Oregon's support of basic education is reflected in the results - the state's high school students rank among the highest in the nation on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and were at the top of the SAT in 1993. Seventy-nine percent of Portland's population 25 years old and older graduated from high school, with 42 percent of those attending or graduating from college.
Three community colleges - part of Oregon's statewide community college system - serve the Portland metropolitan area, with others located along the Willamette Valley-Interstate 5 corridor. These colleges offer studies in a wide variety of technical fields and maintain close ties with the business community.
The Portland metropolitan area is home to 17 four-year public and private colleges and universities, which serve a wide range of needs. Many are recognized internationally for innovative research. These include the Oregon Health & Science University and Portland State University, the city's largest four-year institution.
The University of Oregon at Eugene is the state's largest. UO is ranked as one of the nation's top 15 public research universities, with a number of its graduate programs in the physical and biological sciences ranked among the best in the nation, including biochemistry, microbiology, neurosciences, mathematics, geosciences, clinical psychology, and business/MBA.
Oregon State University at Corvallis is a Land Grant, Sea Grant and Space Grant institution, with internationally recognized programs in biotechnology, marine biology, forestry, agriculture and veterinary science. OSU is a leader in genetic, cancer and auto-immune disorder research studies.
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