University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Academics and Admissions

Academics

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln opened in 1869 as a land grant university. The public research university is located on 613 acres of land in Lincoln, Nebraska. This university is the largest and oldest university in the state of Nebraska. It is also the flagship campus of the University of Nebraska System. One of the distinguishing characteristics of this university is that it was the 18th member of the Association of American Universities. This distinction took place in 1908 as University of Nebraska Lincoln was recognized nationally as a preeminent regional institution in the United States.

By the year 1973, the university graduated the first class. The university only offered two degrees at the time, but the school was still in its early stages of development. The school remained small for the first 20 years of existence and began to flourish in the late 1800’s. This university became the first school west of the Mississippi to open a graduate school. The university purchased 249 acres of land in 2010 to develop an expansion called the Nebraska Innovation Campus in which to house life science research and agricultural biotechnology. The $800 million expansion is just one of the many development plans for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The university currently has over 150 undergraduate majors, 275 programs of study, 100 graduate programs, and 20 pre-professional programs. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The university has 9 colleges that include College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, College of Engineering, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, College of Journalism and Mass Communications, College of Law, College of Business Administration, and College of Education and Human Sciences.

A few of the departments within the schools include the Department of Anthropology, Department of Animal Science, Department of Community Studies, Department of Interior Design, Department of Political Science, Department of Physics & Astronomy, and Department of Regional Planning. The university offers online undergraduate and graduate programs for students. The university offers associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, professional, and doctoral degrees.

The English Department has one of the best digital humanities programs in the world. The university also has 3 Nobel Laureates, including former U.S. Poet Laureate, Ted Kooser. The University of Nebraska Press is the second largest university press in the United States. Projects are underway to create a free online dictionary for the Native American Omaha-Ponca language. The university has also adopted a sustainability program that includes fueling university motor vehicles with biodiesel and gasohol, serving campus meals from sustainable and locally grown produced food and no longer providing trays in the cafeteria.

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Information Summary

Ranks 3rd in Nebraska and 224th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	92.1
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$24,936
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	29 / 1360
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	17 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	83% / 50%
Enrollment Total (all students)	25,820

Admissions

Incoming freshman need the following items to apply for admission: official transcript, class rank verification form ( must be submitted by high school guidance counselor to the Office of Admissions), copy of student’s senior class schedule, ACT or SAT scores (submitted directly to Office of Admissions), and informal personal statement. The application deadline for the spring is early December, and summer and fall session is early May.

International students need to submit an official transcript and proof of financial resources (Financial Recourses Verification Form). Students who do not demonstrate English language proficiency must participate in the UNL Intensive English Program.

Those seeking admission into graduate school must complete a 4-step process that includes a preliminary graduate studies review, departmental review, final graduate studies review, and admission. The preliminary graduate studies review consists of a transcript review by an admissions evaluator. The departmental review consists of a review by a Graduate Admissions Committee. It is very important that all documentation be received by the deadlines. The final graduate studies review takes place once the academic department contacts Graduate Studies about their recommendation. If students are admitted into a degree program, Graduate studies contacts students by mail and email.

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Financial Aid

Students must first complete the FAFSA form to determine eligibility of a number of financial opportunities. The forms should be completed by early March if students want to receive the best financial options. A few of the financial options for undergraduate students include Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants, Federal Work Study programs, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Direct Stafford Loans, and Federal Direct Plus Loans.

Graduate students may qualify for a number of loans, including Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, and Federal Direct Grad Plus Loans. Other ways to finance an education as a graduate student include University Tuition Assistance Grants (UTAG), Federal Work-Study, Fellowships, and Assistantships.

Students may also qualify for scholarships offered by the university, departments within university, and various outside scholarship opportunities. Other options include short-term loans, emergency loans of up to $1000.00 offered by the university, and Alternative Loans (loan options for students who do not meet the requirements for financial assistance under the FAFSA requirements). Many of the alternative loans depend heavily on credit score so the creditworthiness of students is a huge determining factor for this source of funding. Students can find many financial assistance sources on the financial aid page of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s website.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4035th for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Nebraska.

