UCO is THE BEST choice for undergraduate research opportunities (I have been involved in actual research since the summer before I attended).
UCO has small class sizes and quality professors (all of my professors know my name and most truly care about their students' success).
UCO has ABET certified degrees, which is really important!
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Make yourself known to your professor early on. They really care about your success in the class and in later life. The sooner you go and talk to them, the sooner they can let you know about research, help you in class, or write you recommendations!
Apply for housing early if you want to live on campus- UCO is a big commuter school, and housing is limited; apply early.
Look for on-campus jobs; UCO has countless jobs on-campus that pay well- from tutoring to working the IT desk.
Get involved in undergraduate research! There are always professors wanting to get some hungry undergrads to do work for them! This goes along with my first tip- make yourself known to your professors. I got to publish a paper my freshman year because my math professor was impressed with my work in class; he invited me to join his research team. This leads to several conferences and networking opportunities that undergrads simply do not get anywhere else!
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
I have heard that UCO has the hardest engineering degrees in the state (directly from transfers at OU and OSU). I believe it as a Biomedical Engineering student. Our classes are hard, but you learn a ton! As I mentioned before, my degree is ABET accredited- so it makes sense that it is rigorous. They have many standards that other schools don't have to adhere to because of the type of degrees offered.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
I've lived on-campus for two years. I like that the dorms are quiet and study-friendly. We have a study room on each floor and hall of my building (West Hall). The dorms aren't too expensive, especially if you look at the surrounding area for housing. Also, our RA's (resident assistants) are really nice. They help organize events for our dorm and decorate it with a new theme every semester. If you happen to become an RA, they get free housing and a meal plan.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
There are several options to dine on campus, especially in the food court. Also, Edmond has a lot of variety in terms of food. You can eat something radically different every day. The campus cafeteria, Buddy's, also has several days that are designated to a different part of the world, so you can explore different food on campus.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
There are so many events going on around campus that you simply cannot go to all of them- even if you have extra time on your hands. There are also several cultural events that really open your eyes to new things. The best part is they are free! Your student activity fees pay for it all. Another super cool thing that's free is our boathouse at lake Arcadia (10 min away). Students get to do free paddle boarding, canoeing, backpacking, and mountain biking! They also offer ropes courses and backpacking trips. The Wellness Center on campus has a rock wall that is also free to students. Off campus, there are several live concerts around town in Edmond. They will block off the main street for live bands and food trucks several times a month. Also, Bricktown and OKC are very close- and there are tons of things to do there.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
UCO has one of the lowest tuition rates in the state. You get professors- not TA's. There is always free tutoring- even for upper level classes. There are countless scholarships and fee waivers through the school. Just apply and see what happens. You will get something! We have a really cool transformative learning initiative going on where students get their own online portfolios for job searches, smaller class sizes with novel group activities, field trips, and of course, undergraduate research! I'm telling you- nowhere else will give you all of these opportunities and a certified degree for the price.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
Like I mentioned before, this school is huge on undergraduate research. None of my nerdy friends from high school at different schools can believe it when I tell them that I've been doing research this whole time- and getting paid for it. When you go to conferences to present your research, people are always asking which graduate school you go to, or what your PhD is in. It's so much fun to see their faces when you tell them you're an undergrad.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
UCO is great for hard workers and people who like to push themselves. If you have a dream- let your professors and advisers know about it; they will bend over backwards to help you. If you want to do undergraduate research and stand out among your peers- look no further. That's exactly what you will do here at UCO.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
I'm the president of the UCO Sailing Club, and we sail top schools like Tulane. Our hockey team is bomb, and we have so many cool clubs like the fencing team, rugby, bass fishing, shooting, and the medieval society. There is so much variety, it's really hard to choose what to be involved in. What's awesome is I don't know of a club here where your dues are more than $20. That's a huge plus.
There are also many academic clubs available, many of them national: SWE, BMES, HOSA, Tri Beta, and many others. You can always find a club in your major. We have a club for everything.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
I'm sorry, but I don't know much about the Greek life here on campus, as I'm not in a sorority. I have heard from friends that they really enjoy it, and the International house looks really nice.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
The campus is well-lit, and I never feel endangered. We have a special program in place called the Safe Walk. You can go to one of the several call boxes and our on-campus police will escort you to wherever you want to go if you do feel unsafe. We have our own UCOPD in the middle of campus.
