Category: New Jersey college

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Rutgers University Honors College

The Rutgers University Honors College, which is two years old, is not to be confused with the Rutgers honors programs. The Honors College takes the top 7% of each school (except nursing) from Rutgers New Brunswick. The Honors College brings together students from across disciplines, creating an interdisciplinary experience.
Freshmen in the Honors College are required to live together in their own housing, a Living and Learning community on College Avenue. When I visited the building, I got to see great seminar spaces, as well as spaces designed for group collaboration, socializing, and studying. Campus Honors Cohort housing is available the sophomore through senior years for those students who wish to take advantage of it.
Academically, the Honors program is special in three areas: curriculum, research and co-curricular programming.
The curriculum includes:
  1. A 1-credit Freshman seminar on curiosity and how to develop new ideas
  2. The Honors College Forum, a 3-credit freshman class on social innovation which includes a group social innovation project
  3. Interdisciplinary classes over first two years, some of which include a study abroad component.
Students in the Honors College take a minimum of four honors classes.
Research is built into the program. Freshmen get an introduction to research, with summer research available after the freshman year. Sophomores have an Aresty Assistantship, in which they assist a professors with their research. Juniors do major research and seniors complete a capstone project.
Special co-curricular programs include honors academic advising, service-learning, internships, and global education. Students have a requirement to do a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer activities in their first three years,
The freshmen and sophomores I met on my visit, were very happy they had chosen the Rutgers University Honors College, over the other highly-competitive colleges and universities that had accepted them. What is your experience with the Honors College?
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Rowan University

General – Rowan University is a public university in New Jersey with about 14,000 undergrads.  The Glassboro campus is flat and set on 200 acres, about 20 minutes from Philly.  Most of the buildings are red brick and there is a street going through the middle of campus. A new business building and a new engineering building are slated to open in January. Bikes and skateboards are popular ways to get around campus.

Admissions –Freshmen had an average high school GPA of 3.6 and an average new SAT score of 1290.  The mid-50% of new SAT scores are 1140 -1330.

The school is test optional for students with an average 3.5 high school GPA who write an extra essay, except for engineering or honors students. 
The grades and scores needed for admissions into engineering are higher; engineering students need at least a 3.3 GPA and 1290 on the new SAT. 
Art students have a portfolio requirement and music students need to audition.  
Freshman retention is 91%. The scholarship deadline is 1/31 and the application deadline is 3/1.
Student body –  About eighty per cent of freshmen live on campus and twenty per cent are commuters; this is not a suitcase school.
Academics – The average class size is 22 with classes capped at 40 students.  No Teaching Assistants teach classes.  
Internships are popular, with over 250 companies recruiting each semester. Study abroad is available. There are no co-ops.
The newest school at Rowan is the School of the Earth and Environment and the newest program is Nutrition.
The most popular major in the school is biological science.
Education majors can start student teaching in their first year and there is a child development center on campus. There is a 5-year Bachelors/Masters program in education. 
Engineering is hands-on with lots of projects.
Popular majors in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences are Exploratory Studies (undeclared), Sociology and Law and Justice.
There is a 5-year Bachelors/Masters program in athletic training.
There are a number of majors where students can complete their Bachelors degree in three years, saving about $22,000.
The Honors program is by invitation only.  Honors students generally have at least a 3.5 GPA and at least a 1775 on the old SAT.  Honors students have special housing, honors classes, and special trips.
Financial – Tuition, fees and room and board cost about $25,000 per year.  Merit aid of between $2,000 and $21,000 per year is available. 
Student Center with Law School Fair
Social – The school has over 100 clubs, Greek life and NCAA Division III athletics.  The student center was bustling with a law school fair on the day I visited.  The rec center has two pools, racketball courts, an indoor track and much more.  There is plenty to do on-campus on the weekends and there are also off-campus trips.
Rec Center


Townhomes


Food and housing – There are ten on-campus dining options.  Learning communities are available.  There is hall style and suite style housing available for freshmen.  The newest housing, Holy Pointe, has air conditioning.  Upperclassmen have on-campus housing opportunities, including townhomes.
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Transfer Forum

About two months ago, I attended a Transfer Forum sponsored by NJ Association of College Admission Counseling (NJACAC) at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC).  There was a panel of transfer personnel from RVCC, Middlesex Community College, and the County College of Morris.  Here are some of the highlights of the program.
Transfer: One of the most common questions asked is, “Will my credits transfer?” The answer is, “it depends.”  It depends on the:
  1.          Grades you get.  Typically you need a C or better for your credits to transfer.
  2.          Major you select.
  3.          Articulation agreement between the community college and the 4-year college.
  4.          Type of class (i.e., on-line classes may not transfer).

