Portland State University

Portland State University admitted 90.9% of applicants in its most recent reported class. That means most students who apply get in. Your job is to meet the requirements and apply on time.

The real question isn’t your odds. It’s your move. That’s where Spike comes in. It reads your profile against what Portland State University actually rewards, then tells you what to do next.

Turn big ideas into action with hands-on learning, career connections and a supportive community at PSU.

The academic experience emphasizes hands-on learning and career connections, preparing students for real-world application.

• 200+ ProgramsDiverse fields, extensive options
• Computer Science ProgramWelcoming, problem-solving, technology
• Higher Education in Prison ProgramTransformative education, bachelor's degrees

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The current prompts, straight from the application. They change year to year. Most guides you’ll find are a cycle behind.

• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way.

  Up to 650 words

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.

  Up to 650 words

• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.

  Up to 650 words

• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

  Up to 650 words

• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

  Up to 650 words

• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you?

  Up to 650 words

• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

  Up to 650 words

• In her essay "Open Door," from A Field Guide to Getting Lost (2005), Rebecca Solnit writes, "Leave the door open to the unknown, the door into the dark. That's where you find the most important things come from, where you by yourself came from, and where you will go." The things we want are transformative, and we don't know or only think we know what is on the other side of that transformation. Love, wisdom, grace, inspiration—how do you go about finding these things that are in some ways about extending the boundaries of the self into unknown territory, about becoming someone else? Certainly for artists of all stripes, the unknown, the idea or the form or the tale that has not yet arrived, is what must be found. It is the job of artists to open doors and invite in prophesies, the unknown, the unfamiliar; it's where their work comes from, although its arrival signals the beginning of the long disciplined process of making it their own. For this essay, show how you think with and respond to another writer. In a carefully crafted and well-organized essay of 300-500 words, address the following: What do you understand Solnit to be saying about the unknown? What is at stake in engaging the unknown? How do artists, scientists, and philosophers approach the unknown? Why is this significant? What, if anything, would you add to this discussion of the unknown?

  Up to 500 words

Every prompt, with how to approach each →

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The sticker price is about $21,590. That isn’t what most families pay. After need-based aid, the average net price is $9,552.

PSU offers a Tuition-Free Degree for eligible Oregon residents and encourages all students to submit the FAFSA or ORSAA for financial aid consideration as soon as possible after October 1.

Ten years after enrolling, graduates earn a median of $57,906.

Verified from pdx.edu and the U.S. Department of Education.

• Psychology, General8% of degrees
• Social Sciences, General6% of degrees
• Business Administration, Management and Operations6% of degrees
• Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities5% of degrees
• Marketing4% of degrees
• Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General4% of degrees

“Ride the free streetcar to campus, grab a coffee at the Smith Memorial Student Union, then head to class before exploring downtown Portland.”

Students gather on the lush lawn of the park blocks, a green oasis in the heart of downtown, enjoying the vibrant city atmosphere.

How hard is it to get into Portland State University?

Very hard. Portland State University admits 90.9% of applicants. Treat it as a reach for every applicant.

How much does Portland State University cost?

The list price is about $21,590. After aid, families pay $9,552 on average.

Is Portland State University worth it?

Graduates earn a median of $57,906 ten years after enrolling. 53% of students graduate within six years. Value depends on your aid offer and your goals. That’s what Spike helps you weigh.