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Sunday, January 24, 2016

Princeton University

Princeton University is the fourth-oldest university in the United States. It was founded in 1746, and has evolved into a private, not-for-profit university dedicated to promoting research, knowledge, and the development of skills to a diverse student body. Around 7,500 students attend Princeton, with more than 1,100 faculty members teaching them. Princeton houses 34 departments and offers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and certificate programs. It is considered an Ivy League university, and has a strong history of producing graduates and faculty members that go on to acquire prestigious awards. Three faculty members have won the National Humanities Medal and 17 have won the National Medal of Science. In addition, 14 alumni and 21 faculty and staff members have won Nobel Prize awards. With such distinctive faculty, staff, and alumni, it is clear that Princeton University adheres to a high standard of education.
Programs Offered
At Princeton, undergraduate students begin their education with general classes that encourage their growth into well-rounded individuals. Students then move on to take courses specific to their major areas of interest. They can choose their concentrations from 34 departments, which include majors in humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The graduate school offers advanced degrees in those fields, with an emphasis on both theory and practice. While enrolled at Princeton, students can earn certificates, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, or doctoral degrees. No matter the level of the degree they choose, all Princeton students will engage in research, seminars, and projects like theses or dissertations. In addition to academic programs, Princeton offers many extracurricular programs that provide cultural, athletic, and social learning opportunities.
Accreditation
Princeton University was accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in 1921. Since then, it has continued to offer a high quality of education to its students, and therefore has remained recognized by the accrediting agency.
Admissions
Princeton recommends that applicants create an application package that accurately portrays their abilities, rather than focusing on meeting certain specific criteria. Princeton’s admissions department wants to see who each applicant is individually, and therefore views the application packet holistically. They are especially interested in seeing leadership qualities and community involvement, and encourage applicants to address those topics in their applications. All undergraduate applicants must submit an application, the Princeton application supplement, transcripts, two teacher references, a mid-year school report, SAT or ACT scores, SAT subject test scores, and essays. Interviews and supplemental art materials are optional.
Graduate application requirements vary based on the department, and Princeton’s website provides a list of those requirements. However, prospective graduate students can expect to submit transcripts and proof of bachelor’s degree, the application and associated fees, three letters of recommendation, mid-year grades, a statement of purpose, and a resume. Many departments require the GRE general exam, and some require the GRE subject exams as well. In addition, some programs require prospective students to submit a statement of financial resources. Other requirements are listed on the website.

Washington and Lee University

Located in Lexington, Va., Washington and Lee University can trace its roots back to a classical school founded in 1749. In 1796, George Washington rescued the school from insolvency with a $20,000 endowment in stock. At the time, this was the largest gift to an educational institution in U.S. history. The same year, the school’s trustees changed the name to Washington Academy, before it became Washington College in 1813, when it chartered. Former Confederate general Robert E. Lee became president of the school after the Civil War in 1865 and remained so until his death in 1870, after which the school changed its name to Washington and Lee University. Today, Washington and Lee consists of three schools: The College, the Williams School, and the Washington and Lee School of Law. Combined, the university has more than 1,780 undergraduate students, with about 400 students enrolled in the School of Law. The school is ranked 12th among national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
Programs Offered
Washington and Lee University has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9-to-1, and more than 70% of its classes have fewer than 20 students. According to U.S. News & World Report, the most popular majors at the school include business administration, accounting, economics, political science, and English language and literature. The College, Washington and Lee’s undergraduate liberal arts college, offers more than 40 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, both in-person, and online. Areas of study include art, chemistry, computer science, journalism, and more. The Williams School contains all of William and Lee’s undergraduate programs in accounting, business administration, economics, and politics. The School of Law at William and Lee offers both Juris Doctor and Master of Laws programs exclusively in-person.
Accreditation
Washington and Lee University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The school is also accredited by the Association for Management Education International, the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, and the American Chemical Society. The School of Law is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is approved by the American Bar Association.
Admissions
Students applying to Washington and Lee University must submit their applications by January 15 to enroll the following fall, or by November 15 for the early decision deadline. For first-year students, scores from either the SAT or ACT are due February 15. The application fee is $50. Washington and Lee is also highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 19%.

