North Dakota State University College Portrait
North Dakota State University1340 Administration Avenue Fargo, ND 58102
(701) 231-8643 / 1-800-488-NDSU
North Dakota State University
A Brief Overview of North Dakota State University
NDSU is a leading student-focused, land-grant, national research institution often described as a model for others in higher education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education has named NDSU among the top 108 research universities in the nation – first and only institution in North Dakota to receive the prestigious categorization. Noted for its quality education, innovative research and outstanding service, NDSU continues to build on its reputation for excellence.
Living in the Bison Community
Some Cultural Aspects of NDSU and Its Fargo-Moorhead Home
NDSU was established in 1890 as North Dakota’s first land-grant university. Located in Fargo, the state’s largest city, NDSU students enjoy a Northern Great Plains lifestyle and the conveniences of a vibrant metropolitan area. With a population of more than 200,000 people, the Fargo-Moorhead community is often listed as one of the best places to live in the country. NDSU is an active participant in the global marketplace, attracting students from 47 states and 81 countries. During fall 2011, nearly 1,300 international students enrolled at NDSU. In addition, the university has Memoranda of Understanding with 34 countries and 76 institutions, with others in process.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
More Information
| Total Students | 14,399 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 11,911 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 5,173 | 43% |
| Men | 6,738 | 57% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 80 | 1% |
| Asian | 170 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 256 | 2% |
| Hispanic | 125 | 1% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 6 | <1% |
| White | 10,396 | 87% |
| Two or More Races | 130 | 1% |
| International | 609 | 5% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 139 | 1% |
| Where do NDSU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | 46% |
| Other US States & Territories | 50% |
| Other Countries | 4% |
| How old are NDSU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 21 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 9% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2011)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 21 - 26 | |
| Math | 21 - 26 | 490 - 630 |
| English | 19 - 25 | |
| Critical Reading | 500 - 630 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class | 43% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 77% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 85% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.39 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 98% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $18,097.00
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend North Dakota State University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 39% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $4,187.00. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 47% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,618.00. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
NDSU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 18 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 61% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 81% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 630 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 36% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 19% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 84% |
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Campus-based Housing
91% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
26% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
NDSU's Police and Safety Office provides services, information, training and education. The NDSU Police department has eleven licensed police officers who provide vehicle patrol 24 hours per day and foot patrol each evening. The university police also coordinate the NDSU Escort Service, which supplies personnel to walk with students on the main campus and immediate surrounding area. In addition, there are 25 blue emergency telephones located across the NDSU campus.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Research Universities (very high research activity)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- Very high undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Comprehensive doctoral (no medical/veterinary)
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
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Student Activities and Involvement at NDSU
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
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
- 95% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 58% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 24% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 84% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 15% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 50% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 61% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 9% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 91% 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
- 65% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 56% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 90% 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
- 57% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 73% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 91% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 62% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 55% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 81% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 33% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 77% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 77% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 81% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at North Dakota State University in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 1,812 |
| Master's | 359 |
| Doctoral | 183 |
| Total | 2,354 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 4% |
| Civil Engineering | 4% |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 4% |
| Environmental Design | 4% |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at North Dakota State University |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 85% four-year success and progress rate means that 85% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
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Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 2,035 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 741 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 76%
Student Learning at North Dakota State University
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.
Student learning is valued highly at NDSU, a point which is reflected in the university's first and second campus themes: "It's About People" and "Students are Paramount." Assessment of student learning became a campus-wide undertaking in the mid-1990s and continues to be a prominent activity. Academic units prepare annual assessment reports that document student learning both in individual classes and at the program level. General education outcomes also represent a vital component of these reports. Additionally, assessment results are linked to the university's budget process to further express an institutional commitment to student learning. Achievement on nationally-normed assessments and professional licensure examinations consistently demonstrate the high academic value received by students for their investment at NDSU.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
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.
2007 - 11 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.
Test Administration Process
Test Information
Performance Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the performance task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1140
Senior Score: 1236
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1118
Senior Score: 1118
Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1040
Senior Score: 1144
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 1118
Senior Score: 1118