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.

3 Ways to Increase Acceptance to Top Colleges

The college application process starts the day a student enters high school.  Since admission to Ivy League and other elite colleges has become increasingly competitive, with schools such as Columbia, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, MIT, Brown, and Stanford posting admission rates at 5% or lower, students must realize that their academic and extracurricular endeavors are being evaluated starting in freshman year.

 

In order to have the credentials to be a viable candidate for prestigious colleges once senior year rolls around, students should consider the following strategies:

 

1. Students need to plan a rigorous academic curriculum, focused on the field they may seek to pursue in college.  As freshmen, students should try to enroll in Honors level courses. Then, by demonstrating proficiency, they can move onto AP courses in subsequent years. By mapping out their intended courses for four years, students can ensure they will reach the required level by the end of high school.  For example, students seeking to pursue the field of engineering, architecture, or finance, will want to complete Calculus by the time they graduate. If they are starting their freshman year in Algebra I, they will need to double up on Geometry and Algebra II as sophomores in order to move onto Pre-Calculus and then Calculus. Students should also seek out electives in the area of their potential field. Future business majors, for example, might consider courses in Accounting, Business Law, Entrepreneurship, Economics, and/or Finance.

The Top Colleges with the Highest Average SAT Score

Students aiming to gain acceptance to some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities typically compare their credentials with those of applicants who recently gained admission. One of the most common criteria to compare is SAT scores. According to recent data from U.S. News & World Report, 27 U.S. colleges reported median SAT scores in the range of 1500 to 1550.  A perfect score is 1600.  

The highest median SAT score of 1550 was reported by Duke University (NC), Johns Hopkins University (MD) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  A median SAT score of 1540 was listed by ten institutions: Brown University (RI), Carnegie Mellon University (PA), Dartmouth College (NH), Princeton University (NJ), Rice University (TX), Stanford University (CA), University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University (TN), Washington University of St. Louis (MO), and Yale University (CT).

The Top Myths on FAFSA’s Parent Required Answers

The State of New Jersey has now made the filing of a FAFSA a graduation requirement. This has resulted in the proliferation of myths and undue stress on many families. 

First of all, there is no cost to file a FAFSA. The first “F” stands for “Free.” FAFSA is an acronym for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The State of New Jersey is requiring it because so many graduating students miss out on scholarship money by not filing this form.  (There is the ability to “opt out” for those who refuse to participate.)

 

The FAFSA has been greatly simplified, with the number of questions reduced from 108 to 46. The streamlined version is considered to be user-friendly, and many financial questions can be answered by linking to a previously filed tax return. It is currently available online for the families of students graduating and starting college in 2025.

 

While many states and colleges use the FAFSA to award scholarship funds, it’s also an application for federal student loans. It’s important for families to realize that there is no such thing as having too high an income to file a FAFSA.  Financial need is not a requirement for an unsubsidized student loan or a Parent Plus loan.