Jacksonville Campus

Location

Jacksonville University is located in a beautiful riverfront setting in suburban Jacksonville, across the St. Johns River from downtown and just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. The 190-acre campus includes a half-mile of riverfront, oak-lined paths, and a mix of historic and new campus buildings.  3500 students

Demographics

Most JU students are from Florida and the southeastern and northeastern United States. They represent 45 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and 50 foreign countries. The male-female student ratio is about 1 to 1.

Colleges

The College of Arts & Sciences offers traditional liberal arts and science majors, plus programs in nursing, education, and pre-professional education. The College of Fine Arts has outstanding programs in art, dance, music and theater. The Davis College of Business occupies a new, technologically advanced facility.

Student Characteristics

Beginning Fall 2012, traditional freshmen can participate in Jacksonville University’s Four-Year Graduation Guarantee.

What is Our Four-Year Graduation Guarantee?

A guarantee for incoming first-year students that ensures their ability to graduate in four years provided they adhere to the stipulations of the agreement. If they are unable to graduate on time and have met the requirements of the agreement, the University will assume their tuition costs (minus any state and federal aid for which they qualify) until they graduate.

Syracuse University is located in the city of Syracuse where you find the arts, shopping, and restaurants.  Lake Onondaga is about 2 miles to the north.  About 40 miles farther to the north is Lake Ontario. 168,000 people live in Syracuse and 700,000 in the metro area.  Syracuse is a private university with 10,000 undergraduates.  It’s close to Hancock International Airport.  Syracuse is working to re-invent the South Side.  Syracuse University business and journalism students are involved in the effort.

Our tour guide from Michigan

Notes and Observations…

• All different kinds of students, 32 percent diversity
• 25 percent Jewish
• One of the biggest Hillel’s in the country
• Active GLBT group
• Study abroad
• 8 different Syracuse locations around the world

Campus

• Big campus, big quad
• Huge Carrier dome. Used for both football and basketball
• Up on a hill
• Mix of old and new architecture
• Bustling, lots of students
• Dorms – split doubles most common
• No freshman dorms
• Connective corridor, new project connecting the campus with the city with walking paths, bike paths, lights, trees, linking the arts and theater, shopping and restaurants
• Dinosaur Barbecue – most famous restaurant

Syracuse Music Building

Admissions

• Interviews are optional and evaluative
• Students should indicate three colleges they want to attend at Syracuse. If not admitted into first choice such as Newhouse, will be considered for the other two.
• 3.6 GPA
• ACT 25 – 26
• Super scores SAT
• Admissions does vary from college to college
• Merit scholarships available

Academics

• “Scholarship in Action”
• Theater,  BFA, strong program.
• First Year Players, a student-run theater program does a musical every year, for the non theater students.
• Direct entry architecture, 5-year BA of Architecture. Ranked in the top 5 in the nation. Need an art profile to be admitted.
• Newhouse School of Communication – new building with focus on multi-media.  Number one communication program in the country. Eight different majors, biggest are radio, TV, and film.
• Dual majors with Newhouse and Whitman Business School
• Information School, has high tech majors such as global enterprise technology and web-based security and finance.
• For students who like technology, Whitman school of Business has a competitive direct entry program.
• School of Education, big focus on urban education and multi-culturism
• College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Also has a School of Music, housed in a gothic Hogwarts-like building
• Also has a music business program
• Most competitive programs are Newhouse, Whitman, Information School, Architecture, Theater
• Has a good Design program
• Engineering very good – 8 different majors
• New science building – state-of-the-art labs for study and research
• Big hospital right by campus for research and volunteering.
• College of Sports Management
• Liberal Arts College has a consortium with Cornell and other nearby colleges

If students are looking for a medium-sized university with many different colleges and majors available in an urban setting, Syracuse
would be a good option – especially if students are looking for big time athletics and legendary school spirit! – Sue Luse

Windy day at St. Lawrence Univ.

Tom and I drove through the beautiful Adirondack Mountains to the charming town of Lake Placid, home to the Winter Olympics. We loved Lake Placid even though lightening knocked out power to Lake Placid and our hotel.  Oh well, better then a flat tire!

