This week, dozens of colleges across Indiana are waiving their application fees to encourage students to submit their applications. This is an opportunity for students to apply to a greater number of colleges without stressing about paying for their applications. In order to best take advantage of these waivers, we’ve compiled a list of the most underrated in-state colleges you should consider applying to this week.
Indiana University Indianapolis (Code: INCOLLGO)
Located in the heart of Indianapolis, IUI is known for being Indiana’s only R1 research university. R1 research universities are institutions classified by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as having “Very High Research Activity,” meaning that students have access to cutting-edge labs and receive numerous grants for research purposes. IUI offers extensive courses in healthcare and life sciences, as well as degrees in fields such as artificial intelligence and data science. Students who attend IUI receive an urban campus experience, with many opportunities for professional development due to their location downtown. Additionally, IUI offers a unique “Study Away” program, where students can apply to study in another state for a year. This encompasses numerous universities across the United States, from San Jose State University in California to the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Students can “study away” at one of these other universities for a year for the same tuition as IUI.
Marian University
Marian University is a Catholic institution with two campuses in Indiana, located in Indianapolis and Plymouth. According to the university website, 99% of students who attend Marian receive financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants. Academically, the university is most famous for their Leighton School of Nursing. But it also offers an online option that is primarily aimed at pursuing nursing or other health care careers where students can get nursing prerequisites out of the way online. Students looking for a more flexible approach to education should consider applying to this program. Marian is also one of 44 accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States. The school offers a fast-track for students studying medicine, meaning that students interested in obtaining their DO (Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine) should consider this school.
Franklin College
Located just south of Indianapolis and Center Grove, Franklin College is known for its strong liberal arts tradition and tight-knit community. The college offers more than 50 majors, with notable strengths in journalism, political science, business and the sciences, as well as a growing emphasis on pre-professional programs such as pre-law and pre-med. One unique element of Franklin is their “Immersive Term,” a term which takes place in between the fall and spring semesters. During the Immersive Term, students are encouraged to study abroad or explore unconventional programs in-state. In past years, some examples of areas of study include “Combat Choreography for Contemporary Plays”, “Poker: Math, Science & Life Skills of Texas Hold’em”, and “Building with Buddha: Exploring Buddhist Meditation through 3D Printing”. Students seeking a unique and immersive learning environment should consider applying to Franklin College this fall.
University of Evansville
Located right by the Ohio River, the University of Evansville is known for their variety of undergraduate programs and has been recognized as a “Changemaker Campus,” classified as such for their excellence in fostering student engagement. However, the most unique aspect of the University of Evansville is their study abroad program, based at their campus in Harlaxton, England. At Harlaxton, classes are held Monday through Thursday, enabling students to organize expeditions to nearby countries such as Ireland, Spain, Italy and France. The cherry on top? The tuition rates at Harlaxton are the same as at Evansville, and financial aid carries over, meaning the only additional costs to studying abroad are travel-related. Students seeking an engaging academics in addition to an immersive study abroad experience should apply to the University of Evansville.
University of Southern Indiana (Code: collegego26)
Located just eight miles from the University of Evansville, the University of Southern Indiana offers strong programs in nursing, business and healthcare. USI is known for their beautiful, modern campus with a wide variety of campus activities. Additionally, USI recently became a Division 1 university, and currently the college offers 19 different sports for men and women. USI also has relatively cheap tuition, capped at $9,036 for in-state students, bringing the cost of tuition well below the national average and extremely affordable for Indiana residents.
