From Adelphi to Stevens: A Whirlwind Tour of Northeast Gems

College visits can feel like a blur — campus after campus, admissions rep after admissions rep — but my recent whirlwind tour of TEN nearby schools left me energized and impressed. From Long Island to the Hudson Valley to the Capital Region and beyond, here's what stood out.

We kicked things off on Long Island with Adelphi and Hofstra, two mid-sized schools that punch well above their name-recognition weight. Adelphi's Center for Psychological Services is nationally recognized, offering all students, including those on the ASD spectrum, real learning and mental health support. Hofstra's career placement numbers are quietly stellar, with strong employer connections that translate into jobs and internships fast, especially in the health fields, sports management/broadcasting, and communications. Both campuses had a welcoming energy and happy students.

Heading north into the Hudson Valley, Manhattanville, Pace, Marist, and Bard each offered something distinct. Manhattanville's Portfolio System — where students design their own academic journey — fosters the kind of self-directed learning that employers love. Pace's bucolic Westchester and busy New York City campuses give students an unbeatable professional playground, with internship pipelines into finance, media, and tech. Marist consistently ranks among the top schools for its renowned learning assistance program and graduate outcomes, and its riverfront campus is genuinely gorgeous. Bard, meanwhile, is in a league of its own for creative and intellectual culture — if your student loves deep thinking and spirited debate over a cup of coffee, this is their place.

Further north, Rensselaer Polytechnic and Union College brought serious academic firepower. RPI's research output and STEM career outcomes are exceptional, and its robust counseling and wellness programs show that the school takes student wellbeing seriously alongside rigor. Seeing RPI’s quantum computer (only one in the Western Hemisphere) in a 100 year old church was a study in contrasts and incredible beauty! Union's tight-knit Greek and club culture means students rarely struggle to find their people, and its trimester system keeps academic life dynamic. It was my third visit to RPI and my fourth to Union, and I am never disappointed–they taught me everything about all types of engineering on my last tour.

We also stopped at SUNY Purchase, known for its thriving arts conservatory and fiercely creative student body, Purchase has a social culture unlike anywhere else on the tour — think open mic nights, student film screenings, and impromptu gallery shows as a normal Tuesday. But it's not all art for art's sake: the school offers solid academic support services and counseling resources that help students navigate the intensity of conservatory-style learning. Graduates go on to impressive careers in the arts, media, and beyond, backed by a passionate alumni network that actually shows up for its own.

Finally, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken closed out the trip on a high note. With a near-100% career outcomes rate for engineering, business, and computer graduates and a green, tucked-away campus perched above the Manhattan skyline, Stevens offers students professional momentum and a cool social scene boosted by proximity to one of the world's great cities.

Ten schools, one common theme: incredible opportunities hiding in plain sight, right in our backyard. See my photos as they are posted in Instagram and on the Notes for each college. Why not plan your own trip?