Williams College

With funding from Colonel Ephraim Williams Jr. of the Massachusetts provincial forces, Williams College was founded in 1793. This private, liberal arts college was an exclusively male institution until coeducation was adopted in 1970. U.S. News & World Report ranked Williams College as the No. 1 national liberal arts college in their “2012 Best Colleges” report.
Programs Offered
Williams College offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs from 25 departments divided into three academic divisions: languages and the arts, social studies, and science and mathematics. The two graduate programs are Master of Arts in Policy Economics and Master of Arts in the History of Art. They offer a large number of undergraduate degree programs in areas such as geosciences, chemistry, political economy, religion, and environmental studies. Williams College also offers several programs that focus on cultural and language studies, such as Asian studies, Latin, Greek, Jewish studies, Russian, and Africana studies.
Accreditation
Williams College gained accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, in 1929. The NEASC is a nationally recognized regional accrediting organization.
Admissions
Williams College is very selective when admitting students and states that they only accept about 20% of applicants. Applicants are required to pay a $65 application fee and submit a Common Application, the Williams Supplement form, either their SAT results along with two SAT subject tests or their ACT results along with the ACT Writing Test, two letters of recommendation from past teachers, and a secondary school report completed by the applicant’s guidance counselor. If the program you are applying for has additional requirements, your admissions contact will let you know.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Founded in 1861, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the nation and the world. In the 2012 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” list, MIT ranked as No. 5 in the nation. Quacquarelli Symonds, an organization specializing in education and study abroad, ranked MIT the No. 3 best university worldwide. The same organization ranked MIT’s engineering program No. 1 in the world. Located in Cambridge, Mass., the university is just across the Charles River from downtown Boston. Enrollment stands at more than 4,000 undergraduates and 6,500 graduate students. The school primarily educates students in disciplines related to science and technology. It also offers more than 450 student groups, ranging from ethnic and cultural associations to activism groups and media organizations. Approximately 40% of the student body studies, volunteers, or interns abroad during their time at MIT.
Programs Offered
MIT offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees through seven schools. Fields of study include architecture, management, science, humanities, arts, and social sciences. MIT also offers interdisciplinary programs, such as the Media Arts and Sciences Freshman Program, which exposes students to the intersection of technology, communication, and expression. MIT offers 32 undergraduate majors, the most popular of which are engineering, computer science, and the biological and biomedical sciences. Among its graduate schools are the highly ranked School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programs in economics, psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and mathematics.
MIT also makes a portion of course materials available on the web for other instructors and motivated self-learners. The initiative, MIT OpenCourseWare, makes these materials available free of charge to any user, anywhere.
Accreditation
MIT is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. It has been accredited by this agency since 1929.
Admissions
MIT’s early action deadline is November 1, and the regular action deadline is January 1. Applicants must submit an application, letters of recommendation, official transcript(s), and test scores, along with the non-refundable application fee. Interviews are also strongly recommended. MIT’s regular acceptance rate is 10.1%, and its early acceptance rate is 10.4%.
MIT’s application consists of two components. The first part requests biographical information and the second requests essays, academic information, and information on extracurricular activities. Two letters of recommendation should be submitted. The first letter should come from a teacher in the math or science field, while the second should come from a teacher who teaches the humanities, arts, or social sciences. Supplemental evaluations are also welcome. MIT requires that students submit test scores from the ACT plus writing section, SAT, or TOEFL. Students must submit scores from two SAT II Subject Tests, in math and science. For math, students may take either Math Level I or Math Level II. In science, students must take subject tests in biology, chemistry, or physics.
Transfer applicants must submit three recommendations. One must come from a math and science teacher, but the remaining two may come from any college instructors. Transfer students must also submit all college transcripts.

