So our website couldn't answer your questions, eh?

There is nothing I hate more than when students/parents email me and say our website doesn't have this and that information or whatever because **ahem** I built our side of the website and link out to 2398471 other pages on the PLNU website. Trust me... if it's important (or honestly even if it isn't) it is on that damn website....

Behold an email I got from a (very bored I'm assuming) junior this afternoon....

HeIllo,

My name is XXXX, I live in Oregon and I am going to be an high school senior this coming school year. My family and I are considering Point Loma University as one of my college options, but we have several questions that the Point Loma website does not answer for me. Could you possibly answer some of my questions and get back to me? Thanks!

- Is it true that Point Loma University does not charge out of state tuition? And if they do, how much extra is it?

- Going into my senior year of high school, I currently have a 3.8 GPA and a SAT score of 1800. As of right now, what kind of academic scholarships would Point Loma be able to offer me based on that criteria?

- If I was to attend Point Loma University, I would probably be bringing my vehicle with me. Is there student parking offered on campus, and if so, what would be the cost to park my car?

- What is the average cost of books and supplies for undergraduates?

- How far/how long is it to the nearest airport from San Diego?

- I scored a 3 on my AP US History Test, and a 4 on my AP Literature Test. Does Point Loma accept AP credits, and if so, what are the minimal scores required for those tests?

- What is the setting of Point Loma like? Is it a college town, rural, or in the city?

- How are dorms assigned?

- I plan to major in journalism and minor in music. Is journalism a dominant major at Point Loma, or should I seek other colleges for this major?

- How safe is the campus, and what kind of security is offered?

- What prerequisites are required to attend Point Loma as an undergraduate? For example, how many years of high school math, foreign language, and what levels?

- If I was to attend Point Loma fall of 2012 as a freshman, what classes would I be required to take at Point Loma?

- What kind of scholarships are offered, and how do I apply?

- What other minimal fees do I need to be aware of? For example, does it cost to do laundry?

- What are the average class sizes?

- Does Point Loma help students grow in their faith?

I know there are alot of questions, but if you could answer them for me, it would be greatly appreciated. I am really interested in Point Loma, but since we live so far away, I want to make sure that Point Loma offers everything that I need, and is a good fit for me, before my family and I take the time and money to schedule a visit. Thanks again!

- XXXX

 Annoying right? Well here is my email back to this ever so thorough junior in high school....

Hey there XXXX!

Wow! Thanks for all the questions! I am happy to help you with these and point you to the right spot on the website for more information. I’ve copied and pasted your questions below and answered in green right underneath. Let me know if I can help anymore!

- Is it true that Point Loma [Nazarene] University does not charge out of state tuition? And if they do, how much extra is it?

Great news! You’re 100% correct. We’re a private school and so we do not charge for out of state tuition. All students have the same tuition regardless of where they’re from or their major.

- Going into my senior year of high school, I currently have a 3.8 GPA and a SAT score of 1800. As of right now, what kind of academic scholarships would Point Loma be able to offer me based on that criteria?

At PLNU we have a couple different academic scholarships that are available to our students. Since we’re wrapping up this application season and haven’t opened the application for fall of 2012 yet, we don’t have the criteria set for academic scholarships. To see what they were for this year, check out this page.

- If I was to attend Point Loma [Nazarene] University, I would probably be bringing my vehicle with me. Is there student parking offered on campus, and if so, what would be the cost to park my car?

Unfortunately, freshman are not allowed to have cars on campus but the good news is there aren’t fees to have a parking permit your sophomore through senior year! Freshman are allowed to have scooters though!

- What is the average cost of books and supplies for undergraduates?

It depends on your major to be honest. Literature students will have more books than a graphic design student for example.

- How far/how long is it to the nearest airport from San Diego?

We’re about ten minutes from downtown San Diego which is where the airport is located.

- I scored a 3 on my AP US History Test, and a 4 on my AP Literature Test. Does Point Loma accept AP credits, and if so, what are the minimal scores required for those tests?

PLNU does accept AP credit and you can see the list of all the exams we accept scores from. This list will also show you what class you’ll waive with certain scores on the exams.

- What is the setting of Point Loma like? Is it a college town, rural, or in the city?

Point Loma is only minutes from downtown San Diego but in a residential area. You feel like you’re in a small town while on campus, but it’s very easy to get to everything San Diego has to offer.

- How are dorms assigned?

We guarantee housing for freshman and sophomores and housing is determined based on a profile that is filled out when confirming your acceptance to the university.

- I plan to major in journalism and minor in music. Is journalism a dominant major at Point Loma, or should I seek other colleges for this major?

PLNU has a strong journalism program with students who have been a part of Pulitzer Prize winning teams, working for the San Diego Union Tribune (a very large newspaper in San Diego) as well as Broadcast Journalism students who are working on camera for stations all across the country.

- How safe is the campus, and what kind of security is offered?

PLNU is incredibly safe and has 24/7 security. You can check out the annual crime report here.

- What prerequisites are required to attend Point Loma as an undergraduate? For example, how many years of high school math, foreign language, and what levels?

We don’t have a set requirement like the University of California system does, however we do have a recommended course load we suggest students follow.

- If I was to attend Point Loma fall of 2012 as a freshman, what classes would I be required to take at Point Loma?

Since PLNU is a liberal arts institution, we do have general education requirements for all students, regardless of their major. You can find a list of the courses and why we have our students take those on this page.

- What kind of scholarships are offered, and how do I apply?

You can find all that and more on this page!

- What other minimal fees do I need to be aware of? For example, does it cost to do laundry?

Laundry around campus is general $1 per load ($0.50 wash, $0.50 dry)

- What are the average class sizes?

Average class size is 19 and the student to professor ratio is 14:1. You can find that information and more on this page.

- Does Point Loma help students grow in their faith?

There are many many many ways PLNU helps our students grow in their faith and be able to learn more with each day. You can see the different options available to our students and ways students are able to plug in and serve each day on this page.

I hope that answers all your questions and shows you where you can look for even more information online. Again, let me know if I can help you anymore!

Thanks again and keep in touch!

 I wish I had the guts to be like:

"Hey there! Here is the answer to every single one of those questions... click here!!"

Alas, I don't want to lose my job due to some lazy junior... so I didn't....

Until next time...