St Lawrence University, Canton, NY

Notes and Impressions…

Campus

• Lovely, historic campus located in the small city of Canton.
• Well maintained and updated facilities and grounds. Lots of quads, trees in a park-like surrounding.
• Spacious library with lots of interesting study places such as a tree house.
• New and bustling student center and a great book store with a boutique.
• I was surprised to see a Caribou Coffee, the first one I have seen in New York.  Then I found out the co-founder of Caribou Coffee, Kim Puckett, attended St. Lawrence.
• The campus has lots of cute houses surrounding the college that are theme houses for the students.
• Housing is guaranteed all four years with many nice options.
• Loved dining hall

Academics

An outdoor class

• Academics attracts faculty who love to teach, help students develop their academics passions
• Environmental studies is an impressive major.
• Johnson Hall of Science meets LEED (Leadership in  Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification – meeting a stringent set of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient standards.
• Takes advantage of location by mountains. Environmental Science majors can go into public policy or field work.
• Over half of the students study abroad.
• Classic liberal arts and sciences
• Good geology, really good and unique rocks!
• Also good anthropology
• 3/2 engineering with Columbia and Clarkson
• Pre med is strong
• Pre law is strong
• 4 plus 1 MBA at many colleges
• International economics – new major
• Flexible core curriculum
• Semester system

Admissions

• 40 percent accepted
• Syracuse or Ottawa airport, closest airport.
• Security will drive students to airports, also have shuttles
• 60 percent from out-of-state,
• Will start reviewing Early Decision applicants Nov. 1
• For Early Decision 2 applicants,  the deadline is Jan 1 but will give students more time if they change their minds and decide to go Early Decision 2
• Test optional – want to see honors and AP classes
• They look for a student is well-rounded, curious, and likes to try new things
• Merit scholarships
• Overlaps – Hamilton, Colgate, Middelbury, U of Vermont

Student workout area - amazing place!

Activities

• Small Greek scene
• Off the beaten track creates a strong community, a bee hive
• Students love the outdoors
• Big outing club Close to Canada gives an international flair
• White Face Ski Area an hour and a half
• Other small ski areas closer by
• Weather – sunny and snowy, but not the lake snow affects which is more cloudy and drizzle

Overall, beautiful campus, impressive facility, all kinds of students would be happy here. Great location by the mountains, somewhat
isolated, but happy students. – Sue Luse

Sue at Skidmore

Skidmore College is located in Saratoga Springs, NY. In the summer during the racing season  the population triples. Students move in after labor day, when all the tourists have left and have this cute town all to themselves. The movie Sea Biscuit was filmed here.  There’s a big racetrack in town. Skidmore is a mile and a half from downtown.  It’s surrounded by mansions and the North Woods, and close to the Adirondack Mountains.  Beautiful campus, lots of trees and quads.

Here are some fun facts, stats, and my observations:

• Great college town
• Battle of Saratoga was fought here
• Saratoga Springs is a mineral bath town
• Ski school , close to the Adirondack Mountain ski area
• 850 acres of woods with plenty of hiking trails
• Big outdoorsy scene
• 3 hours from NYC
• 3 hours from Montreal
• Internships and airport at Albany, 20 minutes away
• 70 percent out-of-state
• 7 percent international
• Co-ed since 1972
• 25 percent diversity
• 2500 undergrad

Academics

• Professional track
• Business major available
• MBA program
• Direct entry nursing
• Education major with masters available
• Pre-med
• Pre-law
• Socialwork
• Exercise science

Arts Track

• No need to audition for music, theater, or dance
• All types of music, tons of opportunities
• Visual arts, wonderful art building with print making
• Juniors and seniors get their own studio space

Liberal Arts Track

• English
• Psychology
• International affairs
• Biology
• Many other majors

General

• Small class sizes
• No teaching assistants
• 60 percent double major
• Semesters system
• Four year core curriculum, lots of options
• Study abroad popular
• 48 countries
• Skidmore helps students find internships
• Big horse school, equestrian teams and equine studies
• Crew popular
• 94 percent retention rate
• Men’s varsity ice hockey – ECEA East leaugue of Divisition III
• Women’s field hockey
• Supportive healthy place
• Both “preppy” and alternative students
• Not “cliquey”
• All types of religions.  About 25 percent Jewish.
• Not a bubble school, kids are politically aware and active.