Students

The Greek population is very significant of the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. There are currently 30 fraternities and 15 sororities that students may join. A few of the fraternities include Acacia, Beta Sigma Pi, Chi Phi, Omega Psi Phi, Pi Tau Sigma, Triangle, Theta Chi, Theta Xi, and Phi Delta Theta. A few of the sororities on campus include Sigma Lambda Gamma, Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Delta Delta Delta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma. The sororities and fraternities offer numerous events on campus throughout the year for student enjoyment.

Nearly 40 percent of students live on campus in residential housing. The university is divided into two campuses: City Campus and East Campus. City Campus is located east of downtown Lincoln, and East Campus is located two miles east-northeast of City Campus. There are two on campus apartments (The Courtyards and The Villages) and 12 traditional housing options for City Campus. The traditional housing options include Smith Hall, Selleck Hall, Abel Hall, Cather Hall, Husker Hall, Kaufman Center, Schramm Hall, Sandoz Hall, Neihardt Hall, Pound Hall, Knoll Hall, and Harper Hall. East Campus has 3 traditional residential halls (Love Memorial Co-op, Burr Hall, and Fedde Hall) and 3 on campus apartments (The Courtyard, Robert E. Knoll, and The Villages).

The campus is home to the only set of comprehensive research libraries in Nebraska. There are 8 libraries on campus, including the Music Library, Mathematics Library, Geology Library, Engineering Library, C.Y. Thompson Library, Architecture Library, Don L. Love Memorial Library, and Marvin and Virginia Schmid Law Library.

Other interesting points of interest for students include the International Quilt Study Center, Maxwell Arboretum, Lied Center for Performing Arts, Architecture Hall, and the Headquarters of the National Society of Pershing Rifles. There are many amazing things to see on campus.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has great athletic teams. There are 21 varsity teams that represent the school. The Cornhuskers or Huskers belong to the NCAA Division I FBS division. The teams represent the Big 12 and Big 10. The school’s mascots are Lil’ Red and Herbie Husker. The team’s colors are cream and scarlet. The teams have won 23 National Championships in volleyball, gymnastics, and football.

The sports teams consist of baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track and field football, men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s tennis, wrestling, bowling, riffle, soccer, softball, swimming/diving, and volleyball.

The athletic facilities include Memorial Stadium, football; Devaney Center, men’s and women’s basketball and gymnastics; NU Coliseum, volleyball and wrestling; Hawks Field at Haymarket Park, baseball; Bowlin Stadium, softball; Nebraska Soccer Field, soccer; Ed Weir Stadium, track and field; Devaney Center Indoor track, men’s and women’s track; Devaney Center Natatorium, swimming/diving; Pioneers Park, cross country; Nebraska Tennis Center, tennis; Nebraska Varsity Courts, tennis; Wilderness Ridge Golf Course, women’s golf; Firethorn Golf Course, men’s golf; East Campus Bowling Lanes, bowling; and Nebraska Riffle Range, rifle.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s football team has won 5 national championships in 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, and 1997. The Cornhusker football team has 3 Heisman Trophy winners: Mike Rozier, Johnny Rodgers, and Eric Crouch. Two of the many records that the football team holds is the longest opening game winning streak of 25 victories (as of 2010) and longest collegiate football sell-out streak (311 home games). The football team is one of only six other university teams in the NCAA Division I that have over 800 wins.

A few notable athletes include Rulon Gardner, 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist; Vanessa Meloche, Canadian Gymnast; Nate Branch, Harlem Globetrotters basketball player; Josh Bullocks, Chicago Bears; Dave Redding, Green Bay Packers assistant coach; Louise Pound , First women elected to the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame; Tony Jetter; Pittsburgh Steelers, Adam Stern; MLB baseball player; and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep; Olympic Bronze Medalist in 2008.

Bibliography

University of Nebraska-Lincoln. 16 April 2011. Web. 16 April 2011.
Babcock, Mike. Journal of Nebraska Football Vault.Marceline: Walsworth Publishing, 2008. Print.
Knoll, Robert E. Prairie University: A History of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1995. Print.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln