College Visit Advice

College visits don’t have to be cookie-cutter

By Jenna Johnson, Washington Post Published: March 23 | Updated: Saturday, March 24, 1:15 PM

It was a gorgeous spring day at American University, the quad dotted with students playing Frisbee and studying on blankets, when I tagged along on a campus admissions tour led by an energetic student guide who peppered her listeners with school stats and personal stories.

As we passed three students camped out with their laptops, the guide called out to them: “Do you love AU?”  “Yes!” they all shouted in response, laughing. The guide turned back to us: “See, they love AU!”
A couple of parents laughed out loud, and a dad standing near me rolled his eyes dramatically at the exchange. But most of the prospective students barely reacted. They just stayed in the polite trance they’d maintained throughout the tour, the result, I had no doubt, of visiting too many campuses in too short a time.



It’s that time of year again, when thousands of parents pack their high-schoolers onto a plane or into the SUV and set off on road trips across the nation to a half-dozen colleges or more, hoping to find that one special school that’s the right fit for their student.
These visits are often the deciding factor for many juniors figuring out where to apply and for seniors picking where to enroll. And colleges know this. The admissions tours they offer are nothing more than a sales pitch — their last chance to nab you with a dazzling display of their offerings.

So universities go to great lengths (and lots of expense) to ensure that their campuses, their dorms and their students stand out from all the rest. Often that means locating the admissions center next to the most convenient parking, providing free coffee and casting the friendliest students as tour guides. Even the music you hear in admissions offices as you wait for your tour has probably been carefully selected — maybe even by students — to set the tone for your visit.

But as a higher education reporter for The Washington Post who has taken lots of campus tours with kids trying to make that big decision, I’ve learned that most of this is just window dressing. The only way to get a true feel for the culture of a university and its students is to simply hang out. My best advice? If you’re heading out on a college visit, give yourself enough time to pretend to be a college kid for a day: Lounge in a coffee shop near campus, read the student newspaper, attend a women’s softball game or an a capella concert, go jogging across the campus, have dinner at a bar with sticky floors, or simply ride the campus bus for a different kind of tour.

College Spotlight: United States Naval Academy (visiting 11/30)

Link: USNA

 Mission

The Naval Academy has a unique clarity of purpose, expressed in our official mission:

"To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government."

This puts everyone-faculty, staff and midshipmen-on the same wavelength. It also encourages a sense of spirit and pride found at few other schools.

Program

The moral, mental and physical elements of our program are equally important, all contributing to the qualities of an outstanding naval officer.

Academics

Every midshipman's academic program begins with a core curriculum that includes courses in engineering, science, mathematics, humanities and social science. This is designed to give you a broad-based education that will qualify you for practically any career field in the Navy or Marine Corps. At the same time, our majors program gives you the opportunity to develop a particular area of academic interest. For especially capable and highly motivated students, we offer challenging honors programs and opportunities to start work on postgraduate degrees while still at the Academy.

Professional and leadership training

We don't just tell you about life in the Navy and Marine Corps. After four years at the Naval Academy, the life and customs of the naval service become second nature. First, you learn to take orders from practically everyone, but before long, you acquire the responsibility for making decisions that can affect hundreds of other midshipmen. Your professional classroom studies are backed by many hours of practical experience in leadership and naval operations, including assignments with Navy and Marine Corps units during summer months.

Moral education

Moral and ethical development is a fundamental element of all aspects of the Naval Academy experience. As future officers in the Navy or Marine Corps, midshipmen will someday be responsible for the priceless lives of many men and women and multi-million dollar equipment. From Plebe Summer through graduation, the Naval Academy's Character Development Program is a four-year integrated continuum that focuses on the attributes of integrity, honor, and mutual respect. One of the goals of this program is to develop midshipmen who possess a clearer sense of their own moral beliefs and the ability to articulate them. Honor is emphasized through the Honor Concept of the Brigade of Midshipmen-a system which was originally formulated in 1951 and states "Midshipmen are persons of integrity, they stand for that which is right." These Naval Academy "words to live by" are based on the moral values of respect for human dignity, respect for honesty and respect for the property of others. Brigade Honor Committees composed of elected upperclass midshipmen are responsible for education and training in the Honor Concept. Midshipmen found in violation of the Honor Concept by their peers may be separated from the Naval Academy.

Physical training

We teach the importance of being physically fit and prepared for stress because the duties of Navy and Marine Corps officers often require long, strenuous hours in difficult situations. The physical requirements of Plebe Summer training, four years of physical education and year-round athletics also develop pride, teamwork and leadership.

