A 75% four-year success and progress rate means that 75% of students starting in Fall 2002 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.

Counts for the Fall 2002 entering class shown in the graph above.

• 1,788 First-Time, Full-Time Students
• 732 Full-Time Transfer Students

First-time students in Fall 2007 that returned for their second year: 72%

Typical Undergraduate Costs per Year without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)

Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $16,335

Tuition for the Academic Year 2009-10 will be determined by the Montana Board of Regents in June 2009.

The cost to attend The University of Montana varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.

Financial Aid Awarded to Undergraduates

Annual Need-Based Scholarships & Grants

• 35% of 2008-09 Estimated full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $8,658

Annual Need-Based Loans

• 45% of 2008-09 Estimated full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,596

Percent of 2007-08 First-Time Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid

NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.

Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended

50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.

79% of new freshmen live on campus

29% of all undergraduates live on campus

The University of Montana is protected by certified police officers with The Office of Public Safety working in partnership with Residence Life and the Dean of Students to ensure a safe learning environment. Crime Prevention & Safety measures include Emergency Phones, student staffed escort service and Fire sprinkler-equipped dorms.

Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.

Group Learning Experiences

• 93% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
• 53% of seniors tutored or taught other students
• 17% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports

Active Learning Experiences

• 79% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
• 15% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
• 47% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
• 67% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
• 12% of seniors participated in study abroad
• 94% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year

Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success

• 93% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
• 66% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
• 54% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
• 93% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations

Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff

• 75% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
• 70% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
• 91% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
• 70% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class

Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas

• 66% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
• 78% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
• 38% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity

Student Satisfaction

• 84% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
• 86% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
• 77% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive

All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.

The University of Montana was one of the earliest participants in the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Pilot Project. As stated by Roger Benjamin, President of the Council for Aid to Education, "The CLA presents realistic problems that require students to analyze complex materials varying in reliability and accuracy, and to construct written responses that demonstrate their abilities to think critically, reason analytically, solve problems and communicate clearly and cogently. The institution - not the student - is the primary unit of analysis. The CLA is designed to measure an institution's contribution, or value added, to the development of these competencies". The University of Montana remains committed to assessing learning outcomes to maximize the value we add to each student's educational experience.

Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.

Results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment

The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication using a performance task and an analytic writing task. The scores from the tasks are reported separately below.

Performance Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students

The increase in learning on the performance task is what would be expected at an institution with students of similar academic abilities.

Freshman Score: 1048
Senior Score: 1215
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.

Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 22
Senior Score: 24

Average SAT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1071
Senior Score: 1139

Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students

The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is what would be expected at an institution with students of similar academic abilities.

Freshman Score: 1023
Senior Score: 1193
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.

Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 22
Senior Score: 24

Average SAT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1037
Senior Score: 1116