Frequently Asked Questions
Financial Aid
Course Selection & Registration
Housing
Meal Plan & Dining
Technology
Transportation
Financial Aid
Do I need to file the FAFSA each year?
If you’re receiving any grant aid from Linfield, the federal government, or both, or if you’re receiving any federal student loans, you will need to continue to file the FAFSA each year for Linfield to determine continued eligibility.
How do I find out about eligibility for merit scholarships?
You can use the online scholarship calculator for an estimate. Otherwise, you will receive scholarship information from the Office of Financial Aid shortly after your admission.
Will my financial aid change from year to year?
Our goal is to renew your financial aid at the same level every year. However, if there are financial or household changes from the previous year (either positive or negative), certain types of financial aid are more likely to change than others. If you’re receiving any grant assistance from Linfield or the federal government, we encourage you to contact the Office of Financial Aid so you can be sure you’re receiving the most accurate information regarding the renewal of need-based financial aid.
How do I maintain eligibility for merit scholarships?
Students must maintain good standing at the college. That means completing 24 credits each year and maintaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA in order to renew their merit scholarships (Faculty, Trustee, Transfer or Competitive Scholarship Day awards) from year to year.
Course Selection and Registration
When will I register for courses?
Course registration will occur in late June, after you have received your Orientation and Advising information in the postal mail.
Do I have to come to campus this summer to register for courses?
No, course registration will take place online through WebAdvisor. Students should create their CatNet ID and log into WebAdvisor after submitting the matriculation fee on or before May 1.
What classes should I reserve?
There is great information about class selection online in the Step-by-Step Guide to Selecting and Reserving Courses and in the Orientation and Academic Advising Guide.
What if I don't have email or web access during the summer?
Students who will be unable to reserve their fall classes online must contact the Academic Advising office at aad@linfield.edu or 503.883.2250.
When will I finalize my fall schedule?
New students will confirm their course reservations and register for fall classes during New Student Orientation. Each student will meet with their faculty advisor and the faculty advisor must approve the course reservations before fall classes are finalized.
Housing
When will I find out about my housing assignment?
You'll be notified of your housing assignment and roommate in late July via postal mail.
What sort of technology is available?
All our residence halls and rooms are wired. Each is linked to the Internet via a fast, T1 connection. In addition, there are multiple wireless hotspots through the buildings and around the campus itself. Landline phone with voicemail service as well as Comcast digital cable with On-Demand are also active in each room. To take advantage of these, you will need to bring your own television, landline telephone and personal computer. That’s it.
The Office of Integrated Technology Services (ITS) offers information for new studentsregarding computer recommendations and information about connecting to the Linfield network (CatNet).
What else will be in my room?
Each room is carpeted and furnished with standard-size twin beds, closets, dressers, desks and desk chairs. Depending on the room, you might share one large closet with your roommate, or you may each have one of your own. Each room also has a smoke alarm and venetian blinds. All residence halls have teleport phone jacks, Ethernet jacks and wireless Internet access.
Who will clean my room?
You will. To keep room rates reasonable and to maintain community health, residence are expected to keep their own rooms clean. You can check out a vacuum cleaner from your Resident Advisor (RA). The College Facilities Service Department employs a regular, full-time cleaning staff (as well as many student staff members), who take care of both regular maintenance and emergencies. The college custodial staff cleans all public and bath areas regularly.
Are there community activities in the residence halls?
Residence halls sponsor a variety of programs every month, including special dinners, dances and outings to the coast or Portland-area attractions. They also provide programs on topics like studying, test-taking skills, health care and time management. You’re encouraged to get involved in the various Residence Life leadership positions in each residence hall.
What sort of campus security is there?
The campus is patrolled 24 hours a day by the Linfield College Community Public Safety and Security Department. The staff can be contacted by telephone, email or in person (Cozine Hall). Blue light emergency phones that connect directly to the security team are located thoughout campus.
Students are provided with a key to their room and student identification cards will open all residence hall doors between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. You and your hallmates are the only ones with 24-hour access to your hall. Linfield policy requires students to carry their identification card with them at all times when on campus.
Where do I do my laundry?
Every residence hall has washers and dryers available for student use. Laundry is free at Linfield!
Just how “coed” are the “coed” halls?
Men and women live on separate floors or in separate wings in coed halls. There are bathrooms on each floor, used by the residents. (Exception: because the rooms in Newby Hall have a private bathroom, the floors are coed.) The college has established times when men and women may visit each other’s rooms and floors. These hours are:
10:00 a.m. until midnight Sunday – Thursday
10:00 a.m. until 2 a.m. Friday – Saturday
Escorted guests may be in the lounges at any time of day in those halls that elect to extend this option.
Meal Plan & Dining
What is the meal plan like?
