New Jersey Students’ Favorite Colleges

New Jersey has long been known for its “brain drain,” as more than half of its college-bound students typically head out-of-state for their higher education.  But just where do they go?

 

Long standing favorites include New York University (NYU), Syracuse University, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York.

 

The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Drexel University, Lehigh University, and Penn State University draw students to neighboring Pennsylvania.

 

University of Delaware and University of Maryland are also top choice options, as are favorites in Washington D.C.: American University, George Washington University, and Georgetown University.

Elite College Admission Strategies For 2025

A great deal of information can be gleaned from analyzing data from the Common Application.  This is the online application that high school students utilize to apply to more than 1,000 colleges throughout the United States, as well as to some institutions in Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia.

“More students are applying to more schools, while admit rates at top colleges are holding steady or shrinking,” according to Forbes. “But beyond the sheer volume of applicants lies something more important – a shift in who is applying and how they are presenting themselves.”

 

After analyzing data from the Common App, Forbes reported that the number of first year applicants has increased by five percent. But it’s not just the number of applicants that’s impacting the college admissions process. More significantly, it’s the diversity. The number of first-generation applicants has increased by 15%. In addition, the increase in applicants from lower income zip codes is outpacing that of students from wealthier zip codes.

Summer 2025 Opportunities for High School Students

Students with college in their future have an important decision to consider. What field of study do they want to pursue? 

On college applications, students are asked to indicate their choice of major and are often required to write an essay as to why they have chosen that particular field.  Basically, students need a story to tell, and they should start developing that narrative through their high school experiences.

 

Summer offers the perfect opportunity for students to engage in their fields of interest, and opportunities are virtually limitless.  But many of these experiences are competitive, and applications at many are already underway, or will be in the near future.

 

Students interested in the sciences or engineering may want to seek participation in the Laboratory Learning Program at Princeton University. It’s free of charge and typically spans five to six weeks over the summer. Students engage in ongoing research with Princeton University faculty and research staff.  Students commute from home, need to be 16 years of age by June 15^th, 2025, and can apply online between Feb. 15^th and March 15^th on Princeton University’s website.

15 High-Tech Top Ranked Colleges

Access to some of the latest technological advancements await students who attend the most high-tech colleges in the country.  Specifically, there are “15 national universities that provide students with high-tech features and programs to help improve functionality and inspire innovation,” according to U.S. News & World Report.

Arizona State University is ranked #1 by U.S. News as the Most Innovative National University. Some of its initiatives focus on smart climate devices, solar-powered trackers, and advanced data analytics.

 

Georgia Institute of Technology is ranked #2. It hosts an “Invention Studio” where students can develop prototypes of products and then compete, on local public television, for the Inventure Prize. This competition has been referred to as the “American Idol” for engineers.