Summer Seminar

The United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar is a fast-paced, six-day experience for high achievers who have completed their junior year in high school. Summer Seminar teaches you about life at the Naval Academy, where academics, athletics, and professional training play equally important roles in developing our nation's leaders.  If you think that you may be interested in pursuing an appointment to one of the nation's service academies and serving your country as an officer, you should seriously consider attending the Naval Academy's Summer Seminar. Mark your calendar! The 2012 Summer Seminar Application will open February 1st.

**Severn Students (sophomores & juniors) interested in a service academy should express that interest to the Severn College Counseling office as early as possible.

College Spotlight: United States Air Force Academy

(Cadet Craig Phelan, Severn '09, visiting 11/28)

Link: USAFA Admissions

In our rapidly changing world, the high-tech United States Air Force rules the skies. In order to continue protecting our country and its interests, we need highly motivated, top-notch people. If you've got what it takes to be a leader in the Air Force of the 21st Century, we offer you an outstanding opportunity — and education at the Air Force Academy.

As an Air Force Academy cadet, you'll spend four years at one of the best schools in the country with all your tuition, fees, and room and board paid for. You'll be continually challenged academically and personally. Upon graduation, you'll receive a bachelor of science degree and a commission as an Air Force second lieutenant.

By knowing the requirements and recommendations to receive a potential appointment to the Academy, you can help prepare your students during high school.

Requirements

The applicant must be:

• A United States citizen (United States citizenship must be finalized prior to entering the Academy.)
• Unmarried with no dependents (Note: Dependents include being married, mother/father by having a birth child, step child, or adopted child prior to graduation, regardless of whether or not you provide financial support for said dependent. Further, if such marriage or paternity/maternity were to occur but not be known to Air Force authorities until after graduation, you may be subject to disciplinary or administrative action as an officer.)
• Of good moral character
• At least 17, but not past your 23rd birthday by July 1 of the year entering (The age requirement is public law and cannot be waived.)

Recommendations

The following high school courses will help make the applicant more competitive:

• Four years of English
• Four years of college-prep math
• Four years of lab science
• Three years of social studies
• Two years of a foreign language
• One year of computer study

For questions or to find out more about the Air Force Academy's admissions process, please call 1-800-443-9266. 

**Students (sophomore or junior) interested in a service academy should express that interest to the College Counseling office as early as possible.

College Spotlight--Penn State University (visiting 11/11)

Link: Penn State Univ

The largest campus in the Penn State system, University Park is home to a diverse population of about 35,000 undergraduate students. Penn State University Park students enjoy passing iconic buildings like Old Main daily, while also taking advantage of amenities in new facilities like the Information Sciences and Technology Building or the Life Sciences Building.


Penn State University Park is located in the small city of State College, a quintessential college town with its small eateries and quirky shops that line the street marking the border between downtown and campus. Nestled near the base of Mount Nittany, the surrounding area of central Pennsylvania is known as “Happy Valley.”

Freshmen at University Park are guaranteed on-campus housing, and, in subsequent years, offered housing through an easily managed lottery system. Approximately 13,000 students live on campus. Six residence hall areas offer traditional, dormitory-style living. On-campus housing is guaranteed and mandatory for first-year students.

The diverse community hosts students from all fifty states and more than one hundred countries, with a typical annual student population of more than 40,000.

The campus houses eleven of the University’s undergraduate colleges, the Graduate School, Schreyer Honors College, and a campus of Penn State Dickinson School of Law. It is the base for the University Libraries, which serve all the campuses in the Commonwealth.

The Nittany Lions football team plays at Beaver Stadium on the campus and other Big Ten sporting events are held in the playing fields and in the Bryce Jordan Center, a multipurpose arena for University ceremonies such as commencement, sporting events, and entertainment.

Penn State University Park Virtual Tour

College Spotlight--Franklin & Marshall College (visiting 11/8)

Link: Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall was established in 1787 with a gift of 200 British pounds from Benjamin Franklin, and is located in historic Lancaster, a dynamic city with a thriving arts scene.
The College enrolls 2,200 students. The average class size is 19 students, and the faculty-to-student ratio is 10:1. Our students receive more than $500,000 in research grants every year.

At Franklin & Marshall, we emphasize learning by doing, not just by listening and watching.