So, have your transfer discussion with transfer services personnel at the community college and at the 4-year college you would eventually like to attend, while you are still in high school.


Community College Price: Generally, you pay less for your local public NJ community college, than another public NJ community college in the state.  If your local public NJ community college doesn’t have the major you are interested in, you may be able to attend another public NJ community college for the same price, through a charge back. 
Look into the NJ STARS program which waives tuition at community college, for the top 15% of the graduates from your high school.

Disability Services: Not all public NJ community colleges have the same level of disability services.  For example, County College of Morris offers disability services to about a quarter of its students.

Middlesex County College

Remedial Coursework: The panel members indicated that about 75% of their community college students need at least one developmental (aka remedial) course. Students need to take an Accuplacer placement exam unless their SAT or ACT scores are above a threshold.  Currently, they need at least an SAT score of 540 in Critical Reading (old SAT) and 530 in Math (old SAT) or a 23 subscore on the ACT to be waived from the Accuplacer exam.  Students cannot use a calculator for the Accuplacer exam.  It is not unusual for a two-year associates degree to take 3 years, because of remedial classes.


Unique Programs and Opportunities: Some public NJ community colleges have unique programs and/or opportunities.  For example:
  •         Middlesex Community College has Dental Hygiene degree.
  •         RVCC has a medical coding  degree.
  •         Students at Glassboro Community College can live on the Rowan campus.
  •         Middlesex Community College gives credit for military experience. 
      If you attended a NJ community college and transferred to a 4-year college, what tips/advice do you have?

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College of St. Elizabeth (CSE)

Looking for a Catholic women’s college in central New Jersey?  The Women’s College at the College of St. Elizabeth has about 600 students and about 80% of freshmen live on campus in one of two dorms.  If you want a college with a small, close-knit group in a welcoming and supportive environment, CSE might be for you. 
On the college grounds there are also college classes for adults, and a high school.  Most students study the liberal arts or are pre-professional.  Students can double major or major and minor.  There are a number of 5-year combined Bachelors/Masters programs in areas such as Education, Counseling Psychology, Business, and Theology to name a few.  The most popular majors are Education, Biology, Business and Psychology. Internships are generally available starting in the freshman or sophomore year.   An unusual CSE major is Food and Nutrition, with an option for a 5thyear Dietetic internship.
Class size is small with typically 12 – 15 students per class.  The college has study abroad, free tutoring, a medical facility, a counseling center and more.  There is cross registration with nearby Drew and Fairleigh Dickinson.  There are two required religion classes, but no required chapel.  Typically, students with a 3.8 GPA or higher qualify for the Honors Program. 
There are eight NCAA Division III sports.  Students like watching the basketball and softball games.   Community service is popular with students working at a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, and non-profits like the Red Cross. There is an Olympic sized indoor pool. Mass is available daily.   Some residential students go home on weekends and some stay on campus. 
The average GPA of applicants is 3.0 and the mid-50% score for the SAT is 1350 – 1500 (for Critical Reading, Math, and Writing).  Merit aid is available.
Across from the college entrance is the Convent Station train station.  Florham Park and Morristown stations are just one stop away.  CSE is less than an hour away from New York City by train. Students can walk to Fairleigh Dickinson for classes or social activities.  Cars are allowed on campus all four years. 
What is your experience with CSE?

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What’s new at NJ, NY and PA colleges

Admissions representatives from several universities shared highlights of what’s new at their institutions at the NJACAC fall kickoff. 
The Rider representative talked about:
  •  Special activities to commemorate the college’s 150th anniversary, including a gala, special performances, the breaking of a Guinness world record for the longest string of cranberries.
  •  The Westminster Choir College getting a new building. 
  • Sports management being offered as a new co-major.
  • The Musical Theater degree becoming a Bachelors in Fine Arts, requiring an application by January 1.
  • The current college president retiring on June 30th and the search for a replacement.

The Rutgers representative spoke of:
  • The opening of the Residential Honors College housing for 500 students and faculty in September 2015. 
  • Mason Gross having a new digital film making major starting in 2015.
  •  Rutgers planning for a 2016 celebration of their 250th anniversary.

