The Vibe
Everyone knows everyone.
What it Feels Like to Go Here
The close-knit suburban campus of TCNJ has nearly 8,000 students that roam the stunning Georgian colonial-inspired architecture across 289 acres of towering tree-line. Between classes and social life, it feels more like a neighborhood than a college campus. Strolling from building to building or just roaming around the retail and restaurant hub, Campus Town, you’re bound to run into someone you know. But, you don’t just get to know everyone you go to school with, you create a community with them through campus-wide engagement. Students curate exhibits at the on-campus gallery and coordinate concerts, giveaways, trips and comedy shows. TCNJ’s community encourages you to indulge in your passions and discover new ones.
Awesome Alumni
TCNJ’s small size won’t stop graduates from achieving big things. Sharon Goldbrenner, field hockey/lacrosse coach and graduate of ‘82, has made NCAA history by becoming the first college coach to win 1,000 games. Jodi DeMarco O’Donnell-Ames, graduate of ‘88 founded her own nonprofit in 2012 to support kids whose family members have Lou Gehrig’s Disease, otherwise known as ALS. If you’ve seen 22 Jump Street you may recognize alums Keith and Kenny Lucas as the hilarious twins across the hall from Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. The two considered themselves relatively funny within their friend group but after graduating in ’07, they took their humor to Fox Network and became the producers of their own animated comedy show, The Lucas Bros. Moving Co.
From the second you accept your admissions till the moment you receive your diploma, you become a part of an amazing institution dedicated to your success and a network of inspiring alumni.
Where We Hang
Whether you want a wild Friday night or a relaxed Wednesday afternoon, you can find entertainment close-by. Especially considering over 80,000 square feet were built dedicated to your retail and restaurant needs. The newly constructed Campus Town offers a diverse selection of restaurants from Mexican Mariachi Grill to Yummy Sushi Asian Cuisine. Not to mention it’s on-campus. If eating and shopping locally isn’t your thing, that’s cool too because you can hop on a train for an hour and arrive in New York or get to Philadelphia even quicker. It’s always fun to take a day-cation to the city for some cute pics, amazing food and sightseeing in Times Square.
Some days your wallet won’t allow you to leave town or you’ll just feel like having a lazy day and stay close. Between classes, take a load off on Green Lawn or Alumni Grove. Set up with your books and laptop with your back against a tree and the sun on your skin. It may not be a beach, but it might just be as relaxing. Looking for more of an entertainment source? The College Union Board, known as CUB hosts famous comedians, actors and writers constantly. You name it, they’ve got it.
Q&A
1. How much are students partying?
“Partying really only happens on Tuesdays, Thursdays (if you’re 21), Fridays and Saturdays because they’re the days of opens and mixers. If you’re not in a Greek organization, it’s hard to find parties because they sell tickets in obscure places on campus and you gotta know the right people to find out where they’re selling. Greek Life schedules mixers for pretty much every weekend. If you’re 21 you go out to the bars or to Rho which is a dance club/bar on the Trenton waterfront,” senior Jessica Blood said.
2. What would you tell incoming freshman about your school?
“It’s a small school, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of opportunities to meet amazing people and get involved in great organizations. The best way to make the most of your time here is to step out of your comfort zone and try something new like an intramural sport, student government or Greek life,” senior Alexa Burychka said.
3. What do you do in your downtime?
“I usually just hang in my apartment because Campus Town is beautiful and I love it, or I’ll cook and watch Netflix or go to one of the restaurants in Campus Town,” Blood said.
Student Reviews
“My experience has been better than I ever expected. I love my major, I love (most of) my professors and my classes, I love the campus, I love all the friends I’ve made through my sorority and from freshman year that I’m still friends with. I’ve just been having a great time and I’m going to be so sad when I have to graduate,” Blood said.
“My freshman year was a big adjustment, and I wasn’t sure I made the right choice coming to TCNJ. But, now in my senior spring semester, I can definitely say TCNJ is the perfect fit for me and has provided me with great opportunities to grow as a student and a person,” Burychka said.
“I feel very connected to the school. There are some really great and genuine people here who are supportive in everything that you want to do—that’s such an amazing feeling,” senior David Brown said.
“I think there’s an organization for every possible interest, or at least someone interested in starting one. My only issue is that I can’t do everything! If I could, I’d probably be involved in 15 different clubs,” junior Rosie Driscoll said.
Top 3 Majors
- Business Administration and Management
- Psychology
- Biology/Biomedical Sciences
Top 3 Most Popular Student Organizations
1. CUB
TCNJ’s hub of entertainment, students involved in CUB organize concerts, travel trips, funival—the end of the year on-campus carnival—and a bunch of free events and giveaways throughout the year. If you’re interested in getting heavily involved on campus and coordinating all of the fun, CUB’s the org for you.
2. Intramural Sports
Name any sport you like and it’s probably available in TCNJ’s intramurals. And if it’s not, feel free to create your own. While TCNJ doesn’t have as large a football presence as most universities and colleges do, intramural sports are the main sources of entertainment and any student can be a part of. From hockey to rugby to racquetball, TCNJ’s intramurals invite friendly competition and recreational fun amongst students.
3. Student Government
With just 35 main positions on the leadership board, student government engages with the entire student body, making it a large presence on campus. They advocate for TCNJ’s students’ needs, hold fundraisers and events throughout the year and also offer un-elected positions and committees for students to get involved.
Getting In
TCNJ has maintained its status as the fifth highest four-year graduation rate with regards to all public colleges and universities. It’s also ranked as one of the top 15 public colleges “most likely to pay off financially.” Being such a small, public university, TCNJ is a highly selective institution. It looks for students who are thirsty for learning and highly value excellence, engagement, integrity, inclusiveness and self-reflection.
Stats
Location: Ewing, NJ
In-State Tuition: $10,562
In-State Fees: $4,462
Out-of-State Tuition: $21,175
Out-of-State Fees: $4,462
Undergrads Enrolled: approx. 6,580
Percentage of Males Admitted: 47.5%
Percentage of Females Admitted: 50.1%