Portland State University (PSU)

Portland State University encourages its students to think bigger and bolder during the course of their studies. PSU offers 200 varied degree programs in art and design, public policy, education, technology, and writing, among other tracks, and the opportunities to learn extend well beyond the campus walls. Portland State adheres to its motto to "let knowledge serve the city," with a unique four-year university studies program that allows participants the chance to self-guide their educational journey by honing in on a realworld issue and tackling it through a multi-disciplinary approach that combines historical knowledge, science applications, and research. The program has helped foster PSU's reputation as a university that "has a strong focus on civic engagement and sustainability" as well as "a green-minded urban school" that's "training students to be good community members." Another advantage of a PSU education is that "classes are usually pretty small," which "promotes lots of in-class discussion." Students also mention that "Most professors are engaging and truly want to challenge you and help you succeed." Another student concurs, saying that professors "really care about the student's success, and they really help broaden our scope of learning and thinking critically."

"It is difficult to define the typical PSU student because there are so many of us from so many different backgrounds," one student remarks. That is because there is a large number of nontraditional undergraduates at PSU. Students tend to be "either typical college-age... or people in their thirties and forties with kids and a full-time job trying to juggle everything." Regardless of the differences in background and age, students describe themselves as "environmentally aware, hip," and "very liberal." Most Vikings are also "invested in their education and are friendly," and before long, "everyone finds a niche pretty quickly." As one student elaborates, "It's easy to find people you get along with, but it's also easy to find people who are completely different from you, which makes school a lot more interesting."

The campus is extraordinarily beautiful and ideally located, so say students at PSU. While the majority of students live off campus, the school encourages a feeling of community and inclusivity. Students note that "there are a lot of things to do on campus" and "PSU has tons of programs/clubs/groups that help make you feel more involved with your school," including an Anime and Manga Club, Las Mujeres PSU, and a Self-Care Sanctuary, among a plethora of other options. The Portland State Vikings athletics program is also robust, with football, basketball, golf, tennis, and track and field being just some of the team sports offered. Students report that the school is supportive of its "really diverse" student body with various resources such as the Native American Student and Community Center and the Queer Resource Center. Students proudly share that "there are lots of activist and awareness-raising events going on all the time, and lots of students are involved in volunteering (on and off campus)."

Its Portland location is another huge draw of PSU, with "public transportation [that] is outstanding," making it easy to explore the city. Not only does "the downtown area [have] plenty of microbrew pubs, nightlife, eateries, and theaters," but the outdoor recreation options in Oregon are numerous: "There's skiing, hiking, camping, [and] fishing." Plus, "you can go to the beach or to the mountain in about two hours, and ... there are great parks throughout the city."