The College of New Jersey

The College of New Jersey Introduction

Just a few miles from the state capital of Trenton, New Jersey, TCNJ is an oasis of ideas and enthusiastic energy. Stepping onto campus, visitors immediately get lost in the ultimate collegiate environment: lush, manicured landscaping, Georgian Colonial architecture, criss-crossing pathways. Benches abound and on a warm fall day, blankets and books and footballs and Frisbees fill the velvety lawns surrounding the dorms.

I originally had my heart—and my money—set on a large, prominent uni- versity in the Midwest. Growing up a small town girl, I had every aspiration of moving on to bigger and better things, and I thought that going far away for school would enlighten me about the rest of the world. However, when my moth- er informed me that if I went to the Midwest I wouldn’t be able to come home for Thanksgiving, I quickly realized that “bigger and better” didn’t necessarily mean moving far away. Choosing TCNJ gave me the best of both worlds: I had the opportunity to live away from home in an active collegiate environment, but at the same time, I was close enough to easily get home for the family get-togethers that I simply couldn’t live without.

Established in 1855 by the state legislature as the New Jersey State Normal School, the College has always been grounded in the finest traditions of higher learning. Starting out with only fifteen students in its first year of existence, the school now boasts a student body of more than 6,500. Originally housed in a small building in downtown Trenton, the college is now comprised of thirty-eight buildings. Despite being a smallish school in a relatively obscure part of central New Jersey, TCNJ is quickly making a national name for itself and is hardly dwarfed by some of the neighboring “big name” schools.

All in a Name

Since its establishment in 1855, the institution currently known as The College of New Jersey, has undergone five name changes:

• 1855—New Jersey State Normal School
• 1908—New Jersey State Normal School in Trenton
• 1929—New Jersey State Teachers College and State Normal School at Trenton
• 1937—New Jersey State Teachers College at Trenton
• 1958—Trenton State College
• 1996—The College of New Jersey

Starting out as a teachers’ college, the name changes have reflected the institution’s progression into the state academic powerhouse it is today.

The Campus

The campus itself—289 tree-lined acres in suburban Ewing—is closed to outside traffic. Secluded from the outside world with the help of the Hillwood Lakes—Lake Sylva and Lake Ceva—that border the campus, students are given the experi- ence of being a world away, even if home is nearby.

With a heavy emphasis on community, TCNJ quickly becomes a home away from home. When you move into your freshman dorm, you’ll be greeted by your CA—Community Advisor—who is an upper-class student in charge of your area of the residence hall. Your CA will introduce you to the inner workings of campus life as well as provide you with helpful tidbits such as which Chinese food delivery restaurant won’t make you sick, and who you should call if your light fixture in your room unexpectedly falls off the wall.

Play Fair

The most exciting thing to look forward to when moving in as a freshman is Welcome Week, the five “freshmen only” days prior to the start of classes when first-year students get free use of the campus before the rest of the students arrive. Despite all of the activities, lectures, meetings, and hang-out time allotted during those five days, “PlayFair” is hands-down the main attraction of the week. PlayFair is the first time that all 1,200 members of that year’s freshman class come together. Gathering on a warm August night under the stars on the Astroturf in Lions’ Stadium, PlayFair can quite possibly be considered the world’s largest ice-breaker, complete with team-building activities that are too much fun to pass up. It is here that students come together as one community, and where the first college friendships are made.

I knew the first time I visited TCNJ that I wanted to go there. Besides having an amazing reputation for a great price, it felt like college was supposed to. It has a beautiful campus without being too uptight and it’s relaxed and fun while still upholding high academic standards. “At other schools I felt like people were more concerned with money and clothes than they were with being in college, but at TCNJ, people seemed to have their priorities in order. It just felt comfortable. I definitely made the right choice and I was absolutely right about the school. — Eileen D. Nagle, Class of 2003

Traditions

TCNJ students are proud to take part in the college’s long-standing traditions, but relish in the fact that they can also take an active part in developing new traditions. Recent classes can also brag that they’ve left their mark on the school by finally giving a name to the longtime unnamed Lion mascot, now dubbed “Roscoe” as a tribute to former College President Roscoe L. West.

TCNJ even has its very own commemorative ice cream! In honor of the school’s sesquicentennial anniversary, the SesquiMINTennial flavor was dreamed up by a student and made a reality by a husband and wife alumni team who are the proprietors of a successful local artisan ice cream shop.