UCO is THE BEST choice for undergraduate research opportunities (I have been involved in actual research since the summer before I attended). UCO has small class sizes and quality professors (all of my professors know my name and most truly care about their students' success). UCO has ABET certified degrees, which is really important!
Make yourself known to your professor early on. They really care about your success in the class and in later life. The sooner you go and talk to them, the sooner they can let you know about research, help you in class, or write you recommendations! Apply for housing early if you want to live on campus- UCO is a big commuter school, and housing is limited; apply early. Look for on-campus jobs; UCO has countless jobs on-campus that pay well- from tutoring to working the IT desk. Get involved in undergraduate research! There are always professors wanting to get some hungry undergrads to do work for them! This goes along with my first tip- make yourself known to your professors. I got to publish a paper my freshman year because my math professor was impressed with my work in class; he invited me to join his research team. This leads to several conferences and networking opportunities that undergrads simply do not get anywhere else!
I have heard that UCO has the hardest engineering degrees in the state (directly from transfers at OU and OSU). I believe it as a Biomedical Engineering student. Our classes are hard, but you learn a ton! As I mentioned before, my degree is ABET accredited- so it makes sense that it is rigorous. They have many standards that other schools don't have to adhere to because of the type of degrees offered.
I've lived on-campus for two years. I like that the dorms are quiet and study-friendly. We have a study room on each floor and hall of my building (West Hall). The dorms aren't too expensive, especially if you look at the surrounding area for housing. Also, our RA's (resident assistants) are really nice. They help organize events for our dorm and decorate it with a new theme every semester. If you happen to become an RA, they get free housing and a meal plan.
There are several options to dine on campus, especially in the food court. Also, Edmond has a lot of variety in terms of food. You can eat something radically different every day. The campus cafeteria, Buddy's, also has several days that are designated to a different part of the world, so you can explore different food on campus.
There are so many events going on around campus that you simply cannot go to all of them- even if you have extra time on your hands. There are also several cultural events that really open your eyes to new things. The best part is they are free! Your student activity fees pay for it all. Another super cool thing that's free is our boathouse at lake Arcadia (10 min away). Students get to do free paddle boarding, canoeing, backpacking, and mountain biking! They also offer ropes courses and backpacking trips. The Wellness Center on campus has a rock wall that is also free to students. Off campus, there are several live concerts around town in Edmond. They will block off the main street for live bands and food trucks several times a month. Also, Bricktown and OKC are very close- and there are tons of things to do there.
UCO has one of the lowest tuition rates in the state. You get professors- not TA's. There is always free tutoring- even for upper level classes. There are countless scholarships and fee waivers through the school. Just apply and see what happens. You will get something! We have a really cool transformative learning initiative going on where students get their own online portfolios for job searches, smaller class sizes with novel group activities, field trips, and of course, undergraduate research! I'm telling you- nowhere else will give you all of these opportunities and a certified degree for the price.
Like I mentioned before, this school is huge on undergraduate research. None of my nerdy friends from high school at different schools can believe it when I tell them that I've been doing research this whole time- and getting paid for it. When you go to conferences to present your research, people are always asking which graduate school you go to, or what your PhD is in. It's so much fun to see their faces when you tell them you're an undergrad.
UCO is great for hard workers and people who like to push themselves. If you have a dream- let your professors and advisers know about it; they will bend over backwards to help you. If you want to do undergraduate research and stand out among your peers- look no further. That's exactly what you will do here at UCO.
I'm the president of the UCO Sailing Club, and we sail top schools like Tulane. Our hockey team is bomb, and we have so many cool clubs like the fencing team, rugby, bass fishing, shooting, and the medieval society. There is so much variety, it's really hard to choose what to be involved in. What's awesome is I don't know of a club here where your dues are more than $20. That's a huge plus. There are also many academic clubs available, many of them national: SWE, BMES, HOSA, Tri Beta, and many others. You can always find a club in your major. We have a club for everything.
I'm sorry, but I don't know much about the Greek life here on campus, as I'm not in a sorority. I have heard from friends that they really enjoy it, and the International house looks really nice.
The campus is well-lit, and I never feel endangered. We have a special program in place called the Safe Walk. You can go to one of the several call boxes and our on-campus police will escort you to wherever you want to go if you do feel unsafe. We have our own UCOPD in the middle of campus.