Winds of Change - College 2017 - 23

200
THE TOP

COLLEGES FOR
NATIVE AMERICANS
Our unique compilation of information on 200 colleges and
universities is specifically geared toward Native American students.
Turn to the next page for information on how to read the tables.

U

se this list of 200 colleges and universities to research where
American Indians are going to school in significant numbers
and where the community, Native programs, and support are
strong enough for these students to enjoy college and stay on to
graduation. Unlike most "top colleges" lists, the focus here is on the
Native community and the support system, from admissions through
graduation. The Winds of Change list also clearly reflects Native
population demographics, with the Southwest, the Northwest,
Oklahoma, California, and the Great Lakes states heavily represented
- in contrast to the East, Southeast, and Midwest of other lists. The
term "American Indian" and the abbreviations "AI" and "NA" used here
are inclusive of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawai'ian/
Pacific Islander.
We continue to provide data on graduation rates, both total and for
American Indians, and the same for STEM baccalaureate degrees. Data
on American Indian faculty is also included in the faculty section.
➤ HOW DID WE SELECT
THESE 200 SCHOOLS?

We review the latest information
available from the U.S. Department of Education's Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data
System (IPEDS) database,
especially focusing on statistics
on degrees, graduation rates, and
enrollment. Our thanks to the
DOE and IPEDS staffs for their
help and support in this effort.
In addition, we survey colleges

aises.org

and utilize their responses to
gather information on AI
support programs.
We look for colleges that have
a good, and good-sized, American
Indian support community, and
we focus on those that graduate a
good percentage of their Native
undergraduates. These two
parameters - the Native
community and the number of
degrees - are the major criteria
for selection. We try to focus on

schools with more than 30
American Indian undergraduates, or 2 percent or more, and
those that award 20-plus
baccalaureate degrees to Native
students. We also take note of a
school's AI percentages in
comparison with the state's AI
population, expressed as a
percentage.
➤ HOW IS THE INFORMATION
PRESENTED?

In the double-page format, the
left-hand page contains the
descriptive information you
would expect in any guide.
Material has been drawn largely
from the IPEDS database.
In addition to popular majors
at each school, the right-hand
page contains information
specific to American Indian
students, organized into three
sections. The first section
describes the school's American
Indian community, including the
total numbers and percentages
for Native American students
- degrees, graduation rates,

STEM degrees, and enrollments
- undergraduate and graduate.
The second section lists specific
programs for American Indians,
grouped into three subsections:
Financial, Academic, and
Support. The third section lists
each school's main website. In
total, this page provides a
snapshot of the Native community and the environment at each
school. It offers good indicators
for prospective AI students on
the academic/social climate and
chances for individual growth,
achievement, and the ultimate
goal of graduation.
Please refer to the next page
of this section for explanations
of the column headings used on
the data pages.
In summary, the information
here is straightforward, created
specifically for Native Americans
and their advisors. It is all that
you should need to create your
starter list of schools to be given
more in-depth consideration.
Good luck in this search of -
and for - a lifetime!

2017-2018 SPECIAL COLLEGE ISSUE * WINDS OF CHANGE 23
http://www.aises.org
Winds of Change - College 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Winds of Change - College 2017