With a retention rate of ninety-five percent, it certainly seems that the students who choose to embark on their college journey at TCNJ are happy with that choice. For many, parents and prospective students alike, all it takes to cement their decision is one visit to the campus.

My younger sister was one of the “I just know” applicants. Visiting my dorm and attending classes and campus activities with me and my friends gave her a firsthand taste of life at TCNJ well before her college application process even started. Campus visits, official or unofficial, should be an integral part of any college search process, and TCNJ encourages interested students to come and check out the campus. To my knowledge it isn’t a proven fact, but having that gut feeling about a school usually points you in the right direction. If your gut tells you that you’re in the right place, listen to it. If you can’t see yourself as a member of a college’s community after your campus visit, chances are you should keep searching. Find a school that feels so right that you “just know” that that’s where you should be.

College, like any experience, is what you make of it. There are two kinds of people in the college world: those who considered TCNJ and those who didn’t. TCNJ is not the little suitcase school of past years. TCNJ is proud of its roots as New Jersey’s state teachers’ college, but it is also bravely, enthusiastically, and quickly embracing its new position as one of the nation’s leaders in higher education. TCNJ students are driven go-getters with a passion to excel in all aspects of their lives. Your time spent at TCNJ is what you make of it, so take full advantage of the small classes, become friends with your professors, join some clubs, meet people, try something new. The only guarantee is a world-class faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, and a learning environment dedicated to the success of its undergraduates. Combine that with an unforgettable residential experience and social activities galore, and students get a truly remarkable place, full of all the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their loftiest goals and make their wildest dreams a reality. TCNJ gives you the tools and materials; what you build with them is up to you.

The College of New Jersey Academics

With seven schools and a variety of majors to choose from, the academic experience at TCNJ has been labeled an Ivy League education for a state school price. Rarely, if ever, will you find yourself having your regular class meetings in the enormous lecture halls you see in the movies. The average student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1.

I spent quite a bit of time having casual chats with my department chair, who I still keep in contact with through e-mail despite the fact that I have since graduated and he has since retired. Take the time to get to know your professors and make connections with whomever you can; you never know who you might need to turn to for academic guidance, a letter of recommendation, or just a shoulder to lean on.

The small class size at TCNJ is a really big plus. You never get lost in the mix and the professors always get to know you on a personal level. More than just lecturing in the classroom or facilitating your student research project, TCNJ professors make it their personal duty to do whatever they can to help you succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Members of the faculty and staff at TCNJ are truly mentors to the student body.

Curriculum

Having undergone a recent curriculum transformation, an essential liberal learning curriculum is now in place at TCNJ. What does that mean? For starters, TCNJ’s redesigned curriculum means fewer, more intensive courses, and more options for interdisciplinary study. The liberal learning program helps ensure that students learn the fundamentals of reasoning, communicating, and living in today’s world. There is still a list of requirements that students must complete, but students now get to choose from a wide selection of courses to fulfill each requirement. One obligation of all first-year students is the completion of a First Seminar. The students get to pick their own seminar, with a broad selection of topics ranging from Walt Whitman to tourism and the American identity, from cultural history and the science of food to early philosophical cosmology. The choice is yours, and there are many!

Community Service

Community service, or civic engagement, is also a built-in part of the First Year Experience (FYE) at TCNJ. Each first-year student has the chance to participate in his or her choice of more than thirty social service agencies in the Ewing/Trenton area. It is in the program that many students find a niche in society and a genuine interest in giving to their community.

Internships and Independent Study

Internships are another great opportunity to get out in the “real world” and get hands-on, practical experience. Though not required by every department, internships are strongly encouraged, not to mention that they are a great way to make connections and expand your network. Students at TCNJ can apply their internship for up to six credits (sometimes more, in special cases that vary from department to department). Internships, both paying and nonpaying, can often be found directly through your professors and departments, the Office of Career Services, or on your own through some of the many online internship databases.

When my career interests led me in the direction of public and media relations, I decided that finding an internship in such a field would be the best practical way for me to get more experience and decide if that field was really where I wanted to be. A fan and season ticket holder of a local professional sports team, I got over my fear of phones and cold-called the team’s public relations manager to ask him about internship opportunities with the team. An hour later, I had secured an interview for a game night internship and the next week I began working in the press box at all the home games. By the end of that semester, I had earned three credits toward my degree, made unbelievable contacts in the sports industry, gained valuable experience in my field of interest, and not to mention made some great friends. Four seasons later, I still volunteer my time for the team!