All students are lifelong members of a College House, five distinct hubs of academic, extracurricular and social engagement in a residential setting. Guided by faculty dons and administrative prefects, students govern their houses, develop leadership skills, and create their own social and intellectual programs.

Students may join one or more of the College’s 76 clubs and organizations, ranging from anime to Ultimate Frisbee. More than three-quarters of students participate in community service, and a quarter of students belong to one of 10 Greek organizations.

Our scholar-athletes compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference. The College fields 27 athletic teams—13 for men and 14 for women.

Students may study abroad in any of 200 locations around the world. Each year, one-third of our students goes abroad or enrolls in a travel course. On campus, 87 percent of students have studied at least one of the 11 foreign languages we offer.

Our students seek to learn by doing, not by listening and watching. They embrace the opportunity to work side by side or in small groups with faculty members on research projects that have real-world applications. And when given the choice of being a scholar, an athlete, an artist, a leader or a volunteer, they are most apt to choose “all of the above.”

This is who we are.

College Spotlight--Johns Hopkins University (visiting 11/4)

Link: Johns Hopkins University



The Johns Hopkins University opened in 1876, with the inauguration of its first president, Daniel Coit Gilman. "What are we aiming at?" Gilman asked in his installation address. "The encouragement of research ... and the advancement of individual scholars, who by their excellence will advance the sciences they pursue, and the society where they dwell." The mission laid out by Gilman remains the university's mission today, summed up in a simple but powerful restatement of Gilman's own words: "Knowledge for the world." What Gilman created was a research university, dedicated to advancing both students' knowledge and the state of human knowledge through research and scholarship. Gilman believed that teaching and research are interdependent, that success in one depends on success in the other. A modern university, he believed, must do both well. The realization of Gilman's philosophy at Johns Hopkins, and at other institutions that later attracted Johns Hopkins-trained scholars, revolutionized higher education in America, leading to the research university system as it exists today.

After more than 130 years, Johns Hopkins remains a world leader in both teaching and research. Eminent professors mentor top students in the arts and music, the humanities, the social and natural sciences, engineering, international studies, education, business and the health professions. Those same faculty members, and their research colleagues at the university's Applied Physics Laboratory, have each year since 1979 won Johns Hopkins more federal research and development funding than any other university.
The university has nine academic divisions and campuses throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Education and the Carey Business School are based at the Homewood campus in northern Baltimore. The schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing share a campus in east Baltimore with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Peabody Institute, a leading professional school of music, is located on Mount Vernon Place in downtown Baltimore. The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies is located in Washington's Dupont Circle area.

The Applied Physics Laboratory is a division of the university co-equal to the nine schools, but with a non-academic, research-based mission. APL, located between Baltimore and Washington, supports national security and also pursues space science, exploration of the Solar System and other civilian research and development.

Johns Hopkins also has a campus near Rockville in Montgomery County, Md., and has academic facilities in Nanjing, China, and in Bologna, Italy. It maintains a network of continuing education facilities throughout the Baltimore-Washington region, including centers in downtown Baltimore, in downtown Washington and in Columbia.

When considered in partnership with its sister institution, the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System, the university is Maryland's largest employer and contributes more than $10 billion a year to the state's economy.

The mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.


College Spotlight--Haverford College (visiting 11/2/11)

Link: Haverford College

One of America's leading liberal arts colleges, Haverford is a close-knit intellectual community located on a serene campus just outside Philadelphia. Founded on the Quaker values of individual dignity, academic strength, and tolerance, we combine a rigorous academic program with an informal atmosphere of mutual respect and collaboration among students, faculty and staff.

Studenst approach work and study — as well as debate and conflict — with an awareness of the greater good. Haverford's Honor Code is one of the oldest in the country, and one of the few with a social dimension — we seek to appreciate and trust each other while working together and speaking candidly about our differences.

A beautiful and stimulating environment, Haverford's self-contained campus on more than 200 acres features award-winning architecture and landscaping. The campus itself is a nationally recognized arboretum, with more than 400 species of trees and shrubs, a 3.5-acre duck pond, multiple gardens, and wooded areas. Our location on the outskirts of Philadelphia offers easy access to its wealth of activities and cultural institutions, as well as the rest of the Mid-Atlantic region.

