College Spotlight: Fairfield University

General Information

Another stop on my recent northeast college tour was Fairfield University, located in Fairfield, Connecticut. Fairfield is a private, liberal arts school with just under 4,000 total undergraduates. It is located on a lovely campus with views of the Long Island Sound. The 200-acre campus is in the suburbs, but students are only minutes from city life and the beach, and only about 90 minutes from New York City. The campus has green rolling hills throughout, which creates a perfect place for students to study, throw the frisbee, or just take a nap. When I was there, I even saw the archery club setting up for a practice. Also, it's hard to miss the turkeys that call Fairfield's campus home throughout the year, so be on the lookout if you choose to tour the school.

Fairfield University is one of the 28 Jesuit Universities across the country, and focuses on developing "the whole person" while establishing a sense of community for everyone there. The academics are strong and community service/helping others is an important part of life for Fairfield students. The vast majority of students on campus are from Connecticut and neighboring states, but Fairfield draws students from across the country and all over the world.

Academic & Admissions Information

The total cost of attendance at Fairfield is $58,625, which is high, but fairly common among private universities. However, four levels of scholarships are offered: Magis - $25,000, Bellermine - $17,000, Loyola - $13,000, and Xavier - $7,000. If covering the tuition is a concern, they are advised not to apply Early Decision. They are a test-optional school, meaning students do not need to submit test scores for admission (last year 30% of applicants applied Test Optional), and interviews are recommended for applicants. This past year, Fairfield had a 63% admission rate and right now the male to female student ratio is 37:63 and is looking to enroll a bigger percentage of males in years to come. The averages for accepted students are: GPA: 3.4; SAT: 1150; and ACT: 26. Demonstrated interest in attending is also a factor in Fairfield's Admissions' decision-making.

Fairfield University offers 41 majors and has the common ones that most students are familiar with. Their four main colleges are the College of Arts and Sciences, Dolan School of Business, School of Engineering, and the School of Nursing. At Fairfield, the majority of classes will be small, and students are guaranteed a hands-on learning experience and close relationships with their professors.

Fairfield University has always been a popular college for students on the east coast, and after visiting and learning more about their academics and community, I can see why it is a common destination. This is a great place for students who want to go away to college without being too far and have access to a beautiful campus and access to nature (hiking trails, views of the Long Island Sound, beaches, woods are all nearby). Students will be pushed academically, but supported throughout their time at Fairfield. 

As always, happy searching!

-Joseph D. Korfmacher

Senior Testimonial and Advice for the College Application Process, Part 3

I asked a number of Class of 2015 seniors to write about their experiences with the college process. This next one is by Sean Drennan of NYC. Enjoy! 

The college search and application process seems like a daunting task to many rising seniors. To myself it seemed like I had to get over a 10 foot fence. First researching and finding colleges that you would like to visit is a tough task. Getting down the location, size, and type of college you want to attend seems like an easy task but there's so many options that you don't even know where to start.

After finding the list of colleges that you want to apply to, the application process comes into play. This was actually the easy part of the process for me. In order to make this part easier many schools that I applied to had rolling admissions or the deadlines were spread out from the months of November through January. This made the essays I had to write easier to spread out thus making them better for the admissions representatives. Another tip for college essays is to get the common application essay done as early as possible. This allows your senior year English teacher to read them before you send them to colleges.

The most difficult part of the college process for me was perfecting my Common Application essay. I was submitting this essay to 4 colleges so I wanted it to be good enough to get me into these colleges. Luckily, it worked and I was able to perfect it and be accepted to those colleges.

One of the most surprising things during the entire application process was how short it actually took to apply to colleges. To colleges with no essay it took only about 25 minutes in order to complete the application and send in my ACT scores. I thought that filling out applications would be a rigorous process and take up a lot of time.