Hand in hand with internships are independent study and research projects. There are plenty of opportunities for students to work on (and get credit for) their own research interests, as well as assisting professors in their research projects. Whether it’s a lab assistant, library researcher, interviewer, or other type of data gatherer, TCNJ’s curriculum is fluid enough that students can literally “design their own courses” by way of independent study or research assisting.

Organizations and Honor Societies

There are also a variety of academic organizations and honor societies to participate in, including Phi Kappa Phi, Leadership in Public Affairs (LPA), and Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL). An on-campus tutoring center provides opportunities for students to enhance their classroom experiences through drop-in and scheduled tutoring in math, science, and the humanities, single-session writing conferences, and study groups, and foreign language conversation hours.

Other helpful resources and facilities on campus include, of course, the Roscoe L. West Library, named for a former College president, state-of-the art science labs, a planetarium, observatory, and the Instructional Technology Services (ITS) office. ITS is TCNJ’s answer to a late-night copy shop, providing such services as:

• CD burners
• Scanners
• Photo-quality color printers
• Image editing/desktop publishing software
• Copying
• Binding
• Laminating
• Transparencies
• Labeling
• Large-format printing
• Support for instructional Web sites
• Digital cameras
• Digital scanning
• Slide production

There truly are more resources on campus than can even be listed. Explore, talk to people, ask questions, seek out and soak up information. Those are the underlying—and encouraged—elements of a successful academic experience at TCNJ.

The College of New Jersey Admissions

Many students “just know” that they want to attend TCNJ, and they spend their high school years preparing themselves to submit the “perfect” application. For other students, a campus visit is really what it takes to bolster the decision to apply. For many, the admissions process starts during a campus tour or Open House, where prospective students have the opportunity to meet with and have their questions answered by current students, faculty, and staff. Deciding if you can see yourself having a successful future at TCNJ is ultimately the first thing that needs to happen in order to get the admissions process rolling.

Over the past few years, the school has become much more selective and competitive. With more and more of the area’s brightest choosing to apply, the SAT I combined scores of recent entering classes have climbed to an average of over 1300. TCNJ aims to have an incoming freshman class of 1,200; with an applicant pool hovering around 6,300 applicants; slightly less than half of those are offered admission.

But don’t give up hope—test scores are hardly in charge of your fate.

Application Process

As with any college, there isn’t an exact combination of GPA, test scores, and extracurriculars that will guarantee admission to TCNJ. Instead, TCNJ admissions counselors look very carefully at an applicant’s high school transcript. To the admissions office, a high school transcript is the best indicator of an applicant’s academic intensity and drive, as well as the best predictor of success in college. Course selection and difficulty, grades, GPA, and class rank are all weighed heavily in the decision-making process, more so than standardized test scores. Eighty-seven percent of freshmen are in the top one-fifth of their high school class, and 98 percent are in the top two-fifths.

The application process itself is relatively standard, requiring prospects to submit a transcript, test scores (SAT or ACT), several letters of recommendations, a personal essay, and a list of extracurricular activities. TCNJ also offers the Early Decision option for those students who wish to take advantage of it. TCNJ’s Web site is an easily accessible and easily navigable wealth of information, so if you’re looking for specific deadlines and details, surf over to www.tcnj.edu/~admiss.

In recent years, TCNJ has made concerted efforts to increase the diversity of its student body. The college offers several programs (such as the Educational Opportunity Fund, detailed in the Financial Aid section) that aim to encourage and foster the development of those students throughout their college careers.

The College of New Jersey Financial Aid

Comparatively speaking, TCNJ offers an education that far exceeds its price tag. However, the Financial Aid Office is frequented by many students. Nearly half of all full-time freshmen receive some form of financial aid. Financial aid at TCNJ is allotted largely on a need-based scale, and filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step. The easiest way to fill out and track your FAFSA application is by accessing the application on the Internet (www.fafsa.ed.gov), but it is also available in paper form. After the application and all supporting documents are submitted to TCNJ’s Office of Student Financial Assistance, you’ll be notified about the maximum amount of need-based aid for which you qualify, which is usually a combination of scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans.

Many students come into the college with a bank of private scholarships supporting them, most of which students find by searching through online scholarship databases and with the assistance of their high school guidance counselors. Work-study is also available at TCNJ, with a variety of jobs that suit the diverse talents and interests of the students who need them. The average annual on-campus salary is $750, and there are jobs (mostly in residence life) that offer free room and board. Ninety-five percent of all undergraduate students (receiving aid or not) work part-time for extra cash or to pay for their tuition or textbooks and other supplies.

