News

Last Friday, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education approved an admission change for Portland State University (PSU) to increase the high school grade-point average (GPA) requirement for incoming freshmen from 2.50 to 3.00, beginning with the 2004-05 academic year.

"Raising the GPA requirement at Portland State enables us to better reflect the academic record and strength of our incoming freshmen," said PSU Provost Mary Kay Tetreault. "The University remains committed to access for a diverse group of students and we feel confident that the new standard will not dissuade students from applying to Portland State."

This past fall, Portland State University welcomed nearly 23,000 students, the largest enrollment in the University's history and a 25.7-percent increase over the last five years. During the same period, PSU has seen a nearly 48-percent increase in first-time freshmen, from 1,017 freshmen in 1998 to 1,501 in Fall 2002, an average GPA for incoming freshmen of 3.15, and minorities comprising over 25-percent of incoming freshmen classes.*

The GPA requirement only affects incoming freshmen. Transfer students with more than 30 college credit hours will not be required to meet the new standard. Freshmen students with lower GPAs have other options for admission, including SAT or ACT scores or other indicators that demonstrate their potential for success. These admission standards were discussed extensively with student groups, academic deans and enrollment management teams, and reflect campus enrollment trends and the qualifications needed for students to be academically successful at the university level. For more information about the new GPA requirement, the public may contact the Office of Admissions at 503-725-3511, 800-547-8887 or admissions@pdx.edu.

Portland State University, Oregon's only urban university, is the largest and most diverse in the state system. The University's position in Oregon's economic and cultural center allows for deep community engagement and the creation of partnerships with hundreds of organizations throughout the region—partnerships that give PSU students valuable learning opportunities as they solve real-world problems of business and community. Portland State offers more than 100 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as graduate certificates and continuing education programs. PSU serves more students and confers more master's degrees annually than any other Oregon university.

* All figures are based on fourth-week, fall term enrollment numbers.

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Release Number: 03-027