Another tip I have for the college application process is to believe in yourself and apply to schools that you love and would be happy to go to. Grades are not the only thing that get you into a college. If you fall in love with a reach school, still apply and just show your high interest in the school. They will take that into consideration and it may help your decision. Also, I recommend creating a resume to submit to every college that you apply to.

Good luck to everyone with the college application process and I hope that you all get into the colleges that you want!

Senior Testimonial and Advice for the College Application Process, Part 2

I asked a number of Class of 2015 seniors to write about their experiences with the college process. This next one is by Gianluca Milea of NYC. Enjoy!

The college process can be very intimidating at times.  While it is very important to have numerous options, I found it difficult to apply to a limited number of schools.  Although Xavier does not put a maximum on how many schools to which you are allowed to apply, application fees are very expensive and at the end of the day you will only be attending one college. 

To begin the process, I visited a myriad of schools, some of which were unrealistic options for me.  After visiting four schools in two days, I decided to create guidelines for my potential college.  While academic rigor is essential, there are many other factors that go into a final college decision: food, campus life, off-campus life, greek life, religious affiliation, athletic programs, housing, location and possibly two of the most important things, tuition cost, and how comfortable you feel on the campus tour.  Ultimately, this will be your home for the next four years, and while it may seem like high school flew by, you want to make sure that you enjoy your time in college as much as you were fortunate enough to enjoy your time at Xavier.  These parameters allowed for me to narrow down my search and my college list to a comfortable number.

Something that I was unaware of before beginning my college process is that many universities give automatic scholarships for activities outside of academics.  For instance, Catholic University has a scholarship if you know someone that attended their university and also a Parish Scholarship for weekly churchgoers.  Many schools have similar scholarships and they can be a great way to estimate a tuition (as you will definitely receive some type of financial assistance) and make sure it is affordable before spending money on an application fee.

I would also highly recommend keeping the number of schools that you apply to without visiting to a minimum.  Getting a feel for a campus is essential in the process and should not be overestimated.  Personally, I visited all of my schools except for a couple of reach schools, and will eventually visit them pending my admissions decision.  After visiting I would suggest using Naviance; it is a great website to keep order during a hectic time.  Naviance allows you to make a list of “Colleges I’m Thinking About” and rank them in your order of interest.  Another helpful feature of the website is that it gives scattergrams, which give you the opportunity to compare yourself to past Xavier students.  Overall, Naviance is a great tool that Xavier offers its students and you should really take full advantage of it.

Finally, while the college process can be overwhelming, it is completely worth it.  Make sure that you do not miss out on the opportunity to apply to a school because you were too lazy to write a supplement.  It is a great feeling when you hit ‘send’ and all of your applications have been submitted.  All in all: do your research, visit schools, make a comprehensive list, do not wait until the night before to apply, and then relax and wait for the decisions to roll in.  Good Luck!

College Spotlight: Saint Anselm College

Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with two admissions representatives from Saint Anselm College for a presentation about their school. Saint Anselm College is located Manchester, New Hampshire, only about 4 hours from Manhattan. Saint Anselm, also referred to as Saint A's is a Catholic Benedictine Liberal Arts College with about 1,900 underclassmen. I will admit that I did not know as much about St. A's as I do with other schools, but after learning more today, this is a school I am eager to visit, and will recommend to many students in the future.

Saint Anselm is situated in the beautiful city of Manchester, on a picturesque campus in New Hampshire. The school is only one hour from Boston and the ocean, and only 10 minutes from the nearest airport. This is a place that embodies what a true college community is all about. It attracts students who are eager to participate in a liberal arts education where they will be challenged, but supported by peers, professors, and administrators during their time there. Professors know their students very well and are always there to make sure they get the most out of their education. Below are a few facts about the school and the students that make up the Saint Anselm community.

