I have reorganized the FAQ questions from ORU.edu into the following groups and order. With this organization students and parents can easily access the relevant questions and answers without scrolling through unnecessary content.
- What are your admission requirements and deadlines?
To be fully admitted to ORU as a freshman, you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale, and either an ACT score of 20 or an SAT score (math and critical thinking combined) of 940. To be fully admitted as a transfer student, you must have a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Our first deadline for admission is November 15th. Our second deadline is February 15th. After that, we have a rolling admission deadline.
- How many credit hours are needed to be a full-time undergraduate student?
- How do you define the difference between a freshman and a transfer student for admissions purpose?
A freshman is anyone who has not completed 15 or more college credits since graduating from high school.
- Can students take college courses while in high school and still be considered a freshman?
Yes. Students can take as many college credits as they want in high school and still be considered a freshman upon graduation. Students will receive college credit for any classes taken during high school. Once a student graduates, if they complete 15 additional hours they will be considered a transfer student.
- How do students qualify for scholarships?
All merit scholarships are assessed at the time a student is admitted. Students do have the opportunity to upgrade their merit awards if they raise their test score or their GPA to a higher level within the time prior to enrollment. There is typically a deadline to upgrade scholarships in early summer. Please refer to the scholarship calculator on the ORU website.
Other scholarships available include talent awards and restricted scholarships. Talent awards may be applied for through the academic departments. A list of restricted scholarships is available online at http://finaid.oru.edu.
The Whole Person Scholarship is our newest scholarship program. Through it, students compete annually for 25 $20,000 scholarships. To qualify for this program, a student must be fully admitted to ORU and be nominated by someone in a leadership role. Students will then be evaluated and invited to interview based on their application and the nomination. Students who are invited to participate in the program will then be asked to attend one of the scholarship days. Only students in attendance will be eligible for Whole Person Scholarship awards. All students who are nominated and subsequently participate receive at least some scholarship in addition to their merit award. Visit wholeperson.oru.edu.
- What type of Financial Aid assistance is available and what is the process?
Every student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to qualify for any type of federal aid. The form may be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov after January 1 each year. The results are received electronically in the Financial Aid office for further processing. Students will receive their financial aid package with grants, scholarships, Work Study (which allows students to earn money by working on campus) and loans for which qualifications have been met. Families then decide on which options work best for them. Often a monthly payment plan is used to pay some of the cost of education. Information about the TMS payment plan is available at www.afford.com.
The Financial Aid office attempts to award funds from institutional, federal, state and private sources to assist students in meeting educational expenses. In some cases, this may not occur due to eligibility criteria not being met or due to limited funds. If further financial support is needed, please consult finaid.oru.edu for private alternative loans from recommended lenders.
- What is the Whole Person Assessment?
Whole Person Assessment (WPA) is a set of composite scores that reflects direct learning performance of the ORU learning outcomes. The summary figures for each learning outcome are an average of the WPA results from the assignments designed to measure different aspects of each outcome (Spiritually Alive, Intellectually Alert, Physically Disciplined, Socially Adept and Professionally Competent). The WPA score is also used to determine renewal of the Whole Person Scholarships. Students can access their WPA scores in the same manner they access grades online on VISION.
- Do you offer campus visit opportunities?
We offer numerous campus visit opportunities throughout the year. Some of those include:
- College Weekend – fall and spring
- Eagle Day Visits – Monday through Friday during the school year; overnight visits available Wednesday through Friday throughout the school year.
- Transfer Day - fall and spring
- Christian High School Visit Day - fall and spring
To learn more about these visit events or to register, go to www.campusvisits.oru.edu or call the Campus Visitation office at 800.678.8876 extension 3.
- What is the student to faculty ratio?
- How big is ORU?
3212 degree seeking students were enrolled at ORU as of the official date of reporting in Fall 2010.
- What is the cost of tuition?
For the 2011-2012 year, the cost of tuition is $20,060.00. The total direct cost to attend ORU is $31,754.00 including tuition, room and board, fees, estimated books and estimated insurance.
- What is VISION?
VISION is ORU’s interactive Internet site for student records and registration. Students use VISION to view and/or print a class schedule, update address records, access his or her academic and financial information/services and drop/add classes (after the first semester).
- Where do most of your students come from?
Typically, between 30% and 35% of our student body comes from within Oklahoma while the remaining students are from outside the states and 50 plus nations of the world.
- What is the percentage of men vs. women on the ORU campus?
Women account for 58 percent of the student body while the other 42 percent is made up of men.
- How many different major programs does ORU offer?
ORU offers more than 60 majors.
- Do you offer study abroad opportunities?
Yes, at ORU we offer a variety of study abroad opportunities. The advisor works with the student to set up a semester or summer abroad.
- Do you have services in place to help students get internships and jobs upon graduation?
We have the Career Services office in place to assist students with internships and job placement. ORU strives to connect students with employers both in Oklahoma and across the country.
- Is there a resource for helping students if they experience difficulty in academics or campus life?
The Academic Peer Advisor (APA) program offers academic support to students. There is an APA located on each dorm floor to assist students with their academic life whether one on one or in a group setting. There is also a tutoring center located in the library and a 24 hour online tutoring center both offered free of charge to students.
The office of Student Success and Retention provides support to students for free. The Director is Sheree King and her office is located on the 6th floor of the Graduate Center, GC 614.