Admissions

• 40 percent acceptance rate
• ACT 27-30 average
• They super score
• Merit and talented scholarships available.

Campus Tour

Amanda - best guide ever!

• Beautiful new music building
• Dance is a popular major. Students can do both modern dance and ballet.
• Great dorms. Suite style with single rooms for sophomores and doubles for the freshman with a shared bath for four students.
• All dorms are connected to the academic buildings and student center with covered walkways.  See picture of tour guide Amanda under covered walkway. Best guide ever!
• Beautiful, compact and well planned campus. Only 40 years old.  Original campus was in downtown Saratoga Springs.
• Juniors and seniors live in really nice apartments on campus.
• Skidmore mascot is the Thoroughbred, of course.
• One of the nicest dining halls I have ever seen. Open from 7 am to 11 pm.
• They have a separate dining room for students who have food allergies, which was good to see, as well as all the healthy menu options.  There is also a unique make-your-own station where students can make their own stir frys, omelets and grilled sandwiches.
• Academic buildings, high tech, modern, all small classes
• No Greeks.  Lots of traditions and social options

Skidmore is a good fit for our Midwest students. – Sue Luse

by Sue Luse

Vassar is located in Poughkeepsie, NY, about an hour and a half from NYC, on the Hudson river. The college campus is a combination of old and new architecture with a stunning library and performing arts center. We stayed in the historic town of Rhinebeck, about 20 minutes away.

Some notes about Vassar College:

• Students at Vassar were diverse and from all over
• No core curriculum
• Can triple major
• English, psychology, biology, economics, political science are the most popular majors
• Lang requirement
• AP level will waive if you get 4 or 5
• 40 percent study abroad
• 1000 courses to choose from – can register for 7 then drop down to 4 so can shop around for best fit
• 2500 students
• Good advising for both majors and minors
• Field work is what they call internships – must do a normal and submit a paper. Vassar sets up field work in the area and provides transportation.
• Students can also intern in NYC who want to get experience working in museums, PR firms, businesses, medical institutions, law firms and  on Wall Street
• There is a Metro Link to New York City
• 22 percent acceptance rate, most rigorous possible high school curriculum required
• Students reviewed from the context of their high school
• Students should take all 5 core classes, English, Math, Science, world language and social studies all four years, and take as many AP courses as possible.
• 3.8 GPA
• ACT with writing 30-33
• Will super score all test scores – send all scores
• Early Decision has a 10-15 percent higher acceptance
• Extra-curriculars important, looking for leadership
• 20 percent in Division III sports, the rest in club and intramural sports
• Students are assigned to one of 9 “houses”, they live in the same house for three years
• There are house fellows who are faculty families who live in the house
• Went co-ed in 1969
• Plan to expand sciences
• Fun fact, the barefoot monks are one of the hundreds of student groups at Vassar, they are a juggling club.
• Who does well at Vassar? Ones who have learned how to balance rigorous academics and their activities.
• Their library closes at 12 because they want students to go home and sleep!
• Poughkeepsie has 120,000 people in the area
• Students do not go into the city all that much, because Vassar has such a multitude of things to do on campus.

For more information, check out Vassar’s website: www.vassar.edu

Every September when all our students go back to school, my husband Tom and I hit the road to visit colleges. This year we picked New York! Since my daughter Chelsea lives in Manhattan, we planned a weekend in the City with Chelsea and our dear friends Chris and Lauren. And what a weekend we had! World class restaurants, an eating tour of the Village, two days at the US Open, and the hysterical over-the-top Broadway show, The Book of Mormon. All this during the 9/11 Anniversary with increased security everywhere and the solemn ceremonies taking place at Ground Zero.  Sunday night, we stayed in America’s oldest inn – the Beekman Arms.

It’s Tuesday morning and we had planned to visit Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Union but got a flat tire. Have to buy a new tire!  We will only have time to visit Skidmore. But we get to spend the day on the lovely and fun town of Saratoga Springs. I plan to come back to this area again, so will get to visit these colleges another time. Watch for postings of colleges I visit on this New York trip. – Sue Luse