University of Houston (UH, UH) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

With a population of more than 38,000 students, UH is the third-largest institution of higher learning in the state of Texas. First established as Houston Junior College in 1927, the university rapidly grew to become the four-year University of Houston (UH) in 1934. Although it began its history as a private school, UH passed into state hands in 1963.

The mission of the University of Houston is to "discover and disseminate knowledge through the education of a diverse population of traditional and nontraditional students, and through research, artistic and scholarly endeavors, as it becomes the nation

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Information Summary

Ranks 12th in Texas and 304th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	90.2
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$23,225
Admission Success rate	N/A
ACT / SAT 75%ile scores	28 / 1310
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	23 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	85% / 66%
Enrollment Total (all students)	46,324

Academics

An Overview of the Programs

UH awards more than 7,200 degrees a year in nearly 320 different programs. These include 120 bachelor

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

Roughly 80% of students who apply for admission at University of Houston are accepted. A modest, nonrefundable fee is required for as part of the student application.

Financial Aid

Financial aid distribution at University of Houston is at forty-seven percent scholarships per grants and fifty-three percent loans per jobs.

Student Financial Aid Details

Ranks 4062nd for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best scholarships and financial aid in Texas.

Students

Diversity

The student population at UH is roughly 34% European American, 20 % Asian American, 22% Latino American, 13% African American, .3% Native American, and 8.5% internationally-based.

Campus Residences

With no mandatory residency requirements, only 12% of the student population at UH lives in on-campus housing. The three main residential hall complexes are The Quadrangle, Moody Towers, and Cougar Village. The Quadrangle is comprised of several small coed dormitories with a small dining hall in Oberholtzer. All the dormitories in The Quadrangle are scheduled for renovation in 2011. Moody Towers are a pair of 18-story towers, also scheduled for renovation in 2011, with a large dining hall. Cougar Village is a dormitory dedicated to freshmen and Honors College students. It features a tutoring center, computer labs, a fitness center, and a convenience store.

In addition to the dormitories, UH owns several apartment complexes on campus: Bayou Oaks, Cambridge Oaks, Cullen Oaks, and Calhoun Lofts. These complexes are largely inhabited by graduate and professional students.

Greek System

There are 21 fraternities and 19 sororities on campus. All the Greek chapters coordinate social action and other initiatives together through four governing councils: the Houston Panhellenic Council, The Interfraternity Council, the Multicultural Greek Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. All of the Greek chapters come together in the Center for Leadership and Fraternity & Sorority Life, which emphasizes ethical and purpose-based leadership. The university-owned apartment complex Bayou Oaks is home to 13 of the fraternities and sororities, allowing members to live as part of a Greek system while still having conventional residence life and convenience to the campus.

Campus Traditions

Two important annual traditions in the lives of virtually everyone on the UH campus are Cougar First Impressions and Frontier Fiesta. During Cougar First Impressions the entire faculty and staff of the university welcome students back to school during the first two days of classes with meet-and-greet sessions, mentoring partnerships, and departmental get-togethers. During Frontier Fiesta each spring an entire 19th century

Student Enrollment Demographics

Student Graduation Demographics

Athletics

The athletics department compete in NCAA Division I and belong to Conference USA. The UH men

Alumni

1989 Heisman Trophy winner Andrew Ware is a UH alumnus. Other alumni athletes include golfer Fred Couples, Olympic runner Carl Lewis, and NBA players Bo Outlaw, Clyde Drexler, Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Carl Herrera. NFL players Glenn Montgomery, Craig Veasey, David Klingler, Wilson Whitley, Alfred Oglesby, Kevin Kolb, and Sebastian Vollmer all played football for University of Houston on their way to the pros.

Politicians who attended UH include Republican congressman Ted Poe, former U.S. representative Tom Delay, and U.S. congressman Gene Green.

Alumni of UH in the fine arts include novelists Alice Sebold, Padgett Powell, and Robert Clark Young. Jack Valenti, the president of the Motion Picture Association of America and creator of the current film rating system used in theaters nationwide, graduated from UH. WordPress creator Matt Mullenweg, who gracefully married art to technology, is also an alum.

Bibliography

Adair, Wendy. The University of Houston: Our Time: Celebrating 75 Years of Learning and Leading. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company Publishers. 2001. Print.

Fiske, Edward B. Fiske Guide to Colleges 2011. Chicago: Sourcebooks, 2010. Print.

Nicholson, Patrick J. In Time: An Anecdotal History of the First Fifty Years of the University of Houston. Houston: Pacesetter Press. 1977. Print.

Pope, Loren. Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That’s Right for You. New York: Penguin. 2007. Print.

Prospective Students. University of Houston. Web. 15 Apr. 2011

University of Houston