TCNJ: The College of New Jersey
College review by Lisa Bleich and Beth Cassie
Beth and I recently visited The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) as part of a counselor’s visit day. The campus is quite impressive. TCNJ looks beautiful with red brick buildings peppered throughout the grounds together with a large grassy quad. Its newest buildings are the Education building, Cafeteria, and the Interactive Multi-Media Center.
The College of New Jersey’s (TCNJ) “Campus Town”
The College of New Jersey’s (TCNJ) “Campus Town” was completed on a 14-acre plot of land adjacent to campus in the spring of 2014. This public-private development added:
- an additional 466 beds for juniors and seniors
- a college/community bookstore
- fitness center
- shops and,
- restaurants
The Campus Town added a huge dimension to the campus, making amenities more accessible to the students within the campus. Additionally, Princeton is about 15 minutes away by car and there is a shuttle that takes students there.
The Student Body
90% of the students hail from New Jersey. Although there is not much geographic diversity, the student body is comprised of a wide mix of socio-economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds. Students appeared to be very active both physically and socially and the retention rate is quite high at 95%.
TCNJ boasts excellent DIII sports teams and there is also a lot of opportunity for students to get involved in intramural and club sports. About 15% of the student body involves the Greek life.
Our Guide During Our The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Visit
I was guided by an impressive tour guide. Majoring in biology and minoring in legal studies, she deftly balanced her academic pursuits with a vibrant campus life. So when I inquired if she was pre-med, she humorously remarked about how her last name (Patel) and major often misled people. Contrary to my assumptions, her true aspiration is in law.
On top of her busy academic schedule, she epitomized dynamism by participating in two intramural sports. Aside from that, she dedicates time to volunteer at a local prison, aiding an inmate by meticulously researching pertinent statutes for his case. This role was recommended by her professor, which is a testament to her diligence and capability.
Despite offers from prestigious universities like Rice and Tufts, she chose TCNJ. This is because of the palpable sense of happiness and supportiveness among its students in contrast to the former two. Evidently, she felt that strong atmosphere during her visit with a friend.
On the other hand, Beth’s tour guide hailed from Jersey City as a first-generation college student. Pursuing a major in Business Management and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, she was a Bonner Scholar. This meant she has a full tuition scholarship at TCNJ. Beyond academics, she actively engaged in community service, ROTC, and various campus activities. The College of New Jersey’s allure lay in its size and the opportunity for a full scholarship, which are factors that solidified her decision.
Applying at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)
TCNJ’s most popular majors are:
- biology
- education
- psychology
- nursing and,
- engineering
However, music and pre-med (85% acceptance rate to medical school) are also strong. TCNJ accepts students by major, therefore the more popular the major, the more difficult it is to be accepted. Biology in particular (they receive over 1200 applications for 100 spots) is very challenging to get into.
They are looking to build their interactive arts and multimedia majors and to that end, students applying to those majors (along with music) are not required to submit standardized test scores.
On top of this, TCNJ also has a highly competitive BA/MD program (7 year medical school) with UMDNJ. Students must be in the top 5% of their class and have a 1480 combined CR/M from one single sitting of the SATs to be considered.
The overall acceptance rate is 46%. Notably, 64% of accepted students are in the top 10% of their high school with a CR/M SAT of 1190-1370 or 27-31 ACT. The Admissions Director encourages students to send an additional resume along with their application.
TCNJ’s Scholarship Programs
In terms of scholarships, TCNJ merit scholarships range from $2,000 to $10,000. In this case, the average is $5000. Students in the top 10% of their class with 1300 CR/M SATs or 29 ACT usually receive some form of merit with their acceptance letter. Meanwhile, 84% of the students receive some financial aid.
Final Thoughts
Overall, TCNJ is a great school for students who want the feel of a smaller school that’s cost-effective. To conclude, students looking to pursue many different paths will not fall short of opportunities here. Because of that, we now understand why TCNJ has become a popular choice.
The College of New Jersey
2000 Pennington Road
Ewing, NJ 08628-0718
