Choosing a college is a monumental decision. One must look at various aspects as a four-year or advanced degree is an investment of tens — or even hundreds — of thousands of dollars and countless hours of time.
In this second installment of the “State of Education,” AY examines several key factors that directly impact one’s choice of college: a unique major; location; cost (tuition, room and board and fees as well as scholarship dollars); the school’s reputation; and diversity and student life.
See the September issue of AY to find out why students have chosen these schools to further their education.
Harding University915 E. Market Ave.
Searcy, AR 72143
(501) 279-4000
harding.edu
Harding University offers 10 undergraduate degrees in 90 academic majors. One of their unique programs is the Physicians’ Assistant program; it’s the only one in Arkansas. Typically students, about 30 per year, with degrees in science and an interest in health sciences pursue this degree versus nursing.
Harding is located in Searcy, a town of about 20,000. They employ about 700 area residents. Students serve the community through several student projects each year and new students take part in their Student Impact Program performing tasks such as property clean up and painting.
Tuition, room and board is about $19,000 and nearly 76 percent of students live on campus. This year, Harding students will receive more than $17 million in scholarships and tuition assistance and this does not include grants. The private, liberal arts college has an outstanding reputation and is consistently ranked in the top 25 of U.S. News and World Report in master’s degree granting schools in the south. Harding is a part of the NCAA Division II and offers 15 men’s and women’s sports; 80 percent of women and 90 percent of men on campus participate in their intramural sports programs.
Harding students represent more than 40 nations with a large number of students from Central America and China.
Lyon College2300 Highland Road
Batesville, AR 72503
(870) 307-7000
Lyon College offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 18 majors and 12 pre-professional programs. Students are also able to design an individualized major. Two of their unique programs are the premed dentistry and prehealthcare professions. Ninety percent of Lyon applicants are accepted into medical and dentals; the national average is 47 percent. The college also offers a good education program in which students earn degrees in liberal arts and go on to take educational courses and complete a full year of practice teaching.
Lyon is located in Batesville, the foothills of the Ozark Mountains and close to Greers Ferry. It’s an atmosphere that invites outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy Mother Nature at her best.
Tuition, room and board and fees is just a bit more than $27,000 per year; about 85 percent of students live on campus. Students enjoy a family-like setting with small classes and professors who offer individual attention to their students. Students received more than $12 million in scholarships and grants last year.
The Batesville college has earned an excellent reputation; they are ranked 15th in the list of U.S. liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Reports. Forbes.com lists the college among its Best Value List.
The college has a large number of students who are student-athletes participating in men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, baseball and softball and other sports. Lyon students are from various geographical and racial backgrounds with students from as far away as Scotland, Rwanda and Japan.
Ouachita Baptist University410 Ouachita St.
Arkadelphia, AR 71998
(870) 245-5000
obu.edu
Ouachita Baptist University, OBU, has a strong academic reputation and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 Baccalaureate College in the South as well as the No. 1 “Best Value” in the same category.
The university has about 1,500 students from more than 30 states and 50 nations and offers more than 30 majors ranging from Business Administration to Christian Studies to Music Education.
OBU is located in Arkadelphia and students are engaged in the community through a number of ministry opportunities and community activities. The university recently dedicated a $26-million student village with housing and amenities such as a fitness room and theater for more than 350 students.
Tuition, room and board and fees are $12,300 per semester; more than 95 percent of OBU students receive financial assistance including $18 million in scholarships, grants and loans each year.
Ouachita also offers a variety of international study opportunities in such settings as Australia, England, Japan and South Africa as well as summer study programs in China and Europe. As a member of the NCAA Division II Gulf South conference, the university has 14 sports including swimming and tennis.
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas1000 Campus Drive
Helena-West Helena, AR 72342
(870) 338-6474
pccua.edu
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA) is a two-year college that offers nine associate of arts degrees; six associate of liberal studies degrees; three associates of science degrees; and 12 associate of applied science degrees. The college began with one location, Helena-West Helena, and now has two additional campuses in DeWitt and Stuttgart, serving a total of 2,400 students.