Lehigh:
  • Will be celebrating their 150thanniversary in 2015 with a Lehigh vs. Lafayette football game in Yankee Stadium. 
  • Has purchased two Bethlehem Steel buildings and turned them into research space. 
  • Has a new college president who came from the University of Virginia. 
  • Is in the midst of a one billion dollar capital campaign.

NYU:
·         Has fully integrated the engineering school into the university. Has new majors including Design and Performance Study, and an interdisciplinary Business and Film/TV.
·         Is looking for a new president. 


TCNJ:
·         Is building a Campus Town Center which will open in August.  It will have a first floor with Panera,Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and a pizza place, and a second floor housing 430 TCNJ students. 
·         Has a new STEM facility housing natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. 
·         Will be switching to a 4-1-4 schedule to encourage a higher 4-year graduation rate and to give more students the opportunity to study abroad. 

·         Will require students to complete the CSS PROFILE in order to get financial aid.  They expect this will enable them to give more aid to students whose families make between $75K and $150K per year.
The Rowan representative spoke of:
  •  Bringing in five companies, including Lockheed Martin, on property Rowan owns next to the college campus so students can do research and work with those companies.
  • Two new med schools and the integration of medical studies with arts, business, and STEM.  Students can get accepted into medical school right after high school; the med schools are focusing on community/family medicine. 
  •  The freshman class being 40% bigger than last year. 
  • Rowan focusing on improving their graduation rate and having a goal to reach a 90% graduation rate. 
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DECA Marketing Competition at Middlesex County College


Chambers Hall, Middlesex County College


In January, high school students from various Marketing Education Programs across the State of New Jersey participated in the first of their DECA (an Association of Marketing Students) competitions. The regional conference brought me to Middlesex County College, where I was a volunteer judge serving in the role of a CEO of a nationwide supermarket chain.  

College Center, Middlesex County College
Teams of two students were given a hypothetical situation that the supermarket chain was facing. They prepared for thirty minutes, and then pitched a marketing campaign for the changes to the business that they proposed.   Each team was judged and scored.  This was a wonderful opportunity for high school students to compete, get real-life experience with business people, and to have the opportunity to earn scholarship money for college. 
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Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ

Seton Hall University is a Catholic university in South Orange, NJ with about 5300 undergraduates.  It is 14 miles from New York City, which can be reached by train in thirty minutes.

Financial Aid – The big news at Seton Hall might be the financial aid. 96% of students get aid and 86% get grants or scholarships, which don’t have to be repaid. Students in the top 10% of their high school class, with 1200 on their SAT (Critical Reading and Math) who apply by 12/15 get the “Public Tuition Rate” (i.e., they pay the same tuition as in-state Rutgers students).

Academics and beyond – Most Seton Hall University classes are small with an average class size of 21. Seton Hall has over 80 majors to choose from and hands-on learning is stressed. 75% of students have at least one internship.

The School of Arts and Sciences has dual degree programs in Physician’s Assistant, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Athletic Training.

The School of Diplomacy requires 2 internships or an internship and a travel abroad experience.

The School of Business boasts a 91% placement rate within six months of graduation. In addition to the usual business majors, they have a sports management major.

Seton Hall has the oldest and largest school of nursing in New Jersey. The program is a direct admit program and includes eight clinical rotations.

The College of Education and Human Services includes Education majors with 75-hour placements in four different school environments, as well as Speech and Language Pathology majors.

Freshmen are assigned a professor, as a mentor and an upper classman, as a peer advisor.

The school gives everyone a new laptop or tablet as Freshmen and again as Juniors.

550 employers come to the Career Fair.

Campus – The architecture on campus is mixed. The gym is currently being expanded and the new facilities should be open by the Fall or 2013. The science building was renovated a few years ago. The entire campus is wireless.

Residential Life – 82% of Freshmen live on campus. Students get to pick upper class housing based on a point system, with points for GPA and points for participation in activities. There is a free mini bus that takes students to South Orange; downtown South Orange is about three quarters of a mile from campus.

Extracurricular activities – Seton Hall University has over 100 clubs and it has Greek life. Students perform over 25,000 hours of community service each year. The NCAA Division I Big East Conference basketball team is popular. They play at the Prudential Center in Newark, with the university providing bus transportation for students. The day I visited Seton Hall, the students were hosting a health fair on the lawn.

Admissions – Seton Hall University accepts the Common App and does a holistic review of applications. On the average, students have a 3.4 GPA and an SAT score of 1100 (Critical Reading and Math). Seton Hall has Early Admissions with applications due on 11/15 and 12/15 and Regular Decision with applications due 2/1 or 3/1.

