541) 962-3378	Oregon Health Sciences University 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd Portland, OR 97201 Phone: (503) 494-8311	Oregon Institute of Technology 3201 Campus Dr Klamath Falls, OR 97601-8801 Phone: (541) 885-1000	Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331 Phone: (541) 737-1000
Portland State University 1825 SW Broadway Portland, OR 97207-0751 Phone: (503) 725-3000 or 1-800-547-8887 ext. 5256	Southern Oregon University 1250 Siskiyou Blvd Ashland, OR 97520 Phone: (541) 552-7672	University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403 Phone: (541) 346-1000	Western Oregon University 345 N Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Phone: (503) 838-8000

Oregon Public 2-year Colleges

Blue Mountain Community College 2411 NW Carden Ave. PO Box 100 Pendleton, OR 97801 Phone: (541) 276-1260	Central Oregon Community College 2600 NW College Way Bend, OR 97701 Phone: (541) 383-7700	Chemeketa Community College 4000 Lancaster Drive NE P.O. Box 14007 Salem, Oregon 97309 Phone: (503)399-5000
Clackamas Community College 19600 Molalla Avenue Oregon City, Oregon 97045 Phone: (503) 657-6958	Clatsop Community College 1653 Jerome Ave Astoria, OR 97103 Phone: (503) 325-0910 or 1-866-252-8767	Columbia Gorge Community College 400 East Scenic Drive The Dalles, Oregon 97058 Phone: (541) 506-6000
Klamath Community College 7390 South 6th Street Klamath Falls, OR 97603 Phone: (541) 882-3521	Lane Community College 4000 East 30th Ave Eugene, OR 97405 Phone: (541) 463-3000	Linn-Benton Community College 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW Albany, Oregon 97321-3755 Phone: (541) 917-4811
Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark St. Gresham, OR 97030 Phone: 503-491-6422	Oregon Coast Community College 400 SE College Way Newport, OR 97366 Phone: 541-265-2283	Portland Community College PO Box 19000 Portland, OR 97280-0990 Phone: (503) 244-6111 or 1-866-922-1010
Rogue Community College 3345 Redwood Highway Grants Pass, Oregon Phone: (541) 956-7500	Southwestern Oregon Community College 1988 Newmark Ave. Coos Bay, OR 97420 Phone: (541) 888-2525 or 1-800-962-2838	Tillamook Bay Community College 2510 1st Street Tillamook , OR 97141 Phone: (503) 842-8222
Treasure Valley Community College 650 College Blvd Ontario, OR 97914 Phone: (541) 881-8822	Umpqua Community College PO Box 967 Roseburg, OR 97470 Phone: (541)440-4600

Oregon Private 4-year universities

Art Institute of Portland 1122 N.W. Davis Street Portland, OR 97209-2911 Phone: (503) 228-6528 or 1-888-228-6528	Concordia University 2811 NE Holman Street Portland, OR 97211 Phone: 503-288-9371 or 1-800-321-9371	Corban College 5000 Deer Park Drive SE Salem, OR 97317-9392 Phone: (503) 581-8600	George Fox University 414 N. Meridian Street Newberg, OR 97132 Phone: (503) 538-8383
Lewis & Clark College 0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road Portland, OR 97219 Phone: (503) 768-7000	Linfield College 900 SE Baker McMinnville, OR 97128-6894 Phone: (503) 883-2200	Northwest Christian University 828 East 11th Ave Eugene, OR 97401 Phone: (541) 343-1641 or 1-877-INFO-622	Oregon College of Art & Craft 8245 SW Barnes Road Portland, OR 97225 Phone: (503) 297-5544
Pacific Northwest College of Art 1241 NW Johnson St. Portland, OR 97209 Phone: (503) 226-4391	Pacific University 2043 College Way Forest Grove, OR 97116 Phone: (503) 352-6151	Reed College 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland, OR 97202-8199 Phone: (503) 771-1112	University of Portland 5000 N. Willamette Blvd. Portland, OR 97203-5798 Phone: (503) 943-8000
Warner Pacific College 2219 SE 68th Ave Portland, OR 97215 Phone: (503) 517-1000 or 1-800-804-1510	Willamette University 900 State Street Salem, OR 97301 Phone: (503) 370-6300

Frequently asked questions about applying for college.