The College operates more than 50 academic, athletic, and residential buildings. The most recent additions are the Marian E. Koshland Integrated Natural Science Center and the Douglas B. Gardner '83 Integrated Athletic Center. Haverford's Magill Library boasts more than a half million of its own volumes and has access to nearly two million more through its unusual Tripod computerized catalog system, which integrates our library with those of neighboring Bryn Mawr and Swarthmore Colleges. In addition to Magill's main resources, we house a number of special collections including the Quaker Collection, the C.C. Morris 1904 Cricket Library, and numerous rare books and other treasures; we also maintain three smaller music, science, and astronomy libraries on campus.

Haverford students are entrusted with freedom and responsibility from their first days on campus, an act of trust aimed at developing the whole person and creating a lasting bond between individual and institution. Students leave Haverford with an increased sense of independence, curiosity, and confidence, as well as lasting bonds with friends and faculty. Whether 'Fords go on to advance their educations, enter the workforce, travel the world, or better the world in one of any number of ways, they leave grounded and well-equipped for rich, dynamic lives.

View the College's Common Data Set, which many colleges and universities use to provide statistical information.

College Spotlight--Boston College (visiting 10/27/11)

Link: Boston College

Boston College is one of the oldest Jesuit, Catholic universities in the United States. U.S. News and World Report ranks Boston College 31st among national universities.

Boston College confers more than 4,000 degrees annually in more than 50 fields of study through nine schools and colleges. Faculty members are committed to both teaching and research and have set new marks for research grant awards over the last ten years, more than $45 million in the last year alone.

The University has made a major commitment to academic excellence. It is in the process of adding faculty positions, expanding faculty and graduate research, increasing student financial aid, and widening opportunities in key undergraduate programs, such as foreign study, internships, community service, and personal formation.

Boston College has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, including a 75 percent increase in undergraduate applications over the past decade. During the same period, a remarkable increase in revenue from voluntary giving has helped to move the University's endowment to approximately $1.4 billion, among the 40 largest in the nation.

Why Boston College? Click here for 20 reasons — we encourage you to find more

College Spotlight--Brown University (visiting 10/25/11)

Link: Brown University

Located in historic Providence, Rhode Island and founded in 1764, Brown University is the seventh-oldest college in the United States. Brown is an independent, coeducational Ivy League institution comprising undergraduate and graduate programs, plus the Alpert Medical School and the School of Engineering.
With its talented and motivated student body and accomplished faculty, Brown is a leading research university that maintains a particular commitment to exceptional undergraduate instruction.

Brown’s vibrant, diverse community consists of 6,000 undergraduates, 2,000 graduate students, 400 medical school students, and nearly 700 faculty members. Brown students come from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

Undergraduates pursue bachelor’s degrees in more than 70 concentrations, ranging from Egyptology to cognitive neuroscience. Anything’s possible at Brown—the university’s commitment to undergraduate freedom means students must take responsibility as architects of their courses of study.

Graduate students study in more than 70 programs. The broad scope of options vary from interdisciplinary opportunities in molecular pharmacology and physiology to a master’s program in acting and directing through the Brown/Trinity Repertory Consortium.

Brown students have a lot to smile about. Named by the 2010 Princeton Review as the #1 College in America for Happiest Students, Brown is frequently recognized for its global reach, many cultural events, numerous campus groups and activities, active community service programs, highly competitive athletics, and beautiful facilities located in a richly historic urban setting.

There's an App for that!

Thanks to a new Class of 2013 "An Admiral's Perspective" follower comes a recommendation for what sounds like a handy app for your next college road trip:

Fiske Interactive College Guide 2012

By Sourcebooks, Inc

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fiske-interactive-college/id418350915?mt=8

Of course, College Counseling and the Severn library have hardcopies of this book for your reference.

College Spotlight--Dickinson College (visiting 10/20/11)

Link: Dickinson College

Dickinson College, founded in 1773, is a highly selective, private residential liberal-arts college known for its innovative curriculum. Its mission is to offer students a useful education in the arts and sciences that will prepare them for lives as engaged citizens and leaders. The 180-acre campus of Dickinson College is located in the heart of historic Carlisle, Pa. The college offers 42 majors with an emphasis on international studies, has more than 40 study-abroad programs in 24 countries on six continents and offers 13 modern languages.

Quick Facts

• 2,365 full-time students
• 43 U.S. states and territories and 41 foreign countries represented
• 10:1 student-faculty ratio
• More than 50 percent of students study abroad
• 26 percent participate in varsity athletics

History

Dickinson College is an institution steeped in history. Its grounds have been the site of notable revolutionary experiences; its limestone buildings are monuments of ancient architecture; its paths have been walked by remarkable men and women; and its founding spirit runs deep and propels us forward today. Learn More 

Mission

Chartered in 1783, just days after the conclusion of the American Revolution, Dickinson’s founder envisioned the college offering a distinctively original form of American education—one that was rigorously rooted in the traditional liberal arts and was also ultimately useful. As we face the challenges and complexities of the 21st century, Dickinson continues to seek direction from this revolutionary heritage within a contemporary context. Learn more

Diversity

Dickinson College is a diverse community that includes individuals from majority populations, historically under-represented populations, international students and scholars, and individuals from various socioeconomic levels—all having a wide variety of ideas, attitudes and beliefs. Learn more 

College Spotlight--Elon University

Link: Elon University

Elon University is a selective, independent, private university renowned as a national model for engaged learning, along with excellence in the liberal arts and sciences and professional programs. Elon's beautiful and historic campus in central North Carolina is designated as a botanical garden.

Elon’s rich intellectual community is characterized by active student engagement with a faculty dedicated to excellent teaching and scholarly accomplishment. The curriculum is grounded in the traditional liberal arts and sciences and complemented by distinctive professional and graduate programs. Elon students put knowledge into practice, fulfilling their roles as global citizens and informed leaders motivated by concern for the common good.

Elon sends more undergraduate students to study abroad than any other master’s-level school in the nation, and was named one of the top three universities in the nation for community service by the federal government’s Corporation for National and Community Service. In addition, 78 percent of students complete internships, one-third of students hold at least one campus leadership position, and about 250 students annually work with faculty members on undergraduate research projects.

In its 2011 "America's Best Colleges" guide, U.S.News & World Report rates Elon the #2 Southern University and among the top 86 colleges and universities in the nation "where the faculty has an unusual commitment to undergraduate teaching."Newsweek-Kaplan named Elon the nation's "leader in engaged learning" and one of 25 featured colleges in its 2010 guide, and Princeton Review ranks Elon among the nation's 373 "best colleges." Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, USA Today, Princeton Review and the Fiske Guide to Colleges all name Elon one of the nation's "best value" private universities.

Elon's 600-acre campus is recognized by Princeton Review as one of the nation's most beautiful college environments. The campus has been designated a botanical garden, and includes the 56-acre Elon University Forest, a land preserve and natural area for scientific research.

Elon's 358 full-time faculty teach in more than 50 undergraduate majors. The university includes Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the School of Education; and the School of Law. Master's programs are offered in business administration, education and interactive media, and doctoral programs include physical therapy and law. Elon operates on a 4-1-4 academic calendar, including a four-week term in January.

Elon's 5,032 undergraduate and 677 graduate students come from 48 states, the District of Columbia and 49 other nations. About 25 percent are from North Carolina, with 9 percent each from New Jersey and Massachusetts, 7 percent each from Maryland and Virginia, 6 percent from Pennsylvania and 5 percent each from Connecticut and New York.

Elon Phoenix athletics include 16 intercollegiate men's and women's sports in NCAA Division I (FCS football), and Elon is a member of the Southern Conference. In addition, many students actively participate in 18 intramural and 21 club sports.

Elon was founded by the Christian Church (now the United Church of Christ) in 1889, and its core values have remained constant throughout history: close relationships between faculty and students, a culture that supports constant innovation, and a strong sense of community. Each Tuesday morning, students, faculty and staff gather around Fonville Fountain for refreshments and fellowship during "College Coffee." Weekly chapel services in historic Whitley Auditorium provide an interfaith worship experience. Daily events, spontaneous gatherings and sidewalk conversations are the hallmarks of this friendly and welcoming academic community.

Elon University is a member of Project Pericles®, a national organization of colleges and universities committed to make socially responsible and participatory citizenship an essential part of our educational program - in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.

College Spotlight: High Point University (visiting 10/18/11)

Link: High Point University

At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people. HPU is a liberal arts university with outstanding professional programs and experiential opportunities.

The university has approximately 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 50 countries and more than 40 states at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem. It is ranked by US News and World Report 6th among comprehensive universities in the South and in the top 100 nationally. The university has an economic impact statewide in excess of $370 million per year.

HPU announced in October 2007 that it was doubling its investment in academic programs, student life, scholarships and construction of new facilities. The university’s board of trustees approved doubling the investment in the university from $110 to $225 million over a period of three years. The campus transformation is made possible through gifts, bonds and operating revenues.

HPU has completed the construction of eight new buildings and two stadiums, the renovation of 16 buildings and the acquisition of 50 acres of land, with the campus now at 140 acres total. The board has approved the construction of a parking deck, new restaurants, a tennis complex and four new residence halls to accommodate the growth of traditional day students from 1,500 to 3,000 by 2010. The university enrolls an additional 1,200 students in its graduate school and evening degree programs.

The university offers 68 undergraduate majors, 33 minors and seven graduate-degree programs. It is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference.

College Spotlight: St. Mary's College of Maryland (visiting 10/18/11)

Link: St. Mary's College

Officially St. Mary's is the State of Maryland's public honors college, designated by law in 1992 in recognition of the quality of the undergraduate education. At its heart, it is a place where students are challenged to create their own path. All students at St. Mary's are honors students. This isn't a place where a small group of students are selected for an honors program. Rather, the entire school is an honors college. Every student has access to discussion-oriented classes and one-on-one interactions with faculty. It is an intellectual community that includes everyone. It's not about being the smartest-just smart.

St. Mary's is a public institution, dedicated to providing a premier education for students with disparate backgrounds and worldviews. A fifth of our students are first-generation college students, a quarter are from states other than Maryland or from other countries, and a fifth are students of color. The honors college difference means that students make life-long friends both with those who share their views and others who challenge their thinking.

The honors college prepares students for the future by challenging students' limits. In a world where people will change careers multiple times, being educated for the future is the only lasting education.

The College on the River

Located on a horseshoe bend of the St. Mary's River just upstream from the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, St. Mary's College occupies the land where settlers founded the fourth oldest permanent English settlement in North America (1634). The colony's "Act of Toleration" made St. Mary's City an early site of religious freedom and remains an abiding precept of life at the honors college.

National acclaim

It is not just the river and our 361-acre waterfront campus. It is people who are drawn to it and to the concept of an honors college. Creative individuals, who write music, conduct experiments, build computers and put their beliefs into action. Don't just take our word for it. As one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation, St. Mary's is ranked prominently in the major college guides.

Surprising Value

As one of only two public honors colleges in the nation, St. Mary's offers the same challenging academics and individualized attention as a small, private liberal arts college. "Public" means we're devoted to accessibility, diversity and affordability--including a reasonable price and a full range of financial aid programs. The honors college is the best of both public and private education.

Scholar Athletes

Another feature of the honors college is that varsity athletes do not have to choose between being a serious athlete and a serious student. They are both. We offer Division III athletic programs and are proud of our scholar-athletes in action.

Learn More

There are many ways to learn more about St. Mary's. Request information by mail or download Information. Do you want to visit, meet with a professor, chat with a coach, and experience our beautiful waterfront campus for yourself; or just browse some fun facts? The choice is yours. Let us know how we can help.

It's in the WATER.

It's in the PEOPLE.

It's why we're HERE.

College Spotlight: Salisbury University (visiting 10/13/11)

Link: Salisbury Sea Gulls

Salisbury University is a premier comprehensive Maryland public university, offering excellent, affordable education in undergraduate liberal arts, sciences, pre-professional and professional programs, including education, nursing, social work, and business, and a limited number of applied graduate programs.  Our highest purpose is to empower our students with the knowledge, skills, and core values that contribute to active citizenship, gainful employment, and life‑long learning in a democratic society and interdependent world.  

Salisbury University cultivates and sustains a superior learning community where students, faculty, and staff engage one another as teachers, scholars, and learners, and where a commitment to excellence and an openness to a broad array of ideas and perspectives are central to all aspects of University life. Our learning community is student-centered; thus, students and faculty interact in small classroom settings, faculty serve as academic advisors, and virtually every student has an opportunity to undertake research with a faculty mentor. We foster an environment where individuals make choices that lead to a more successful development of social, physical, occupational, emotional, and intellectual well being.

SU At-A-Glance

• Founded:  1925
• Location: Wicomico County, Maryland  more..
• 8th President:  Janet E. Dudley-Eshbach, Ph.D. (Appointed July 1, 2000)  more...
• Carnegie Classification:  Master's L: Master's Colleges & Universities (Larger Programs)
• 42 Undergraduate Programs
• 14 Graduate Programs
• 4 Post Baccalaureate Certificate Programs
• Student/Faculty Ratio:  17:1
• Number of Countries Represented: 69
• Number of States/Territories Represented: 32
• Percent Out-of-State: 14.2%
• Percent minority & nonresident alien: 21%
• Percent female: 57.7%
• Percent that are undergraduate: 91.7%
• Percent full-time (undergraduates):  92.5%
• Most Popular Majors
• Rankings

College Spotlight: University of South Carolina (visiting 10/13/11)

Link: University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina welcomes students from diverse backgrounds—freshmen from around the United States, transfer students from state technical colleges, international students from more than 100 countries, graduate students from other prestigious institutions, and students transitioning from one of the University's regional campuses to Columbia.

What they all find is a tradition-rich and growing institution with a host of opportunities—from challenging academics, to 300 clubs and organizations, to volunteer and service projects. The Horseshoe is the University's picturesque and historic campus, a gathering place for studying, sunbathing, Ultimate Frisbee—you name it. (Take a virtual tour of campus.)

A few blocks from main campus, the University's unique research and innovation district, Innovista, is taking shape with two large facilities, the Horizon Center and Discovery Plaza.
Other new or future facilities include:

• the $22 million Arnold School of Public Health Research Center
• West (Green) Quad, the world's largest "green" dorm
• the state-of-the-art Wellness and Fitness Center
• the Greek Village's 20 fraternity and sorority houses
• the South Carolina Honors College residence hall
• the 34,800-square-foot Dance and Marching Band facility
• the Gamecocks' new riverfront baseball stadium
• the academic enrichment center for student-athletes

South Carolina is a pioneer and national leader in the first-year experience, including its acclaimed University 101 program that helps students adjust to college life. The First Year Reading Experience also brings together more than 3,000 students from the freshman class the week before fall classes begin to discuss a book as a common point of reference. The 2010 selection: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.

College Spotlight: Vanderbilt University (visiting 10/13/11)

Link: Vanderbilt University



Cornelius Vanderbilt had a vision of a place that would “contribute to strengthening the ties that should exist between all sections of our common country” when he gave $1 million to create a university in 1873.

Today, that vision has been realized in Vanderbilt, an internationally recognized research university in Nashville, Tenn., with strong partnerships among its 10 schools, neighboring institutions and the community.

Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering, music, education and human development, as well as a full range of graduate and professional degrees. The combination of cutting edge research, liberal arts, nationally recognized schools of business and divinity and a distinguished medical center creates an invigorating atmosphere where students tailor their education to meet their goals and researchers collaborate to solve complex questions affecting our health, culture and society.

Vanderbilt provides a gateway to greatness, drawing the best and brightest students from across the nation and around the world. Vanderbilt alumni can be found in Congress, on the judicial bench, in the pulpit, heading corporations, conducting innovative medical research, writing for and appearing on the stage and screen, and playing in the NFL and major league baseball.

An independent, privately supported university, Vanderbilt is the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee and the second largest private employer based in the state.

Enrollment by School

• College of Arts and Science: 4,285
• Blair School of Music: 211
• Divinity School: 249
• School of Engineering: 1,327
• Graduate School: 2,228
• Law School: 615
• School of Medicine: 618
• School of Nursing: 882
• Owen Graduate School of Management: 577
• Peabody College: 1,702
• Division of Unclassified Studies: 27
• Total: 12,721

College of the Week: Georgetown University (visiting 10/6/11)



Link: Georgetown University



Georgetown is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit institute of higher learning in the United States. Jesuits have played a significant role in the growth and evolution of Georgetown into a global research university deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. Georgetown’s Jesuit tradition also promotes the university’s commitment to spiritual inquiry, civic engagement, and religious and cultural pluralism. The Jesuits are members of the Society of Jesus, an international religious community which was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century. Today, Jesuits continue to enrich the university through their work as scholars, researchers, administrators, chaplains and counselors.

Undergraduates at Georgetown receive a liberal arts education steeped in the Jesuit traditions of social justice and cura personalis, or “care of the whole person.” The university is committed to helping students grow intellectually, spiritually and emotionally as well as encouraging them to become thoughtful and caring members of society who contribute to the greater good.

In the classroom, discussions span the universe of human interest. No matter what their academic pursuits may be, all undergraduates explore broad intellectual horizons in one of four undergraduate schools:

• Georgetown College
• School of Nursing and Health Studies
• Walsh School of Foreign Service
• McDonough School of Business

Students are admitted to and receive their degrees from one of the four schools but can take classes offered in any undergraduate school. In fact, students are encouraged to think broadly and take an interdisciplinary approach to their education. Many students major in one school and minor in another, getting valuable experience of studying with students of every major and background.
 Students are encouraged to enhance their classroom learning experience by taking advantage of Georgetown's location in Washington, D.C., holding internships on Capitol Hill, the National Institutes of Health, ABC News, The World Bank, The Smithsonian, Embassies, or with the myriad of non-profit and corporate groups involved with policy-making. Before graduation, 95% of Georgetown students have had at least one internship.

With more than 6,300 undergraduates from all 50 states and more than 130 countries, Georgetown is a vibrant place to live and learn. Visit the Campus Life section of the University's website to find out more about the dynamic Georgetown community. It includes a wide spectrum of student organizations, sports teams and clubs, student publications and student activism in political and social causes. Community is further fostered through residence life, with more than 80 percent of students living on the University campus.

College of the Week: University of Maryland

Link: University of Maryland

The University of Maryland boasts 78 academic programs ranked in the top 25 nationally and 29 academic programs in the top 10 according to U.S. News and World report. By drawing top-notch faculty, attracting the brightest students and investing in the quality of our academic programs, we are a force to reckon with on a national basis.
Maryland has eleven colleges and schools and Letters and Sciences. As a new student, you'll first find an academic home in your college or school and, from there, your major. Letters and Sciences provides advising for students who are still undecided about their major. Maryland also offers ways to make connections across disciplines, through our special academic programs, certificate programs and academic resources.

Maryland by the Numbers:

• Ranked #18 among U.S. Public Universities
• 100+ majors
• 73 Academic Programs ranked in the Top 25
• 26,000+ Undergraduate Students
• 1:1 Male to Female ratio
• 34% students of color - graduating more African American students than any other Top 20 Public University
• 3,000+ total faculty
• 3,480 international students
• 36 residence halls
• 3 million+ library books
• 1,200 acre campus
• 27 Division I NCAA teams
• 240,000+ alumni
• 335 employers recruiting on campus
• 100% of residence halls and academic buildings with wireless internet
• 1,800 undergraduate students studied abroad this past year
• The Clarice Smith Performing Arts center is the largest performing arts center on any university campus on the east coast, covering nearly 17 acres.
• McKeldin Mall is not only the largest collegiate mall in the United States but it's also wireless.



College of the Week--The George Washington University

The George Washington University

(Visiting Severn School Monday 9/19/11)

Our University actively engages Washington, D.C., and the world. Our location in the heart of Washington places us at the core of U.S. government, policy and law. We sit where the worlds of science, technology, media and the arts converge. Our students and faculty have the unparalleled opportunity to study and work alongside leaders and practitioners in every discipline, to take part in the interchanges that shape our community and the world.

Our History
The George Washington University was created in 1821 through an Act of the Congress, fulfilling George Washington’s vision of an institution in the nation’s capital dedicated to educating and preparing future leaders.

Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. We have more than 20,000 students—from all 50 states, the District and more than 130 countries—studying a rich range of disciplines: from forensic science and creative writing to international affairs and computer engineering, as well as medicine, public health, the law and public policy.

GW comprises three campuses—Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon in Washington, D.C., and the GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Va.—as well as several graduate education centers in the metropolitan area and Hampton Roads, Va.


Our Commitment
Our mission is to provide an environment where knowledge is created and acquired and where creative endeavors seek to enrich the experiences of the global society. With nine schools and colleges and nearly 100 research centers and institutes, our students receive hands-on experience as they explore nearly any avenue of personal interest.

The depth and breadth of our academic programs, the exceptional qualifications of our full-time faculty, the unmatched experiences of our adjunct faculty and the strengths of our research initiatives allow our students, our faculty and our staff to look at the world beyond the classroom. They allow us to prepare the next generation of leaders.

The GW Experience

The students and professors who pass through our halls will tell you that The George Washington University is much more than an academic institution. It is a place of opportunity. You can learn from renowned professors, meet your best friends and work with some of the most influential organizations in the world. You can become a part of the GW experience.

For each person—from students to faculty, alumni to staff—the GW experience is unique. Interning on Capitol Hill. Biking down miles of trails. Listening to prominent world leaders speak. Leafing through rare book collections at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Watching professional baseball, basketball, hockey or celebrity entertainers. Performing in one of the University’s many student talent organizations. The diversity of the city is an ideal match for the diversity of our University.

Even after commencement on the National Mall, the GW experience continues. Influenced by their experiences, our community members leave, empowered by knowledge that helps them find their place and leave their mark on the nation and the world.