• There is a 90% retention rate from freshmen to sophomore year.
• 92% of students live on campus all four years.
• 86% of students stay on the weekends.
• St. A's has a 75% acceptance rate and the average GPA for accepted students is 3.2. Average accepted SAT scores are 1080-1220 and the average accepted ACT score is 25.
• Test scores are not required to be submitted with application, unless the applicant is applying for nursing.
• St. A's is a top 20 liberal arts school in the nation for return on your investment.
• Although the sticker price is a little under $50,000, the average net price for families is only $23,000, signaling that merit scholarships and  financial aid are readily available for all students.
• One of St. A's most competitive programs is nursing, which has roughly a 35% acceptance rate. Unlike at some colleges, students will begin taking nursing classes freshmen year and will begin clinical work sophomore year.
• They have a 3-2 engineering program with multiple other colleges, including Notre Dame.

Finally, one very special aspect of Saint Anselm is their connection to the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP). In New Hampshire, Saint Anselm is the premier resource for individuals interested in contemporary political issues. As found in their literature, Saint A's was founded "on the premise that an educated citizenry is vital for a healthy democracy...and they created the New Hampshire Institute of Politics to provide a vibrant, innovative and non-partisan forum where men and women can explore, debate, and participate in all aspects of the American political process"

Almost every major national political race goes through the campus of Saint Anselm, where candidates will present and debate, giving their students VIP access to major players in politics. Interestingly, every president since JFK has spoken or has been involved in a debate at Saint Anselm. Finally, the college has recently established a partnership with Bloomberg to create nationwide polling systems.

All in all, this is a small school in a beautiful setting, full of students and faculty who truly care about one another and of improving themselves and the world around them. I personally highly recommend it as a school that students need on their radar! I hope this information was helpful, and as always, happy searching!

-Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

 

Reviews on 3 Boston Area Colleges

As all of the seniors are in the busiest part of the college admissions process, I’m sure most people are counting down the days until they are finished with completing applications, writing essays, finalizing the college list, and paying for those application fees! Juniors most likely are just beginning to explore what colleges are out there and are beginning to think about what and where they want to study during their four years of higher education. Wherever you are in the college search and application process, I think it is always good to hear about more schools you may not have thought about. I recently was able to be part of a 2-day, 3-college tour with counselors from across the country. During the trip, we visited Wheaton College, Emerson College, and Providence College. These three very different colleges were an absolute joy to visit, and I want to share some information with you on all three of these schools. Trust me, there are some schools I would not recommend to my students, but all three of these are colleges I would strongly recommend for a variety of reason. Enjoy the following information and pictures, and as always, happy searching!

Wheaton College: This is a small liberal-arts college of 1,600 students in Norton, Massachusetts, which is a small town about 40 minutes outside of Boston and 25 minutes outside of Providence. It was originally founded in 1834, as an all-girls school, and only became co-ed in 1988. It is now pretty even with the amount of men and women that attend the school. Wheaton’s big theme is that they are a “connected” school. They are connected in many ways including the close relationships between faculty and staff and regardless of major; students’ courses are connected, as there are many interdisciplinary courses. Even their academic advising and career center housing is connected, with the idea being that career readiness begins day one of college, and Wheaton will work closely with all of the students throughout the academic and career process. Two courses that all students must take include an extensive freshman writing course and a ‘Beyond the West’ history course where students learn about history of countries west of the United States and Europe. Wheaton College also has a new Business and Management major, and all business majors must select a liberal-arts concentration to go along with the major.

Overall, I was impressed with Wheaton as a solid academic institution. They are very much a liberal-arts focused school, and their graduates have a variety of skills entering the work force. It is a small campus, but is beautiful. Wheaton is pretty much what I think of as a small, New England college. There is not a lot happening around the campus, but the school always has events going on for students to stay busy. The campus is also a short ride to both Boston and Providence, for students who want to visit the city on the weekends. Overall, this is a school where I know students are taken care of, guided in the right direction, and are given amazing opportunities, but they are also granted a great deal of freedom and responsibility. For students looking for a small school, with strong academics in the Northeast, you definitely want to give Wheaton College a look.