Monday, January 18, 2016

Swarthmore College


Swarthmore College is a private institution that was founded in 1864. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,542, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 425 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Swarthmore College's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 3. Its tuition and fees are $47,442 (2015-16).
Swarthmore College is located 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia – far enough away to have a 425-acre campus that is designated as an arboretum. The school was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), but has no religious affiliation today. The school has more than 100 organizations that students can get involved in on campus, and about 40 percent of students study abroad. Swarthmore has about 20 NCAA Division III varsity sports teams cheered on by mascot Phineas the Phoenix. Its Greek life is limited to two fraternities and one sorority. Although only freshmen are required to live on campus, less than 10 percent of students live off campus.
Swarthmore College students can take courses at Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College through the Tri-College Consortium. Unlike most other liberal arts colleges, Swarthmore also offers an undergraduate engineering program. Swarthmore has many unique traditions, including the Crum Regatta, where students race homemade boats down Crum Creek; and Worthstock, which features live music, dancing and food. Notable alumni include Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief of astronomy in the Office of Space Science and "mother of the Hubble telescope”; former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis; and Robert Zoellick, former president of the World Bank.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Amherst College


Amherst College is a private institution that was founded in 1821. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,792, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 1,000 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Amherst College's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 2. Its tuition and fees are $50,562 (2015-16).
Amherst College, located in Amherst, Massachusetts, is known for its rigorous academic climate. Amherst is a member of the Five Colleges consortium, which also includes SmithMount Holyoke,Hampshire and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Students may take courses at any of these colleges. Amherst offers more than 100 student organizations; the college banned fraternities in 1984. Amherst claims to have the oldest athletics program in the nation, along with the third oldest football field. The Amherst Lord Jeffs participate in NCAA Division III sports in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The school is also part of the unofficial Little Three athletic conference with Williams and Wesleyan, which has lasted more than 100 years. Freshmen are required to live on campus in one of seven residence halls.
Amherst is an undergraduate college that offers degrees in more than 35 different majors. Amherst, known as "the singing college," has many a cappella groups, including the Zumbyes, the Bluestockings and Route 9, to name a few. Amherst is also taking great strides to become more sustainable, and it protects 500 acres of open land and water in its wildlife sanctuary. Notable alumni include former U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, Prince Albert II of Monaco and former Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Harlan Fiske Stone.

Williams College


Williams College is a private institution that was founded in 1793. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,045, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 450 acres. It utilizes a 4-1-4-based academic calendar. Williams College's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 1. Its tuition and fees are $50,070 (2015-16).
Williams College – located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, at the foot of Mount Greylock in the Berkshires – is one of the oldest colleges in the country. The school was originally a men’s college; women were first admitted in 1970. The college’s fraternities were abolished in the 1960s. The school’s traditions include a semiannual, schoolwide trivia contest and a Mountain Day each October when students hike Mount Greylock. The Williams Ephs, named after the school’s founder Ephraim Williams, participate in NCAA Division III varsity sports in the New England Small College Athletic Conference. Williams is also part of the unofficial Little Three athletic conference with Amherst College andWesleyan University. The school requires almost all students to live on campus.
Williams College has three academic branches – languages and the arts, social sciences, and science and mathematics – and graduate programs in the history of art and economics. Williams has small class sizes, with a student-teacher ratio of 7-to-1. The school also has Oxford-style tutorials, which rely heavily on student participation. The college has seen many firsts: Its alumni society is the oldest in the world; it hosted the first intercollegiate baseball game; and its class of 1887 was the first in the U.S. to wear caps and gowns at graduation. The school has a tradition at each graduation to drop a watch from the top of the college chapel. If the watch breaks, tradition holds that the class will be lucky. Notable alumni include Elia Kazan, director of "On the Waterfront" and "A Streetcar Named Desire"; John Frankenheimer, director of "The Manchurian Candidate"; and Prince Hussain Aga Khan, whose father is the spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.

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