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The Gorilla Advantage is a program Pittsburg State University has put in place to allow students that are non-Kansas residents the opportunity to pay an equivalent amount to those who are Kansas residents. With this program non-Kansas resident undergrad students have been able to pay a reduced tuition, equal to in-state prices.
“Pitt State draws more students from out of state than most regional public universities,” said Howard Smith, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “We chose to add these states for many factors, including our current student draw, geographic distance, alumni concentrations, and the presence of key industries who want our graduates.”
When this plan was first introduced, it applied to the Four-State Area to include students from Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. It has since grown to include Texas and Tennessee as well, however with recent approval from the Kansas Board of Regents, this program is now expanding further.
The Gorilla Advantage Program will now be offered to undergraduate students in 31 states. This new extension excludes northwestern and northeastern states but allows future students from states in the West such as New Mexico, Arizona and California to states up north such as North Dakota and Minnesota, all the way south to Florida. While not all states to the east are covered, many are including Indiana, and Virginia. All of these states have the opportunity for the equivalent of in-state tuition.
With the number of states included in the Gorilla Advantage program being higher than the number of not, the states not included in this new update include Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and all states that are north-east of Maryland. Alaska and Hawaii are also not included in this new update. Students from these few states that choose to attend Pittsburg State University will continue to pay out of state tuition, while those in any of the other 31 states will receive the Gorilla Advantage.
Pitt State allows this option for out of state students due to the variety of programs unique to the university. With a variety of four-year degrees in the different technology and science programs not typically found in many schools along with the school’s flat rate tuition program, students from a variety of states are often interested in becoming a Gorilla.
“Pitt State is one of the only places in the nation you can earn a four-year automotive technology degree, a four-year plastics engineering technology degree in coordination with our polymer chemistry program, and a four-year architectural manufacturing management degree, among others,” Smith said.
The newest updates to the Gorilla Advantage will not affect graduate programs nor will it change tuition rates for graduate students. It will also not affect in state tuition for students who live in Kansas already.
This program has provided students with lowered tuition and opportunities not often found at other campuses. With these new changes, potential students from almost anywhere in the country will be able to attend Pittsburg State University at the same flat-rate tuition as in-state students.