All new students living in a residence hall will be automatically assigned the standard meal plan. This plan includes nine all-you-care-to-eat meals per week and a declining-balance dollar amount. The all-you-care-to-eat meals include dinner every night and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. You will use your declining-balance dollar amount for all other meals (that way you only pay for what you eat). Find out more about the meal plan and our dining system.
Do I have to be on the meal plan?
All students living in the residence halls are required to enroll in a meal plan. All new students will automatically be enrolled in the standard meal plan.
Can I change my meal plan?
Students may modify their meal plans beginning spring semester.
I have a special diet - for health or religious reasons - can I cook for myself?
Modifications can be made to the meal plan under certain circumstances. Students should first contact Linfield's Dining Services Managers - either Bill Masullo (wmasull@linfield.edu) - to determine how the student's dietary needs can be met.
Where can I eat?
Meal cards are accepted at Dillin (the dining hall), O'Rileys (the campus coffee shop), the Catty Shack, the Obeservatory and the coffee cart in the library. A listing of locations and hours of all campus dining may be found at www.linfielddining.com/.
Technology
What is CatNet?
CatNet is your electronic identity at Linfield, in addition to your Linfield-provided email address, providing you access to your electronic records on WebAdvisor.
What is WebAdvisor?
Linfield gives you electronic access to your student account through an online database called WebAdvisor. Some of the things you can do on WebAdvisor include:
- Reserve & register for classes
- Clear your student financial account
- View unofficial transcripts
- Search the Linfield directory
- Renew financial aid
How do I check my Linfield email?
After creating your CatNet ID, you can login to your Linfield email at http://mail.linfield.edu.
Transportation
Can I bring my car to campus? And is a parking permit required?
All students are permitted to bring a car to campus. A year-long parking permit is $85 and can be purchased during the first week of classes.
Can I bring my bike to campus?
Many students find a bike to be a convenient and economic way to get around campus and McMinnville. College Public Safety (CPS) recommends that students register their bike with CPS and the McMinnville Police Department, which assists with the recovery of bikes should they be stolen. Students may contact CPS in Cozine Hall, or the McMinnville Police Department at 503-434-7307.
CPS also recommends that students use a heavy duty U-Lock, always lock their bike to a bike rack (even if unattended for only a few minutes), and lock or remove components that could be easily stolen from the bicycle.
Linfield's Bike Co-Op is available for students to check-out bikes and receive free bicycle maintenance. The Bike Co-Op is located near Cozine Hall.
Does Linfield provide airport transportation at breaks?
Linfield sponsors a Shuttle Service at the beginning and end of the year, as well as all main breaks (Thanksgiving, Winter, January Term and Spring). The Shuttle Service is $10 per student for a one-way trip. Students must reserve a spot in advance by emailing Dan Fergueson (dfergue@linfield.edu), Director of College Activities. It operates on a first-come, first-serve basis. Shuttles will got to Portland International Airport (PDX) first, and then make a stop at Portland's Union Station, if there is need.
Is there public transportation in McMinnville?
The Yamhill County Transit Area (YCTA) provides public transportation around McMinnville and to neighboring cities (such as Newberg, Salem and Hillsboro) and to several Tri-Met (the public transit system of the Portland metro area) stations.
YCTA Fares:
Single one-way fare is $1
Single-day passes are $2
A 10-pass passbook is $15
Unlimited Monthly Pass is $30
Passes are available from drivers.
Tri-Met Fares:
Adult, all zones, two-hour ticket is $2.30
A one-day pass is $4.75
Routes within McMinnville cover campus and all main commercial and residential areas, including downtown, the Highway 99W commercial district (Wal-Mart, Safeway, Winco), the hospital and theater.
Link Routes travel through McMinnville to Hillsboro/MAX (Portland light rail, approximately 50 minutes), Salem (Cherriots transit, approximately 40 minutes), Tigard (Tri-Met buses, approximately 60 minutes) and the West Valley.
Connections to the Portland International Airport and Union Station are possible; however, it is best to consult schedules of both the YCTA and Tri-Met.
From the Hillsboro Transit Center to the Airport, the light rail trip takes approximately 90 minutes.
From the Hillsboro Transit Center to Union Station, the light rail trip takes approximately 70 minutes.
From the Tigard Transit Center to the Airport, the light rail trip takes approximately 85 minutes.
From the Tigard Transit Center to Union Station, the light rail trip taxes approximately 60 minutes.
Can students rent or check out cars from the college?
U-Car Share is an alternative to car ownership and allows members access to a vehicle by the hour without the hassle of gas, insurance, parking fees or maintenance costs. Annual membership fee is $25 and rates are as low as $4.95 an hour, plus 59 cents per mile, but no more than $9.25 an hour. Two cars are parked at Linfield (near the Post Office and HP Apartments). Membership and reservations are available online at http://www.ucarshare.com.