University of Minnesota-Crookston

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University of Minnesota-Crookston

Beneficial, Budget-Friendly Bachelor’s Education at UM-Crookston

The University of Minnesota-Crookston appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Online Degree Programs For In-State Students. The University of Minnesota-Crookston is a public, coed AASCU member in Greater Grand Forks. It offers:
  • 35 majors
  • 23 minors
  • seven certificates
It also has  28 online options, plus the College in High School (CIHS) program. It has a 16:1 student/faculty ratio. For example, the Agronomy BS has a 120-credit, four-year curriculum where undergrads can:
  • engage in Agricultural Research Center projects
  • join the FFA Chapter
  • intern with Land O’Lakes
  • attend Ag Arama
The 120-credit Manufacturing Management BMM delivers on-campus and online courses from Business Writing to Organizational Behavior. It has a 93 percent full-time job placement. The Equine Business Management BS is a 120-credit, face-to-face plan with opportunities for students to:
  • access the Outreach Center’s 45-stall stable
  • intern with Stillwater Equine
  • join Horse Judging Club
  • compete on the Western Equestrian Team
The 120-credit Accounting BS qualifies undergrads to take the Uniform CPA Exam after online or campus courses. Other opportunities include internships like Deloitte, and Beta Alpha Psi membership. Other degrees include:
  • Criminal Justice BS
  • Elementary Education BS
  • Natural Resources BS
  • Medical Lab Science BS
  • Marketing BS
  • Horticulture BS
Washington Monthly’s ranked the University of Minnesota-Crookston 34th best baccalaureate institution

About the University of Minnesota-Crookston

The University of Minnesota-Crookston originated in 1895 when the Minnesota Legislature passed legislation allocating $30,000 to develop the Northwest Experiment Station. In 1905, the Northwest School of Agriculture was created on James Jerome Hill’s donated land. In October 1906, the NWSA officially opened for an inaugural class of 31 in practical agronomic education. In 1912, Kiehle Library was dedicated in honor of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. On May 26, 1965, the NWSA became the Agricultural and Technical Institute of Crookston. In 1966, Crookston started the first Associate in Applied Science degrees. In 1968, Crookston joined the UMN System as the University of Minnesota Technical Institute. By 1988, the University of Minnesota-Crookston name was adopted. In 1992, the Board of Regents approved UM-Crookston’s earliest Bachelor of Science programs. The next year, UM-Crookston launched America’s first “Laptop U” initiative. It’s endowed for $17.7 million. The University of Minnesota-Crookston  has 74 full-time and 59 part-time faculty. It has 2,810 undergraduates from 24 nations. It has 40+ clubs like the Rodeo Association. In 2017, Crookston accepted an NABC Team Academic Excellence Award. In 2018, UM-Crookston received the USDA Forest Service Volunteers & Service Award. The University  also won the 2015 LSCHE Excellence Award. The U.S. News & World Report picked UM-Crookston 21st for social mobility regionally. Niche ranked UM-Crookston America’s:
  • sixth-best online education
  • 53rd best agriculture degrees
  • 153rd top public education
WalletHub ranked the University of Minnesota-Crookston 87th for value and 117th for campus safety. LendEDU cited UM-Crookston for the 184th lowest debt. College Factual put UM-Crookston 154th for natural resources and 113th for applied health degrees.

University of Minnesota-Crookston Accreditation Details

The University of Minnesota-Crookston is accredited by the  Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA). Located 698 miles southeast via Interstate 94 in Chicago, Illinois, this mega 19-state Midwest Region accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Crookston also belongs to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) for online studies.

University of Minnesota-Crookston Application Requirements

Getting into the University of Minnesota-Crookston is classified as “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s. It has a  66 percent acceptance rate.  Degree-seeking student must be finishing an eligible high school diploma or the GED. At least 16 core courses, including four in English and three in math, are required. Only the College in High School program admits juniors and seniors before graduation. CIHS entrants need minimum secondary GPAs of 3.0. First-year applicants must hold 2.0 or better GPAs. The Class of 2022 reported an average 3.21 GPA, 1070 SAT, and 22 ACT mark. Submitting standardized test scores is wholly optional though. Transfers with up to 90 previous credits and GPAs above 2.0 are welcome. Check Transferology for equivalencies on courses graded “C” or greater. UM-Crookston has 24 transfer articulation agreements, including:
  • Central Lakes College
  • Itasca Community College
  • Nicolet College
International students must achieve at least 68 TOEFL iBT, 75 MELAB, 105 Duolingo, or 5.5 IELTS scores in English. The University of Minnesota-Crookston has rolling admission with decisions in two weeks. Final deadlines are:
  • August 1st for Fall
  • December 1st for Spring
  • May 15th for Summer
On-campus freshmen should meet the priority deadline of March 1st. Online students should meet the automatic scholarship review deadline of February 3rd. Non-U.S. residents must file before July 1st or November 1st. The College in High School (CIHS) program has registration deadlines of May 20th and November 23rd. Accordingly, file the UM-Crookston or Common Application online for $30 ($35 if foreign). Forward official transcripts to 2900 University Avenue in Crookston, MN 56716. Contact (218) 281-8569 or umcinfo@umn.edu about further steps.

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2019-20, the University of Minnesota-Crookston billed full-time undergrads $5,219 per semester or $10,438 annually. Studying part-time costs $401 per credit. Online courses added a $50 distance learning fee for $451 per credit. Three-quarter-time studies cost $9,124. Half-time students paid $6,416. Residing at the Greater Grand Forks housing required $9,020 for yearly room and board. UM-Crookston budgeted:
  • $1,000 for books
  • $980 for transportation
  • $1,824 for personal expenses
Annual bachelor’s attendance was $24,242 on-campus and $18,420 for commuters. Online programs cost roughly $21,702 per year full-time. The Office of Financial Aid helps 95 percent of new, full-time UM-Crookston students find assistance. Average assistance is $9,990 per student. University funds include:
  • Carol Macpherson Memorial Scholarship
  • Dr. Nancy Barcelo Scholarship
  • Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Scholarship
  • Merriam Legacy Scholarship
  • Berland Opportunity Grant
  • Bruce Beresford Memorial Scholarship
  • Francis Fortie-Klein Scholarship
  • Katz Memorial Scholarship
  • Arnie Skeie Scholarship
  • Ward Family Scholarship
  • John Vallager Scholarship
  • Michael Chowdry Entrepreneurial Scholarship
The Presidential Scholarship awards up to $6,500 annually or $26,000 in total to outstanding freshmen with minimum 3.76 GPAs. The Online Student Achievement Scholarship gives $2,000 to U.S. citizens taking 12+ semester credits. Federal programs, such as the Pell Grant and Perkins Loan, require FAFSA forms coded 004069. Minnesotans also pursue:
  • the State Grant
  • Teacher Candidate Grant
  • Public Safety Officer’s Survivor Grant
  • Indian Scholarship
  • Horatio Alger Scholarship, and more.
Search through four departments filled with 40+ in-demand, undergraduate programs  at the University of Minnesota-Crookston website.

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