4-Year Colleges

Public Colleges: Schools funded by local and state governments and usually offer lower Tuition rates than private colleges.

Private Colleges: Schools that relyon tuition, fee, and non-government funding sources. Private schools offer generous financial aid packages for students thanks to private donations.

Four-Year Institutions: Are also known as undergraduate colleges. Four-year colleges specifically offer bachelor's degree programs.

4-Year Schools Defined

Public and private colleges and universities typically award 4-year bachelor's degrees, such as the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, in a variety of academic areas. They also might offer undergraduate diplomas and certificates, as well as 2-year associate's degrees. Additionally, universities - and some colleges - feature graduate-level programming, including master's and doctoral degrees, graduate certificates and, in some cases, professional degrees in fields like law and medicine.

Makeup of a 4-Year School

A 4-year school is typically composed of various colleges or schools, such as the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering or School of Education. Within each college, there are departments. For example, within the College of Engineering, you might find departments in civil and mechanical engineering. A 4-year school also might have professional colleges or schools, such as a law school or School of Medicine. Most 4-year schools have a Department of Continuing (or Extended) Education and an online or eLearning department that offers degrees and courses remotely. T

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All institutions conduct more comprehensive reviews of applicants who do not meet the minimum required GPA for admission. Most schools require a minimum 15 core academic units; 16 or more core units are recommended; completion of the SAT or ACT tests are optional; minimum test scores are not set, but test results must be submitted and may be used during additional campus review processes. Check with private colleges for test score submission requirements.

CORE SUBJECT REQUIREMENTS

High school graduates need to satisfactorily complete at least 15 units of college preparatory high school classes (with one unit defined as the equivalent of one year or one credit). This must include 4 units of English, 3 units of Mathematics, 3 units of Science, 3 units of Social Studies, and 2 units of a World Language, in the same language,with a grade of C- or above or demonstrated proficiency. Pass/No Pass grades and “D” grades in core subjects are not accepted for any of these subjects.

FuelEd online classes at Sheldon may/may not meet the university requirements in core subject areas.

Sheldon classes which meet the college preparatory requirements include:

English—4 years.

All four years should be in preparatory composition and literature with emphasis on and frequent practice in writing expository prose.

Mathematics—3 years.

Must include first-year algebra and two additional years of college-preparatory mathematics, including Algebra II (or equivalent) or higher. An advanced mathematics course is highly recommended in your senior year. One year of either algebra or geometry taken prior to ninth grade are acceptable.

Science—3 years.

Must include a year each in two fields of college-preparatory science such as biology, chemistry, physics, or earth and physical science. One year of laboratory science is recommended.

Social Studies—3 years.

Complete three years of social studies from such areas as global studies, history, or social studies electives.

Second language—2 years of the same language.

It is important to check the particular admissions requirements of any university or college (private or public) to which you are interested in applying. Note that many colleges require additional units in particular subject areas and some require additional credits in Fine Arts. Naviance is a great tool to help research college entrance requirements

There are seven public universities in Oregon, each with unique strengths and academic programs, serving the students of the state, the region, and beyond. ​Click on each university name below for the campus websites and links to key campus information including admissions, cost of attendance, and financial aid. ​

Information on college costs is included below. Universities are generally responsible for setting annual tuition and fees. However, should the combined annual increase in resident undergraduate tuition and mandatory enrollment fees exceed 5% for a public university, the HECC, or the Oregon Legislature, must approve the increase.​​​​

1. Eastern Oregon University (EOU), La Grande
2. Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT), Klamath Falls and Wilsonville
3. Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis and Bend
4. Portland State University (PSU), Portland
5. Southern Oregon University (SOU), Ashland
6. University of Oregon (UO), Eugene
7. Western Oregon University (WOU), Monmouth

College Now is a program for students who are interested in taking courses that may qualify for community college credit. Credit will be given to those students that receive a B or better in any of the following courses. Thoughtful forecasting of a student's high school program can result in saved time and money. Students and parents should begin to consider advanced college credit opportunities in the first year of HS. *Students receive credit on their Sheldon transcript as well as on their community college transcript. Transcripts for college credit MUST be directly ordered from the college. Example: MyLane for Lane Community College. The table below shows each CN class offered at Sheldon and its equivalent class through Lane Community College and the amount of college credit that is earned.