This episode is part two in a two-part series of interviews with college admissions representatives at the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) National College Fair held in Philadelphia, Pa.
These events are a great way for students to hear first-hand from college representatives or alumni, and to learn about programs they might not have considered.
Towson University: Medium to large-sized school located outside Baltimore, Md. Towson has 23,000 students, offers more than 60 majors, 300 student clubs and Division 1 athletics. Average class size is 24 students. Applicant qualities: very involved, letters of recommendation, admissions essay; 3.6 GPA, SAT/ACT 1130/23. Popular programs: Education, Biology, Mass-Communications, Psychology, Computer Science. Merit scholarships: students who apply by the 12/1 early action deadline are automatically part of the merit scholarship pool.
Tuition costs: $9,940 (in-state base tuition); $26,834 (in-state tuition, room, board and expenses); $23,208 (out-of-state base tuition); $40,102 (out-of-state tuition, room, board and expenses); merit scholarships range from $2,000-$10,000.
Admissions deadlines: Dec. 1 (early action and Honors College), Jan. 15 (regular decision)
Grants and Scholarships
University of Tennessee, Knoxville: A four-year public institution, the University of Tennessee has 22,000 undergraduate students, nine academic colleges, 170 majors and more than 400 student organizations. Applicant qualities: Admissions takes a holistic view of applicants, including essays, letters of recommendation, and activities in addition to test scores and grades. Popular programs: Engineering, Business, Architecture, Communications. Merit scholarships: Based on a 3.8 GPA and test scores, applicants will be automatically included in the Volunteer Scholarship. Most other competitive scholarships fall within a range. Knoxville is unique city (smaller, great food, lots to do), and University of Tennessee is a big sports school.
Tuition costs: $13,006 (in-state base); $31,510 (in-state tuition, room, board and expenses); $31,426 (out-of-state base); $49,930 (out-of-state tuition, room, board and expenses)
Admissions deadlines: Nov. 1 (priority admission), Dec. 15 (regular admission)
Grants and Scholarships
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Large public flagship Research One institution located in the state capitol with around 43,000 total students and 29,000 undergraduate students. University of Wisconsin has more than 130 majors. Most popular programs: Biology, Economics, Political Science, Communication Arts; popular schools are School of Business and College of Engineering. Applicant qualities: University of Wisconsin-Madison uses a holistic review process. Academic preparation is of utmost importance. Admissions looks at students’ challenging curriculum, areas of strength, activities outside of the classroom, and passion and fit for institution. Prospective and current students should use the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH) to submit their background and experience and learn what scholarships they may qualify for. Often more funds become available as students progress deeper into their programs of study.
Tuition costs: $10,555 (in-state base); $26,025 (in-state tuition, room, board and expenses); $36,805 (out-of-state base); $52,887 (out-of-state tuition, room, board and expenses)
Admissions deadlines: Nov. 1 (early action), Feb. 1 (regular decision)
Grants and Scholarships
Utica College: Located in upstate New York, Utica is a smaller-sized private school with roughly 3,000 undergraduate students, 5,000 students altogether. Teacher student ratio is 11:1. Average class size is 20 students.