Here are some quick admissions facts on the school: Both Early Action and Early Decision (11/15 deadline) are available, and their regular decision deadline is 1/1. For students applying early decision, Wheaton’s financial aid office will do an early read for them. They are looking for students with a 3.4 GPA or higher (mid-high 80s) and 1100-1200 on the SATs or a mid-50% in ACTs of 26-31. However, Wheaton is a Test Optional School, so students do not have to send in their scores if they do not want to. They offer merit scholarships that range from $5,000 to $20,000 and $30,000 per year is given out in need based financial aid. The average student will receive about $32,000 in need based aid. Finally, about ½ of the students that attend Wheaton College are from New England, and 14% of their students are international, which is quite a big number for such a small school.

Emerson College: Emerson College is located in downtown Boston and is a very urban campus. The campus is comprised of 12 buildings in a 2 block radius; with many of the buildings having 10 floors or more of classrooms and production facilities. Emerson is comprised of 3,700 students and they are all about the communications and arts. Emerson is the only college in the country that concentrates on communications and arts in a liberal arts focus. They have a liberal arts core, which consists of 14 courses in addition to their major and electives. Their two main schools are School of Communications, which houses majors such as Communication Sciences and Disorders, Communication Studies, Marketing Communication, and Journalism and their School of the Arts, which houses majors such as Performing Arts, Visual and Media Arts, and Writing, Literature, and Publishing.  Emerson has an Honors Program, which accepts about 50-60 students each year, and they receive a ½ tuition scholarship. 

Emerson has amazing technology throughout the building, with performing arts studios, music and video production facilities and more. Students have access to the equipment from day one, and the opportunities they are given are hard to be rivaled from any other school in the country. Emerson also has a campus in LA, where many of their School of the Arts students will go for a semester or a year. Emerson is one of the few schools where some of their students have red carpet access at many of the most famous award shows in LA. Although there is not a lot of green space on the campus, Emerson is located right next to the Boston Common, which is one of the country’s oldest parks. It is an absolutely beautiful park, and many of the Emerson dorms have views of the park. Emerson is a great place for students interested in communications, journalism, or performing arts and those looking to be in a city setting. Although not as busy as New York City, this city campus has a ton going on, and is definitely worth a closer look for students.

Providence College: Providence College is a lovely liberal arts college located in Providence, Rhode Island. The school has about 4,200 undergraduates and is located about 1 mile from downtown Providence. The campus is beautiful with a ton of green campus spread throughout, but is very manageable to walk from one end to the other. Providence College has over 100 clubs and activities and intramurals are huge on their campus. Most students will say that winning an intramural champion t-shirt is the most coveted prize on campus. Providence is run by the Dominican order, and its Catholic identity is very important to the school. However, PC welcomes students from all faiths and backgrounds. PC has four important areas for students and staff to follow, which are contemplation & communication, cultural agility, integrated learning, and human flourishing. Volunteer and community service is extremely important at PC, with the majority of their students partaking in this during their time in school. Career education and preparation is also a big part of their culture. Career education starts at orientation, where students will do journal exercises to help with the planning of their future. Alumni are integral parts of their community with helping current students receive internships and jobs. Each year, Providence College hosts networking nights in Providence, Boston and New York City, and will be offering for the first time this year, a trip to LA for theatre students to network. The most recent numbers for the graduating class of 2013 produced that 6 months after graduating, 98% of the students were employed or in graduate school.

Although Biology is PC’s number one major currently, the business school at Providence is booming and is on the road to becoming one of the best in the country. It recently moved up 38 spots in the rankings for business schools. Ground will be broken on a new 60,000 square foot business building within the year, which will provide a beautiful space for all business students to learn. After touring the campus, talking with current students and staff, I feel that Providence College can be a hit for a variety of students. This is a school that obviously cares about its students and wants to make sure that all students receive an amazing education and are ready to be successful in their personal and professional lives, and make a real difference in the world.  