Wanting to stay debt-free for as long as possible, I somehow managed to make my way through four years of undergraduate schooling without a single loan. Fortunately, I had the strong support of my parents, but they had an educational payment plan behind them! My father enrolled in the Academic Management Services (AMS) installment plan, the only payment plan authorized by the college. By setting up a schedule with payments they could handle, paying for my four years of tuition and room and board was a little easier to swallow. There are a variety of ways to pay your tuition, and worrying about paying shouldn’t deter you from considering TCNJ; the Financial Aid Office and the Office of Student Accounts are readily available to assist you in any way. For more information about AMS, visit their Web site at www.tuitionpay.com.

EOF Program

Finally, the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) at TCNJ is a support package that many state residents take advantage of. More than just financial support, the program offers academic and personal support to students who, without the EOF program, would not have found themselves in college. According to its mission statement, the EOF program is designed for students who are from backgrounds of “historical poverty” and who have lacked access to quality educational preparation to attend college. EOF maximizes the participating students’ chances for success in college by providing academic support, mentoring, supplemental instruction, and financial assistance. For information about the EOF program, e-mail eofp@tcnj.edu.

The College of New Jersey Students

TCNJ is located in Ewing, New Jersey, a suburb of the state capital of Trenton. The campus is closed off from the outside world, encompassed by a 2.5-mile road that is largely utilized by runners and power-walkers at any time of day or night. Though most of the students—ninety-five percent—are from the Garden State, TCNJ is moving away from its long-standing image as a suitcase school. More than sixty-five percent of students live on campus, and freshmen and returning second-year students are guaranteed housing. Though first-year residents are not permitted to have cars on campus, a regularly running shuttle bus is available to students who wish to visit the local shopping centers. There is also an NJ Transit bus stop at the Brower Student Center that provides easy access to area attractions, as well as the local train station for those students who wish to enjoy a day in New York City. Philadelphia’s art museums and concert venues are also just a few miles away, as well as a variety of attractions on both sides of the Delaware River.

Off-campus or On-campus Events

However, you don’t have to travel to another state to have a good time if you’re a TCNJ student. Trenton plays host to an AA affiliate of the New York Yankees—the Trenton Thunder—and an ECHL hockey team—the Trenton Titans, the affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. Not to mention the fact that there is always something happening on campus, whether it is a student organization-sponsored lecture or a College Union Board concert or late-nighter. These events are always publicized in a weekly e-mail list so students are always in-the-know.

Some of my favorite TCNJ memories involve road trips with my friends. We were always up for a trip to Philadelphia’s South Street for a good cheese steak, or a late-night adventure to Atlantic City. Being in the center of such a culturally active part of the country gave us limitless educational and entertaining options to pass the time. However, nothing quite beat the time we spent having perpetual sleepovers (ah, the joys of being able to wear your pajamas 24/7!) and video game competitions in each other’s dorm rooms, eating dollar pints of ice cream from the local dairy, and staying up until all hours of the night forging forever friendships and eating microwaveable macaroni and cheese. Those are the times at TCNJ that I will always remember, and will always be thankful for.

Clubs and Organizations

If you’re looking to get involved with Greek life, TCNJ has two local and five national fraternities, and seven national sororities. The campus proper doesn’t host any Greek houses, but there is an off-campus presence if that’s your cup of tea. If Greek isn’t the way you want to go, not to worry: there are more than 180 campus clubs and organizations to get involved in, ranging from musical ensembles, the school radio station, and the Ayn Rand Society, to the Video Game Design and Appreciation Club, Circle K, and the Flying Lions Adventure Club. If by chance you can’t find your niche in one of the existing clubs, you can even start your own. Fostering community development is key at TCNJ and it is encouraged in all facets of campus life.

Important Visitors to TCNJ

Think big-name academics and big-name celebrities visit only big name schools? Here’s a list of the people TCNJ students have welcomed to campus in recent years:

• Bill Cosby
• Maya Angelou
• Naomi Tutu
• Sugar Ray Robinson
• Ben Folds
• Anna Quindlen
• Spike Lee
• Dave Chappelle
• Lewis Black
• Jill Sobule
• The Bacon Brothers
• Salman Rushdie
• Lani Guinier
• John Leguizamo
• Carson Kressley
• Cornel West

The College of New Jersey Athletics

There is nothing better than pulling on your favorite college hoodie, grabbing some friends, and planting yourself in Lions’ Stadium for a traditional Saturday afternoon of football. If you’re an athlete or sports buff, be sure to note that TCNJ is an NCAA Division III powerhouse. Since 1979, TCNJ has amassed a total of thirty-six Division III crowns in six different sports. In addition, TCNJ has posted twenty-nine runner-up awards, giving the college the best record nationally in these categories. As impressive as the overall record is, the college’s accomplishments as a leader in women’s sports are even greater. Since NCAA Championships were initiated for women in 1981, only TCNJ has won as many as thirty Division III team championships. Intramural sports are also very popular among the students, providing a fun way to relax and unwind from the stresses of schoolwork. Ice hockey, flag football, volleyball, basketball, softball, and dodgeball are just a sampling of some of the intramurals that TCNJ students enjoy.