PCCUA has several unique programs including a Renewal Energy Technology program sponsored by a community-based job training grant through the U.S. Department of Labor. Students receive monies for tuition, fees and books and can earn an associate of applied science degree, a certificate of proficiency or a technical certificate. Credit hours can be transferred to Arkansas State University towards a bachelor of applied science degree.
Tuition at PCCUA also makes it an attractive option. Tuition and fees for a full-time student (taking 15 credit hours) residing in Arkansas and Phillips counties is just $825; for students who do not live in these counties, it’s just $960. The college also offers a number of other scholarships, like the privately-funded Reach! Nursing program in Helena-West Helena that offers $1,750 per semester towards tuition, books, fees, uniforms, transportation, lab packages and other expenses association with the program.
While Phillips Community College does not offer campus housing, students participate in intramural sports, such as football, basketball and soccer and enjoy a good number of student organizations, such as book clubs and honor societies like Phi Beta Kappa.
Pulaski Technical College3000 W. Scenic Drive
North Little Rock, AR 72118
(501) 812-2200
pulaskitech.edu
Pulaski Technical College (PTC) is a “comprehensive community/technical college that offers more than 80 associate degree and certificate programs.” Two of the college’s unique programs are the Motorcycle and ATV Technology program and the Culinary Arts program. The Motorcycle and ATV Technology program began as a small engine repair program; however, it soon transformed to meet the need for an accredited vocation program. The Culinary Art program is offered through the Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School. It is the only culinary institute in Arkansas. The staff and faculty are highly-qualified individuals who hold highly-respected certifications and awards. The college also offers a number of other programs geared towards the fields of hospitality and entrepreneurship that are designed to complement one another.
Pulaski Tech has seven locations throughout central Arkansas and offers a good number of online classes to allow students maximum flexibility. Tuition and fees for a full-time student are about $1,800 per semester and PTC offers a broad array of scholarships.
The student body at PTC — more than 9,800 individuals — is largely nontraditional; two-thirds of the students are women, and minorities make up about half of the students.
The two-year college has an impressive reputation for being “a lot of things to a lot of people,” with its wide variety of programs PTC can serve virtually any individual, company or business.
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences4301 W. Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 686-7000
uams.edu
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is “Arkansas’ only teaching hospital, with clinics covering every medical specialty and a staff of more than 1,100 doctors.” It is comprised of six colleges: Health Related Professions; Medicine; Nursing; Pharmacy; Public Health; and the grade school. They also have a satellite campus in northwest Arkansas.
The College of Health Related Professions is the only one of its kind at an academic health sciences center in Arkansas, and has as its main role the education of allied health professionals to serve in the health care delivery system in the state. Individuals are trained in areas from laboratory work to the patient’s bedside, information management to oral health care, diagnostic imaging, genetics and more. The CHRP offers nine certificate and degree levels.
Students in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health are introduced to the five core sciences that make up public health: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, health behavior and health education and health policy and management. The College has more than 30 full-time faculty members and more than 200 students, and offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in Public Health; masters in Public Health, Health Service Administration and Science in Occupational and Environmental Health and doctorates in Public Health Leadership and Philosophy programs in Health Systems Research and in Health Promotion and Prevention Research.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff1200 N. University Drive
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
(870) 575-8000
uapb.edu
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is a historically black college and the second oldest public university in Arkansas. The university is open to all individuals and has more than 43 degree programs .
Tuition and fees at the university is about $4,800 per year (in-state and $6.8 million in institutional and private scholarships were awarded last year. The university is made up of eight colleges and enrolled 3,525 students in the 2008-2009 school year.
UAPB is one of the top employers in Jefferson County and has economic impact of more than $113 million. UAPB has a student body and alumni and community pride that is exhibited in homecoming and athletic events, the Clark Terry Jazz Festival and Founder’s Weekend. The campus is host to more than 90 honors, departmental/professional, social, fraternities, religious and other types of organizations on campus.
The university offers the state’s only master’s in science degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries. This research-based masters program prepares graduates for careers in aquaculture resource management, natural fisheries, and allied industries. The comprehensive program provides students with a broad base of skills, expertise, and practical experience to be competitive for a wide range of opportunities.
UAPB also offers a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration to students with concentrations in management, finance, marketing and economics. These courses cover topics such as acquisition, administration and management of money, and prepare graduates for exciting, long-standing careers in various areas of business.