The following are just a few admissions facts and numbers: This year, PC’s early action applications increased 600 from the previous year, which is indicative of the ever increasing selectiveness of the school. Right now they have a 55-59% admission rate, and strength of schedule is very important to their counselors. Providence College is a test-optional school, and 35-40% of their applicants choose not to submit their scores. 

-Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

College Spotlight- Saint Louis University

Recently, I have had the pleasure of traveling to nine colleges in Seattle, Portland, and Saint Louis. Visiting schools across the country give me great perspective and insight on the different programs and environments available to all students. Since I have always worked with students in the NYC area, I have noticed that most students and families are “stuck” in the 3-5 hour bubble of schools. Of course, there are hundreds of terrific colleges and universities in this part of the country; I hate to see students limit themselves. Traveling around the country has opened my eyes to some incredible places, and I am excited to share these experiences with all of you. In the coming weeks, I will highlight the schools I visited, and I hope that you will take a closer look at these schools and others, that you may not have thought about before.

The first university I would like to highlight is Saint LouisUniversity, most commonly referred to as SLU. Here are a few SLU ‘quick-hitters’:

SLU became the first university west of the Mississippi in 1818, and in 1927, became the first federally licensed school of Aviation.

SLU is a Jesuit University, and is often ranked as 1 of the top 5 Jesuit Universities in the country, and in 2013 was a Fiske “Best Buy School”. SLU also has a top 100 business program (AACSB accredited), has an incredible and unique engineering program, and is ranked as a research university.

SLU has just under 8,700 undergraduates, a 12-1 student/professor ratio, 24.4 average classroom size, and houses over 100 undergraduate programs. The most recent retention percentage from freshmen to sophomore year is an outstanding 88% and growing!

Middle 50% for admissions- GPA: 3.81 (weighted), SAT: 1080-1330, ACT: 25-29

Scholarships Available- Merit awards range from $3,000-$16,000 and there is a Presidential (full tuition) scholarship available, where applicants usually have a 3.85 and 30 (ACT) or 1330 (SAT). SLU has no limit to the amount of Presidential Scholarships they give out. The average total package they give out to students is $24,000.

SLU’s top 10 programs, in reverse order are communications, chemistry, bio-chemistry, biomedical engineering, health sciences, psychology, physical therapy, nursing, biology, and STILL DECIDING. ‘Still Deciding’ is the number one “major” for incoming freshmen. Students, who do this, can take any classes during the first 1-2 years, and as long as they have a 2.5 GPA, they can then go into any major they want (except for physical and occupational therapy).

Unique Programs:

Accounting Scholars- Students need 3.6 GPA and 30 or 1330 test scores. Can get Bachelors and Masters in 5 years and are able to sit for CPA exam right away.

Pre-Law Scholars- Students need a very good academic record and 28 or 1250 tests scores. If accepted into program at SLU freshmen, they are guaranteed entry into the SLU law school, which has a very new building in downtown Saint Louis.

Health Sciences- SLU is one of 27 schools that have a Masters track for athletic training, which is a direct admit as a freshmen. They are also only 1 of 2 schools in country that have a registered dietician (RD) and culinary arts major.

Parks College ofEngineering, Aviation and Technology- Houses the first federally certified flight school in the nation. Aviation students will graduate with over 250 hours of flight hours. There are numerous engineering degrees, including flight science, aviation management, and a global aviation track. This school also has a 3-2 program with Washington University in Saint Louis, where students can get a BS and MS in chemical engineering.

Fun Facts:

SLU has tremendous study abroad opportunities, which is highlighted by their own campus in Madrid.

SLU has D1 sports, andclub/intramural opportunities for all students. Their top sport is men’s soccer, where they have won 10 NCAA titles.

