The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is one of public higher education’s great success stories. Boasting a 95 percent first-year retention rate and the fifth-highest four-year graduation rate of any public school in the nation, TCNJ produces a successful, engaged student who is truly satisfied with their college experience.
Founded in 1855, TCNJ is home to over 6,700 undergraduates. The 289-acre campus is located midway between New York City and Philadelphia in the suburban town of Ewing, N.J., about 10 minutes south of Princeton. Over 70 percent of the students live on campus, and out-of-state students are guaranteed on-campus housing for all four years of study. The residence halls vary in configuration from the freshman towers to suites and townhouse arrangements for upper class students.
Georgian Colonial architecture, meticulous landscaping and thoughtful intentional design merge to meet the evolving needs of TCNJ students. Over the past decade, TCNJ has built a state-of-the-art library, Education building, Art building and a 600-bed apartment complex. In 2015, TCNJ opened Campus Town, a residential and commercial “Main Street” featuring restaurants, shops and a Barnes and Noble Bookstore. A completely-renovated Student Center and $80 million STEM complex opened in 2017.
The College of New Jersey hosts seven schools: Arts and Communication; Business; Humanities and Social Sciences; Education; Engineering; Nursing, Health & Exercise Science; and Science. TCNJ offers over fifty academic majors; the most popular programs are biology, accounting, nursing, psychology, mechanical engineering and finance. Unique majors include public health, interactive multimedia (i.e. game design), a 7-year accelerated medical program, and 5-year combined Master’s programs in Special Education, Deaf Education and Urban Education. The College also offers a unique self-designed major option, catering to students who wish to forge their own academic path.
TCNJ prides itself on personalized and collaborative learning with faculty at the height of their fields; no classes are taught by Teaching Assistants, and the average class size is 22 students. Personalized, rigorous education is one of five “Signature Experiences” that are fully integrated into a TCNJ student’s curriculum. The other four are:
Undergraduate research, mentored internships, and field experiences. Over 400 companies come to campus each year to recruit TCNJ students in these areas.
Community engaged learning. TCNJ is one of only 75 campuses in the nation to host a Bonner Center for Civic and Community Engagement, an internationally-renowned service program run largely by students.
Global engagement. TCNJ sends a higher percentage of students abroad than any other college in New Jersey.
Leadership development. TCNJ students present at academic conferences, publish their research and participate in on-campus leadership training to enhance their extracurricular experiences.
TCNJ boasts a phenomenal Division III sports program, having claimed more national championship and runner-up titles than any other school in the country. Over half of all TCNJ students are members of an intramural or club sports team. Students participate in over 200 organizations on campus. TCNJ has vibrant art, music and theater programs, and over 25 percent of TCNJ students are in a fraternity or sorority. In addition, the College Union Board — administered by TCNJ students — organizes on-campus events, including concerts, performances, and comedy nights.
TCNJ is a Common Application-exclusive school, with an application deadline of February 1st for most programs. TCNJ offers Early Decision for students who are truly passionate about the College. The key elements of the application include the high school transcript, SAT or ACT scores, extracurricular involvement (especially leadership and service), recommendation letters, the Common Application essay, and academic major. Standardized test scores are not required for students applying into art or music disciplines.
Out-of-state students are given preference in the admissions and scholarship processes. In 2016–2017, the total cost of attendance at TCNJ was approximately $39,000 per year. Admitted out-of-state students were eligible for scholarship awards ranging from $1,000 to $12,000 per year. Academic record, extracurricular involvement and interest in TCNJ are all considered when making scholarship decisions. TCNJ also offers institutional need-based scholarships, for which submission of the FAFSA is required.
To learn more about The College of New Jersey or to schedule a visit to the campus, visit success.tcnj.edu.