Other student leader positions that exist to build community are the Resident Advisor (RA) Program and the Chaplain Program. The RA assists with the development of the residents on the dorm wing providing daily support and accountability. The Chaplain builds relationships through wing devotions, prayer and encouraging students in their spiritual development.
- What are the requirements and benefits of the Honors Program?
Students must have an ACT score of at least 28 or an SAT score of at least 1250, a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA and letters of recommendation.
Honors program students benefit from increased exposure to professors, the chance to participate in scholarly research projects and more enriching general education courses among many other benefits offered by the Honors community.
For more information or to apply, visit www.oru.edu/academics/honors_program.
- Does your university have an athletic program?
Yes, ORU is a Division I NCAA school. We offer 14 different men’s and women’s sports.
- What are your housing options?
ORU is a residential campus. We require all unmarried students under the age of 25 to live on campus or at home with their parents if they are local. We have four dormitories for women and three dormitories for men.
- Is chapel at ORU required?
Yes. There are no classes scheduled during this time so that the entire ORU community can gather together for chapel. Services take place Wednesdays and Fridays at 11 a.m.
- What other extracurricular activities are offered on campus?
We offer a variety of activities including academic clubs, intramural sports, missions opportunities, community outreach events and opportunities, student leadership positions, and brother and sister wing events.
- Do you have a dress code?
ORU has a dress code which is in effect for classes, chapel and in all academic buildings. The dress can best be described as business casual. In addition, neat jeans and flip flops are allowed in class and chapel. The student body is also expected to maintain a standard of modesty at all times while on campus.
- Does ORU have a curfew?
Curfew for all residential students is at 1:30 am with the requirement to attend Hall Meetings at 11 pm on Monday nights. Reasonable quiet is to be observed in the residence halls 24 hours a day. Specific quiet hours are also set for each residence hall. A study environment is to be maintained on the wing.
- What activities are available to engage students in campus life?
Campus activities include intramural sports, many clubs and organizations registered and sanctioned by the Student Association, Outreach Ministries offering community and missions outreaches, and various activities hosted by the Student Association. In addition, students can apply for leadership roles on campus including Resident Advisor (RA), RA Assistant, Chaplain, Academic Peer Advisor (APA) or to be staff on the Student Association (SA).
- Do students need a personal computer?
Depending upon the major in which the student is enrolled, faculty may expect or recommend that each student own his or her own computer. Certain majors, such as graphic design, have specific hardware and software specifications. For more information, students may contact their academic departments or find additional details at http://compspecs.oru.edu. ORU computers are available for students’ use in the Academic Computer Lab, in the library and in the Internet Cafe during operating hours.
- Does ORU have Internet access available to students?
If students have their own computers, Internet access is available via wired connection in the dorms or by wireless connection in most other campus buildings. Students may also use the Academic Computer Lab, library or Internet Cafe for work or Internet use.
- Does the school provide shuttles to the airport during breaks?
The Student Association offers a variety of shuttles to and from the airport and bus depots at the beginning and end of each semester, during fall and spring breaks and during Thanksgiving break. For more information, you may call the Student Association office at 918.495.6334 or visit sa.oru.edu.
- Can students stay in the dorms during breaks?
Students may stay in the dorms during all mid-semester breaks. However, students may not stay in the dorms over Christmas break to allow for maintenance. Personal belongings may be left in the dorm for all breaks with the exception of summer. Students must remove their belongings or make their own arrangements for storing these items during the summer break. The Student Association, for a fee, has a storage plan for storing boxes with insurance options and weight restrictions. They notify students of this service at the end of the spring semester. Students may stay in the dorms for the summer if taking classes or working on campus. This cost is not included in the regular semester fees.
- What health services are available to students?
A nurse is available in the Student Health Services office Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm. A medical physician or physician’s assistant is available Monday and Friday from 8 am to 11 am and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1 pm to 4 pm. The Student Health Services office is located on the ground floor, east wing of the EMR dormitory, and the office phone number is 918.495.6341.
- What procedures are in place for handling a flu outbreak?
The Crisis Management Team meets regularly and keeps tabs on flu season preparedness as well as other emergency management issues. Should a student come down with the flu, they will be quarantined until their temperature is 98.6 or below for 24 hours. While quarantined, the student can request meals during regularly scheduled Sodexo cafeteria hours through the Residence Hall Director on duty.
- What safety measures are in place for students?
The Department of Public Safety and Security (DPSS) is located on campus working to ensure that the campus is safe for our students. There are emergency response boxes located in the main student parking lot and around the walking track. These boxes will instantly notify the DPSS and an officer will be sent to the location. All residence halls are monitored by desk attendants 24 hours a day. Residents must use a swipe card to enter after curfew and all guests must sign in at the security desk. Except in emergencies, everyone must enter and exit by a single door. Security cameras and patrol coverage takes place 24 hours a day. All ORU public safety officers are armed and certified by the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Training (C.L.E.E.T.). The ORU Department of Public Safety and Security works closely with and receives excellent support from the Tulsa Police Department.
- What services are offered to students with disabilities?
The Office of Student Resources offers reasonable accommodations to students who qualify for services, such as alternative testing, textbooks in electronic format, adaptive HPER, interpretation (during classes), note-taking and transcriptions, text enlargement, counseling on disability issues, parking and access services, academic adjustments and other services.