SLU has a gorgeous, green campus, with incredible academic, athletic, and housing facilities. It is also only 5-10 minutes from downtown Saint Louis. Perfect for students who want to be near a city, but still have that traditional college campus experience.

Their mascot is the “Billiken” which is a mythical creature that represents everything as they ought to be.

Overall Thoughts:

I have visited many colleges and universities across the country, and to be perfectly honest, I was blown away by Saint Louis University. This is place where I think most students can be very happy at, and I look forward to recommending it to students and families for years to come. SLU has a diverse curriculum with some cutting edge programs, and top notch academics. Students, who want to be teachers to CPAs to pilots, can all find a home at SLU. It also has the safe, open, diverse, and dynamic environment that will make people of all backgrounds feel at home. This is not a school full of cliques, but rather is a place that is one community open to everyone. SLU is a school that may not be on the radar for many families in the NYC, but it really should. SLU’s popularity is growing, and this is a special school in the Midwest. Wherever you may be thinking in terms of academics or college environment, Saint Louis University is certainly worth a look…and I doubt you will be disappointed.

-Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

GAP Year Opportunity

For those who do not know, a GAP year is when a student does not attend college right after graduating from high school. Instead the student uses this time to intern, do research, travel, or anything else with the plan to matriculate into college the following year. GAP years are becoming more and more popular, and if done correctly, can be a great experience. A GAP year definitely is not for everyone, and it can be tough to get yourself back in student mode and attend college, but if done right, it can be an incredible experience. I wanted to share this following GAP year experience available through American University in Washington DC that recently came across my desk.

“With over 70 years of experience developing and teaching experiential courses through the successful Washington Semester and Washington Mentorship programs, we are expanding our curriculum to focus on recent high school graduates who are taking a year off for experiential endeavors before starting college. The American University Gap Program will welcome its first class in fall 2014.”

“The AU Gap Program is an opportunity for students to intern in Washington, DC, while taking a class and earning college credit at American University. The program consists of a Mentored Field Practicum (internship) and a topical seminar of the student’s choice in American Politics, Global Business and Trade, or International Affairs.  Students can join the AU Gap Program for a semester or take a full year; earning a total of 7 college credits per semester.”

Click here for more information: AU GAP Year

-Mr. Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA

Unique Community Service Opportunities

We all know that college admissions is a competitive world. With many of the selective schools having their pick of students, every part of an applicant is reviewed, and just one aspect of the applicant can potentially make the student stand-out among his peers. Colleges take a holistic approach during the admissions process, considering the academic and personal characteristics of the applicant (i.e. academic record, standardized test scores, résumé, essay, recommendations etc.) All of these pieces of the college application puzzle are essential, but the one I want to showcase today is the résumé; and more importantly, community service as a part of the résumé.

Community service and volunteering are obviously very important to take part in to help others who may be less fortunate or to help a good cause. It doesn’t hurt that it can also look very good on the college application. There are hundreds of ways to help out in the community and every little bit counts. However, I would suggest pushing yourself when it comes to community service. Take part in something that requires more of your time and gives you the chance to organize and lead. For example, starting your own community service project will show colleges not only that you are a caring and giving person, but that you are ambitious, have leadership skills, and so much more. All of these attributes will impress admissions counselors and will translate well to how you may perform at the college level. I urge everyone to use their imagination with this, and a great place to start could be an organization called Team Fox. This is a volunteer fundraising program that directly supports the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Anyone can become a member of Team Fox, and you can create your own fundraising project based on your own interests and using any means necessary. I think this is a great organization because you are helping an important cause in ending Parkinson’s disease. However, you are allowed the freedom to create whatever type of fundraising effort to help raise money.

Take a look at the Team Fox page (www.teamfox.org) and feel free to get started right away. This is just one suggestion, but hopefully it gets your creative juices flowing. A unique community service role will not only help society become a better place, but it will certainly help all types of applicants to stand-out in the college application process. Every little bit counts, so get out there and become an agent of change!

 Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA