My visit to Ithaca College May 8th confirmed why it appears on so many students' lists. The Communications, Business, Humanities & Sciences, and Health Sciences and Human Performance, and Music Schools all have terrific track records. All that, and students are very happy and involved here.
The Roy H. Park School of Communications is a major draw: The Hollywood Reporter ranks its film school #18, The Princeton Review's #3 rated school newspaper, The Ithacan, and #6 college radio stations. Students major in film and television production, journalism, recording technology, speech and sports communications, and public relations and go on to great careers. David Muir, ABC World News Tonight anchor, is a prime example. Click link for a list of involved alumni who reach out to help Park School students: https://www.ithaca.edu/rhp/gallery/7556/
Take note: Ithaca's Business Administration School was rated #6 BEST BUSINESS SCHOOL IN NEW YORK by Bloomberg Businessweek in 2016., based on a survey of graduates and company recruiters. Graduates can expect to a 93%PLACEMENT RATE/ADMISSION TO GRAD SCHOOL, based on a 92 percent response rate from alumni. No wonder Business Administration is IC's most popular major.
The Health Science & Human Performance College offers 5 year Masters options in PT and OT. Not ready to commit to a major? The department's preprofessional program has introductory courses -- in communication disorders, health and physical education, sport management, and more for freshmen. Other first-year students are focused around primary professional areas -- clinical rehabilitative and therapeutic disciplines, health, exercise science, recreation and leisure services, sport management and media, or education. Students discover where their true interests lie.
That brings us to a signature program: Ithaca's excellent Exploratory Program for students who are undeclared. Dr. Elizabeth Bleicher emphasized why this program is so effective in helping students find themselves in their own time. Students find where they belong organically-with support. Here, Exploratory students participate in the "TED of Marketing," PTTOW! as interns in NYC: https://www.ithaca.edu/ic-news/releases/students-thrive-as-pttow-interns-42683/
College Factual ranked Ithaca College's Music Program # 11 OUT OF 375 nationwide. The School of Humanities and Sciences, the largest and most diverse of IC’s five academic schools, encompassing 52 undergraduate degree programs and 45 minors in the creative arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
That's a snapshot of the academics. Ithaca College is located in a naturally beautiful locale of hills, lakes and waterfalls near the center of an urbane town filled with great restaurants and shops. According to The Princeton Review, students are liberal, politically active, and very social. It's no wonder there's something for everyone here.
Stop Two, Day One: Union College, a small liberal arts school on the green edge of urban Schenectady, NY, is beyond any category : you have to experience it yourself.
Famed for its Engineering Program and rated #5 for top STEM programs for women by USA Today and College Guide, Union believes in the power of a liberal arts education to create intuitive graduates with the wider focus necessary to tackle tomorrow's questions. US News places it in the top 40 of National Liberal Arts Colleges, Money Magazine ranks it in the top 20 for earning the most in LACS, Payscale ranks it the 10th best college value, and Princeton Review ranks it #17 for Best Alumni Network.
Union runs on a trimester schedule (https://www.union.edu/admissions/trimesters/about/) Trimesters allow more time off between Thanksgiving and New Year's than a traditional schedule, and classes end in early June. This allows students to do more, try more, and double major more (75% do).
The Arts and Sciences truly intersect at Union. Classes such as The Illustrated Organism (studio fine arts and biology), and facilities such as the Phasor Lab, a professional-grade engineering and music studio, integrate the two. No audition is required to participate in theatre, and students can enjoy a miniterm in Paris or a full term in Florence. Three floors of Visual Arts in the Feigenbaum Center and an in-depth program at the Taylor Music Center offers World Music and Arts as well as Music Technology and other standard music disciplines. Students can minor in Dance, coupled with diverse majors.
The robust Engineering Program features Biomedical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, and Mechanical Engineering. Our presentation was so effective that I finally understood what students learn and do with each of these disciplines after college!
Students at Union connect and socialize with their professors as well as enjoy Greek life-40% go Greek and participate in over 100 clubs. Union may be small, but it's never boring. Some travel to Australia and New Zealand to do research, and many take part in Princeton Review's #6-ranked most popular Study Abroad program.
The students I met were very social, comfortable with each other and adults. At dinner, we were treated to an a capela performance of "Riptide" smart conversation, and laughs. Union students are hard workers who appreciate an academic/social balance-they are proof that knowledge is the product of a logic and creativity.
I hadn't visited Syracuse in a while. It's popular with my students because of the "the aura of the Orange": the exciting social scene, Greek life, and the cheering crowd rooting on the Division I teams in the massive Carrier Dome. Everyone knows about the perennially top-ranked S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, the highly-ranked Whitman School of Management, and top Sports Management program. Then there's a culture based on legacy and/or relationships-think 3 degrees of separation-that make Syracuse a must-apply for others. I had a general handle on what type of students are a fit for Syracuse, and I didn't expect any surprises.
What I didn't know was that students from all over the world are engaged in Syracuse's wide range of majors (over 200) in its 13 (nine undergraduate) schools and colleges. While 60% of students hail from NY and and sizable number from NJ as well, Syracuse boasts a 13% international population (clearly seen on campus) as well as nearly 25% students from other diverse groups. The student body was not homogeneous at all. It was clear that the school is committed to diversity; Trevor Noah's book "Born a Crime" is required reading this year.
Every major emphasizes real world experience through internships, thanks to the great career center, involved alumni, and committed professors.
Syracuse is focused on careers that impact society. A few of the many offered are Food Studies (beyond nutrition, including Food Safety/Quality, Food Governance, Emergency Food Systems, and Food Science), a range of Education majors, including Elementary/Special Ed, and Public Health. The Maxwell School of Public Affairs combines the disciplines of social science, public policy and administration, and international relations; U.S. News and World Report ranked its Graduate School of Public Affairs #1 for the 8th consecutive time.
The ISchool, or School of Information Studies gives students the skills to be leaders in any industry. Its Information Management and Technology Program combines with other majors to produce very marketable outcomes:
IM&T + Finance = Business Analyst, IM&T+Marketing=Digital Campaign Manager, IM&T+Television/Radio/Film=Studio Technology Manager. The ISchool is the most popular college that Syracuse students transfer into. The 2016 job placement rate was 92% and the average starting salary was $64,924.
From the minute we arrived, the administration made clear how dedicated they are to serving students, helping them acclimate the first year, then mentoring and eventually helping them get jobs. Syracuse is a top tier research university with an eye to the future. With the "aura" of a Big Ten school and the serious academics and personal attention of a smaller college, it's a fun place to spend four years too!