Utah Valley University College Portrait
Utah Valley University800 West University Parkway Orem, UT 84058
(801) 863-8636
Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University is located in Orem, Utah, and is one of the largest institutions of higher learning in Utah with about 33,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU provides broad access to quality higher education and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand graduate degrees, with emphasis on undergraduate education and engaged learning. UVU holds the Carnegie Foundation’s “community engaged
Living in the Wolverines Community
UVU is dedicated to providing a community that not only affords every opportunity for student success, but also fosters engagement and recreational activity outside the classroom to enhance the student experience. UVU's unique Student Success classes for freshman are designed to integrate new students into the UVU community through the support of student mentors and advisers, in addition to providing new students with study tips and helpful recources to get them on track for a successful university experience. Beyond the classroom, students are encouraged to get involved in extracurricular activities, including clubs, intramurals and other student organizations available on campus.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
More Information
| Total Students | 33,395 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 33,246 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 14,760 | 44% |
| Men | 18,486 | 56% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 282 | 1% |
| Asian | 356 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 300 | 1% |
| Hispanic | 2,947 | 9% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 298 | 1% |
| White | 27,273 | 82% |
| Two or More Races | 581 | 2% |
| International | 462 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 747 | 2% |
| Where do UVU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Utah | 85% |
| Other US States & Territories | 13% |
| Other Countries | 2% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are UVU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 26 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 43% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Composite | 18 - 24 |
| Math | 17 - 24 |
| English | 17 - 24 |
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 | 25% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 58% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 56% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.24 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 65% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2011-12 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $16,908.00
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend Utah Valley 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
- 74% of 2011-12 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $3,546.00. 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
- 59% of 2011-12 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $2,592.00. 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.
UVU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 25 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 75% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 95% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 553 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 34% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 12% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 65% |
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Campus-based Housing
<1% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
<1% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
Although UVU’s campus is recognized as one of the safest in the nation, campus police take extra precautions to ensure the security of students and employees on the premises. The Utah Valley University Police Department, fully accredited by the State of Utah, maintains the same full police powers and responsibilities as officers in other Utah law enforcement agencies. Charged with protecting persons and property on campus, the force provides 24-hour-a-day police patrol and security protection for the benefit of all University properties, employees, students and visitors.
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
- Baccalaureate Colleges--Diverse Fields
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily nonresidential
- Enrollment Profile
- Very high undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Higher part-time four-year
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, no graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Not Applicable
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
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Student Activities and Involvement at UVU
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
- 90% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 64% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 14% 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
- 22% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 51% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 55% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 8% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 92% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 95% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 74% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 61% 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
- 52% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 81% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 95% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 73% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 69% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 83% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 43% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 86% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 88% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 82% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Utah Valley University in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Associate's | 1,814 |
| Bachelor's | 2,276 |
| Master's | 18 |
| Total | 4,108 |
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| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES | 24% |
| EDUCATION | 12% |
| PSYCHOLOGY | 11% |
| TRANSPORTATION AND MATERIALS MOVING | 9% |
| COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES | 6% |
| Links to degree programs at Utah Valley University |
|---|
Associate'sBachelor'sMaster's |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 66% four-year success and progress rate means that 66% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 2,374 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 653 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 60%
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Student Learning at Utah Valley 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.
UVU is committed to evaluating the strength of its educational programs in multiple ways. In that light, the University has selected the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Progress (CAAP) to be administered to a selected group of students who have applied for graduation during the Spring semester 2011. We are specifically interested in tracking changes of students. We are specifically interested in tracking changes in the writing and critical thinking ability of students.
Last September (Sept. 2010), a sample of incoming freshmen was given assessments in writing and critical thinking areas. The tests were administered in the entry level English and Math courses, with high percentage of first time freshman in those courses.
The CAAP test is key to our assessment of the essential learning outcomes of our university. In addition, the aggregated results will be part of our public profile for the Voluntary System of Accountability as documentation of student learning.
We expect results for this assessment to be available by the end of the Summer semester, 2011.
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.
2010 - 11 Results from the College Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP)
The Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) measures critical thinking and written communication using two test modules -- critical thinking and a writing essay. The critical thinking and writing scores are reported separately below.
Test Administration Process
Test Information
Critical Thinking 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: 61
Senior Score: 66
CAAP score range: 40 to 80
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 20
Senior Score: 22
Writing Essay 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: 3
Senior Score: 4
CAAP score range: 1 to 6
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 20
Senior Score: 22