When should I start thinking about applying for college?

The process for applying for and being accepted into a college of your choosing begins in middle school. Academic preparation in middle school leads to future academic success in high school -- the key to achieving entrance to the college of your dreams. Once you are in high school, planning your course load and academic achievement become increasingly important. The actual process of researching colleges, taking college entrance exams, and applying for college can begin as early as junior year and will conclude in spring of your senior year.

Is there a minimum grade point average to get into college?

Most students worry about not being good enough to get into college. The truth is there are many options for college and each present a different set of requirements. For instance, students choosing to pursue a certificate or degree at an Oregon two-year community college take a placement examination prior to college enrollment. Whereas, a minimum grade point average is needed to be accepted to a four-year university but it varies by institution. For example, the minimum grade point average (GPA) needed to be eligible for Portland State University (PSU) is 3.00; the minimum grade point average needed to be eligible for Oregon State University (OSU) is also 3.0. If you are planning to apply for entrance to a competitive major or limited enrollment program, these may have unique requirements which must be met prior to admission. Check with your institution for program specific requirements.

Are there high school course requirements for admission to college?

College includes professional/technical certificate programs, 2-year and four-year degree programs. As such, there is no single academic path that all students should follow. An ideal four-year preparatory program includes four years of English; four years of math including algebra and geometry; six semesters of science with labs: biology, chemistry, physics; six semesters of social studies: U.S. history, U.S. government, economics, and world history or geography; and two to four years of one foreign language depending on your college. Students who want to be accepted into the nation’s top tier universities should plan to take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them. While students who want to demonstrate a well rounded high school experience may choose to include the arts, computer science, independent study and up to four years of a foreign language.

Is College expensive?

College is one of the best investments that you will ever make. Financing a college education involves three elements: tuition and fees, books, and daily living expenses. Last year the average annual cost of attending a public 4-year university was just under $7,000 and a public 2-year school was just over $2,400. With this as a starting point, recognize that there is more than $180 billion available nationally for college financial aid. Each year, many states actually fail to give away all of the money available in the form of financial aid and scholarships. Depending on you and your parent’s income, you may be eligible for financial aid, which can take many forms including federal or state aid, scholarships, or loans. While you will want to get a start on forecasting the cost of college, your next step is to determine the resources available to you for college financing. A good place to begin is by talking to your TRiO ETS transition specialist who has received extensive financial aid training.

How do I find out about the requirements for my college?

There are many resources available to assist you. You can:

Visit the college in which you are interested. Many colleges have Preview Days or may also accommodate you on an individual basis.
Research the admission requirements in your college’s catalog or on their website. While there, research the requirements for your major.
Attend events sponsored by your college at your local high school or attend regional college fairs hosted at RCC campuses every year.
Talk to your college counselor or TRiO ETS Transition Specialist.

Will volunteer work and extracurricular activities help me to get into college?

The good news is that colleges pay attention to your life both inside and outside the classroom. According to College Board, your academics probably come first, but your activities reveal a great deal about you, such as:

How you've made a meaningful contribution to something.
What your non-academic interests are.
Whether you can manage your time and priorities.
What diversity you’d bring to the student body.

Colleges are not interested in seeing you get involved in everything; they just want to see that you have a range of interests and can demonstrate a long-term commitment.
It’s good to get involved in extracurricular activities early. Check out opportunities at your school, through your church or community.

What is a Major and what role does it play in high school?

A major is associated with college and is a primary focus of study. A minor is your secondary focus of study. For example, you could major in Economics and minor in Spanish. It is helpful to start thinking about your career interests and goals as early as your freshman year. By the end of your sophomore year, you will want to identify majors you are interested in that match your career goals. In this way, you can begin to research majors and colleges to determine whether there are additional courses or activities you will want to undertake prior to graduation from high school.

Federal funds have been allocated for the TRiO Educational Talent Search program. 100% of this project is financed through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.