Rutgers Free or Reduced Tuition for Many Students

Rutgers University has announced a new program, Scarlet Guarantee, that will be available to students effective the fall of 2022. It will allow students at the University’s flagship campus in New Brunswick-Piscataway to attend college tuition-free if their families earn less than $65,000 annually.  Furthermore, tuition will be significantly decreased for families that earn less than $100,000 annually.  Students will be billed no more than $3,000 for tuition and fees if their families earn between $65,000 and $80,000 annually, and no more than $5,000 if earning between $80,000 and $100,000.  The program does not cover the costs of room and board, books, or transportation.

While tuition has not yet been determined for the 2022-2023 academic year, current in-state tuition and fees for undergraduates on the New Brunswick-Piscataway campus average $15,804.  

Students utilizing the Scarlet Guarantee must be undergraduates in their first four years of college. Those who take longer than four years to complete their degree, even if they are in programs such as the six-year pharmacy degree, will not be guaranteed the reduced tuition after four years.  Also, students must maintain a minimum grade point average.

2022 Most Popular College Majors

Business is the most popular intended college major of current high school juniors and seniors, according to a survey by Niche, the widely used college rating and review platform.  Niche interviewed close to a million high school students in the graduating classes of 2022 and 2023, and evaluated data collected through January of 2022.  The top five anticipated majors for both classes are Business, Nursing, Psychology, Biology and Medicine/Pre-Medicine.

When asked to identify areas of interest, current high school seniors also selected the fields of Engineering, Computer Science, Education, Criminal Justice, Health Professions and Kinesiology & Physical Therapy.

Factors students take into account when considering their college major and future careers are potential earnings, prospects for fulfillment, and engaging in a field that they find interesting.

It’s extremely beneficial for students to choose a major before embarking on their college studies as it greatly increases the likelihood that they will be able to complete their degree within four years. Having a career plan also helps students to identify best-fit colleges.

True vs. False Benefits of College Summer Programs

The vast majority of elite colleges and universities “invite” thousands of high school students – and sometimes even middle school students – to spend a portion of their summer living on campus, attending classes, and experiencing the life of an undergraduate.

Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Brown, The University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, UCLA, NYU, Duke, Boston College, and scores of other colleges and universities open their campus each summer to teens who later dream of returning for their college experience.

The problem is that the admission process for most summer programs can barely be considered competitive, while the admission process for undergraduate acceptance is truly daunting at many of these same institutions.  Often students, and their parents, are under the false impression that attending a summer program for high school students at an elite school will ultimately help them gain acceptance for college.  A Washington Monthly article, titled “The Pre-College Racket,” reported that, according to professional admissions consultants, attending a pre-college program seldom offers a special benefit or is particularly prestigious on college applications.

Top Tips for Spring Break 2022 College Tours

Believe it or not, spring break will soon be here. And it provides a unique opportunity. It’s one of the few times during the school year when college classes are in session while high school classes are not.  Most colleges schedule their spring break for early March while most high schools hold theirs in April.  This provides the ideal opportunity for high school students to visit campuses while college life is in full swing.

If parents are available during a student’s spring break, it’s the perfect time for a road trip to visit out-of-state colleges.  The vast majority of students attend college within five hours of home, so the destination need not be a distant locale.  If a student dreams of attending a big city school, then a tour of colleges in the Boston or Washington D.C. areas may prove fruitful.  If a student prefers a suburban or rural environment, then a drive through Pennsylvania offers an option of touring close to 100 different colleges and universities.