One of TCNJ’s biggest and best-attended events occurs the very first night of classes. “LollaNobooza” is a campus-wide welcome back party where student organizations team up to host an all-nighter full of events and activities that promote making healthy choices. On a warm summer night, students pour into Lions’ stadium to participate in athletic skills tests, obstacle courses, bull-riding, pie-throwing, root beer pong, live music, free food, and a variety of other free, fun activities.

The College of New Jersey Local Community

Think there’s nothing fun to do in or around New Jersey? Think again! New Jersey is a hub of activity, nestled between two of the country’s most entertaining and educational cultural hotspots: New York City and Philadelphia. Professional sports abound (both major and minor league), Madison Square Garden is an hour away, the Jersey shore is thirty minutes away, and the Poconos are a ninety-minute drive. Or you can stay very local and visit the twenty-four-seat-auditorium movie theater with stadium-seating, go mini-golfing, or out for a night of sampling fine Italian cuisine in Trenton’s historic Chambersburg. You can visit any of these places during the day and still make it home in time for your favorite primetime TV show!

The College of New Jersey Alumni

A degree from TCNJ is an investment that will carry you above and beyond anywhere you’ve dreamed of. More than 600 companies recruited on campus in a recent year, and TCNJ also has a comprehensive Office of Career Services that helps students create a resume, build a portfolio, research jobs, hone their skills, and apply for positions. Students can also take advantage of videotaped mock interviews, ongoing career counseling resources, as well a service that will easily maintain and send your letters of recommendation should you need them for graduate school or a potential employer. LionsPro, powered by MonsterTRAK, is TCNJ’s on-campus recruitment program. When students are ready to look for a permanent position or an internship, the LionsPro system is one of the most convenient and productive means by which to do so. The program allows students and alumni to submit resumes online to potential employers and/or interview one another regarding possible employment opportunities.

Though my commencement was a chilly and drizzling day in May, all I can remember were blue and gold banners and streamers and bright smiles everywhere. Filing into Lions’ Stadium with a thousand of my peers, I realized how full-circle my TCNJ experience had been. Four years earlier at Welcome Week, we stepped onto that field as strangers. At commencement, we were stepping onto the field and filling up the stadium as a proud community of learners, leaders, and more importantly, friends.

In a recent year, more than eighty percent of students were employed within six months of graduation, and sixteen percent were enrolled in a graduate program within six months.

TCNJ grads go on to medical school, law school, and graduate schools in almost every discipline. Many grads are also lined up with jobs well before they graduate, and some are lucky enough to find out about a job offer on graduation day. Graduates work in a variety of fields, some of the most popular being education, business, and computer science.

Recent graduates have opened ice cream shops, work in publishing, write children’s books, own marketing agencies, and become Rotary International World Peace and Conflict Resolution Fellows. A TCNJ graduate can apply his or her degree to anything and be taken seriously in any field.

Top Employers of TCNJ Grads

• Bloomberg
• Johnson & Johnson
• Merrill Lynch
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Merck & Company
• Dow Jones & Company
• Lockheed Martin
• Ernst & Young
• L’Oreal
• Arthur Anderson
• Morgan Stanley
• Prudential Financial
• Bristol Myers Squibb
• Deloitte & Touche
• Towers Perrin
• Wachovia Bank

Prominent Grads

• James Florio, Former Governor of New Jersey
• Guy Chiarello, Chief Technology Officer for Morgan Stanley
• Susanne Svizeny, Regional President of Wachovia Bank
• Thomas McCarthy, Philadelphia Phillies Announcer

Carnegie Foundation Classification

Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)

General Characteristics

Highest offering	Post-master's certificate
Calendar System	Semester
Years of college work required	N/A
Variable Tuition

Special Learning Opportunities

Distance Learning
ROTC — Army / Navy / Air Force	— / /
Study Abroad
Weekend College
Teacher Certification