Mt. Hood Community College Competitors

Nestled in the lush Willamette Valley, with an easy drive to both the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains, the University of Oregon is renowned for its research prowess and commitment to teaching. The UO is one of just two Pacific Northwest members of the prestigious Association of American Universities, a consortium of 62 leading public and private research institutions in the United States and Canada.

Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and 19th largest in the nation, serving approximately 80,000 full- and part-time students. PCC, which is roughly the size of Rhode Island, has three comprehensive campuses, five workforce training and education centers, and 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning. Wherever you're coming from and wherever you're going in life, Portland Community College has the classes and programs to get you there. Our unique role is to make high-quality education accessible to everyone, creating opportunities for our students and contributing to the economic development of our community.

Portland State University is Oregon's urban research university located in the heart of downtown. It is ranked as one of the nation's "Top 10 Up-and-Coming" universities by U.S. News & World Report. PSU offers more than 60 undergraduate and 40 graduate programs in fine and performing arts, liberal arts and sciences, business administration, education, urban and public affairs, social work, engineering and computer science. PSU offers more than 226 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The 50-acre downtown campus—with the motto "Let Knowledge Serve the City"—places students in a vibrant center of culture, business and technology. This allows students to participate in internships and community-based projects in these fields as well as education, social services, and government. Portland State's award-winning University Studies curriculum provides small class sizes and peer mentoring for all first-year students and culminates in Senior Capstones, which take students out of the classroom and into the field, where they utilize their knowledge and skills to develop community projects. The University has taken aggressive steps to enhance the student experience and campus life, with new student housing and a comprehensive recreation complex and remodeled science and performing arts facilities. Portland State also has bolstered academic and career advising and orientation programs and created new programs to support students. Sustainability—initiatives that balance environmental, economic and social concerns—is incorporated throughout the curriculum and across the campus.