Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University Overview

Old Dominion University is a public, state school in the city of Norfolk, Virginia. ODU was founded in 1930 and now enrolls around 23,494 students per year year, which includes 18,678 undergrad students. ODU ensures on-campus housing for up to 4,361 students. Most students live in off campus housing, and 22% of students spend their weekends on campus.

📆 Mark your calendar! February 1, 2023 is the final deadline to submit an application for the Fall 2023 semester.

Student Involvement at ODU

Are you interested in music or performing? At ODU you can join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? ODU students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? ODU has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? ODU has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at ODU on the Student Life page.

Is ODU a Good School?

The definition of a "good school" varies. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a closer look at these factors to get a clearer idea of what ODU offers and if the college might be a good choice for you.

ODU Acceptance Rate 2022

ODU is moderately difficult to get into. Around 96% of applicants get into ODU each year. Out of 13,586 applications received in 2022, 13,074 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at ODU

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. It guages how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at ODU, around 72% are still enrolled the next year. Around 49% of students who started at ODU earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. The average six-year graduation rate for U.S. colleges and universities is 61% for public schools, and 67% for private, non-profit schools.

Job Outlook ODU Graduates

Job placement statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers. 33% of graduates from ODU recieve at least one full-time job offer within six months of graduating.

Recent ODU grads have an average starting salary of $40,224 a year. The average starting salary for all 2021 graduates was around $60,000 a year, though these numbers vary widely by major.

ODU's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

ODU's endowment was valued at $341.5 million in 2022, compared to a national average of $905 million. The school spends $9,812 for each full-time student enrolled.

Tuition and Financial Aid at ODU

Tuition is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

ODU meets 39% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend ODU full-time are awarded $11,307 a year in financial aid, on average.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA asap. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so don't give your money (or info!) to any website that claim you do.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at ODU.

Based on this information, how does ODU sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may not be the right school for someone else! So ask yourself: Is ODU a good school for you?

If Old Dominion University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

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Where is Old Dominion University Located?

ODU is located in the city of Norfolk, Virginia, less than an hour from Virginia Beach.

If you are interested in seeing ODU for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 64 and Interstate 264 to Norfolk, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Norfolk International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what ODU and Norfolk are like without leaving home.

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