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Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey

My tour guide, Emily was enthusiastic about Montclair State University, a diverse public university in suburban Montclair, NJ with over 14,000 undergrads. She took us through the 250-acre campus, consisting primarily of Spanish mission-style buildings, some with a view of the Manhattan skyline. She was among the nearly 5000 students living on campus.

Montclair State has over 250 undergraduate programs in the College of the Arts; College of Education and Human Services; College of Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Science and Mathematics; and School of Business. The average class size at Montclair State is 23. If a class is offered as a large lecture, the school also offers a smaller class as an option.
The school has over 120 clubs, Greek Life (which is not a dominant force on campus), and Division III athletics (Go Red Hawks). There are two train stations and a bus stop on campus, enabling students without a car access to Manhattan. There are also travel abroad opportunities that range in length from one week to an academic year.

If you’ve visited or attended Montclair State, what was your impression?

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William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ

You think you want to attend a New Jersey public college, but Rutgers isn’t for you.  Perhaps Rutgers is too big for you or is too hard for you to get into.  In late March, I visited two schools in Northern New Jersey that you might want to consider: William Paterson University and Montclair State University. 

In this blog post, I’ll focus on William Paterson University (shown in these photos)  The next blog post will be on Montclair State University.

William Paterson University sits on a 370-acre campus in suburban Wayne; there are one or two buildings off-campus with a shuttle bus servicing them, including the “messy” art building.

The school has a diverse undergraduate enrollment just shy of 10,000, with a quarter of the student body living on campus. Housing, made up of suites and apartments, and is guaranteed all four years. Commuters should allocate time to find parking and to walk to class.

Students attend small classes, averaging 21 students and can major in one of 48 majors in 5 colleges: Arts and Communications; Business; Education; Humanities and Sciences; and Science and Health. Four new majors are being added in the Fall: Sports Management, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, and Environmental Sustainability. Students need 120 credits to graduate. Forty credits make up the general education requirements. There are pre-professional programs as well as an Honors College.

Some special facilities on campus are the new science building, nursing simulation labs, financial learning center, TV broadcast studios, radio station, and redesigned student center. Travel abroad and National Student Exchange (i.e., where you spend a semester at another US college) are available.

The average high school student admitted to WPU had a 3.1 GPA and a 1050 SAT (Critical Reading and Math); credentials for the nursing school are more stringent. To qualify for an academic scholarship, students need a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and 1050 on their SATs. There are also scholarships for talented artists ranging from $1K to $10K.

The college has about 80 clubs, Greek Life, Division III athletics, trips off-campus on weekends (e.g., ski trips, trips to Canada, trips to Atlantic City), and a NJ Transit bus that takes students to places like New York City and the Willowbrook Shopping Mall. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 – 2 PM no classes are scheduled; this is a great time for clubs to meet. The big issue in the Pioneer newspaper was that the Student Government Association ran out of funds for the remainder of the spring semester, causing many club events to be cancelled or postponed.

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New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ

                                                                           Sophomore architecture contest photo

NJIT is on 45 acres, a few square blocks, in the University Heights section of Newark, NJ.  There is a light rail station next to campus which goes to Newark Penn Station. There is a limited amount of green space on campus.

NJIT is the only NJ state college with an architecture program.  It is also strong in engineering and the sciences.  The college has an  Honors college that offers enrichment, a significant scholarship, its own housing floor, and its own space on campus.  There is an engineering class that Freshman can take to help them decide on an engineering major.  Clubs that have to do with your major and internships (e.g., with at&t or PSE&G) are popular.

Housing is limited and there are many commuters. Students who want housing seem to get it. Freshmen have a choice between long hall building with the bathroom in the hall or a building with 2 room suites with a private bathroom for each suite. There is an Electrical Engineering floor and an Honors floor.  Upper classmen can live in those buildings or in apartment style buildings. There seems to be a strong safety focus on campus. I wouldn’t want to stray far from campus alone after dark.

I think a NJ student who wants to study science, engineering, or architecture but wants a school smaller than Rutgers with a multi-ethnic group, doesn’t mind that the school is only one quarter female, and is not too interested in social life would be happy here. A student we met in the dorm said he went to class, studied, ate and slept.

Check out my business Facebook page for additional photos of NJIT.  If you are an NJIT student, add your comments to this blog.