College Week Factoid #8
The Oldest School in America is Boston Latin School founded in 1635. Five of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Latin School graduates, including Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Samuel Adams, and William Hooper.
The most expensive college in the country is Sarah Lawrence, located in New York. The cost of tuition –including room and board- is $58,716 per year.
Room and Board is the money you pay for your dorm room during the school year and your meal plan. Most colleges and universities have cafeterias located in the various dorm buildings, and the students can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. The average cost of Room and Board at college is about $10,000 per year.
But some university dining halls offer more than a burger line and a DIY waffle iron. At Virginia Tech, students can choose London broil or pick a lobster from a tank to be cooked fresh to order. At Cornell, the school has its own dairy farm and plant, which they use to make super-fresh ice cream.
The most expensive college in the country is Sarah Lawrence, located in New York. The cost of tuition –including room and board- is $58,716 per year.
Room and Board is the money you pay for your dorm room during the school year and your meal plan. Most colleges and universities have cafeterias located in the various dorm buildings, and the students can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. The average cost of Room and Board at college is about $10,000 per year.
But some university dining halls offer more than a burger line and a DIY waffle iron. At Virginia Tech, students can choose London broil or pick a lobster from a tank to be cooked fresh to order. At Cornell, the school has its own dairy farm and plant, which they use to make super-fresh ice cream.
College Week Factoid #7
Who knew Star Trek would make it into the college classroom? While some might find philosophy a bit too dull, Georgetown University has taken a new spin on the classic subject. The class “Philosophy and Star Trek” considers questions of merit: Is it possible to travel back in time? How are the body and brain connected? What is free will, and do humans have it?
Georgetown more than a haven for the Star Trek obsessed; it’s a medium-sized, private university located in Washington D.C. that’s tough to get into. Georgetown is considered a very selective school, as only 18% of applicants are admitted. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, you can understand why!
While Georgetown offers many different programs, the most popular majors are in Social Sciences, Business Marketing, English, Health Professions, and Foreign Language & Literature.
Georgetown more than a haven for the Star Trek obsessed; it’s a medium-sized, private university located in Washington D.C. that’s tough to get into. Georgetown is considered a very selective school, as only 18% of applicants are admitted. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, you can understand why!
While Georgetown offers many different programs, the most popular majors are in Social Sciences, Business Marketing, English, Health Professions, and Foreign Language & Literature.
College Week Factoid #6
What does it take to get into college? To be considered for admission to any of the California public universities, students in High School need to take 15 yearlong classes called A-G requirements. These include 2-3 years of a lab science, 2 or more years of a foreign language, 4 years of English, 3-4 years of higher-level math, VAPA courses, and 2 years of social science. You need to have a C or better in these classes, but most universities want to see an A or that you’ve taken AP/Honors courses with an A.
In addition, students need to pass a college entrance exam. There are 2 different exams that universities use: the SAT and the ACT. Each exam takes about 4 hours to complete. In general, colleges on the West Coast use the SAT, and Mid West & East Coast colleges use the ACT.
In addition, students need to pass a college entrance exam. There are 2 different exams that universities use: the SAT and the ACT. Each exam takes about 4 hours to complete. In general, colleges on the West Coast use the SAT, and Mid West & East Coast colleges use the ACT.
College Week Factoid #5
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the U.S. that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the African American community. There are 105 HBCUs across the nation. Some of the most well known are Spelman College, Howard University, Tuskegee University, and Morehouse College.
The first HBCU, Cheney University in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837. Most other HBCUs were founded after the Civil War. All HBCUs play a critical role in the American system of higher education. For most of America’s history, African Americans seeking a college education could only get it from an HBCU. Today, HBCUs remain one of the surest ways for an African American, or student of any race, to receive a quality education.
While the 105 HBCUs represent just three percent of the nation’s institutions of higher learning, they graduate nearly 20% of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees. In addition, these institutions graduate more than 50% of African American professionals and public school teachers. Today, HBCUs have a significant percentage of non-African American students.
The first HBCU, Cheney University in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837. Most other HBCUs were founded after the Civil War. All HBCUs play a critical role in the American system of higher education. For most of America’s history, African Americans seeking a college education could only get it from an HBCU. Today, HBCUs remain one of the surest ways for an African American, or student of any race, to receive a quality education.
While the 105 HBCUs represent just three percent of the nation’s institutions of higher learning, they graduate nearly 20% of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees. In addition, these institutions graduate more than 50% of African American professionals and public school teachers. Today, HBCUs have a significant percentage of non-African American students.
College Week Factoid #4
You have learned about the 8 Ivy League schools. The female equivalent of the Ivy League is the Seven Sisters, a group of prestigious East Coast liberal arts colleges for women (remember, originally the Ivy League only accepted men). The Seven Sisters are: Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Barnard, and Radcliffe Colleges.
The oldest of these colleges is Mount Holyoke, but all of them were established in the 19th Century. Because of the prestige of these 7 schools for women, and how close they were geographically to the 8 Ivy League schools for men, by 1927 these schools came to be known collectively as the “Seven Sisters”. The name “Seven Sisters” has its origins in Greek mythology. It refers to the Pleiades, the seven daughters of Atlas who, according to one myth, were changed into stars by Zeus.
Today, five of the Seven Sisters remain women-only colleges; Vassar is coeducational and Radcliffe has merged with Harvard, becoming the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Although each of the other five schools considered becoming coeducational, the Dean of Admissions of Bryn Mawr is quoted, "We still prepare a disproportionate number of women scientists [...] We’re really about the empowerment of women and enabling women to get a top-notch education."
The oldest of these colleges is Mount Holyoke, but all of them were established in the 19th Century. Because of the prestige of these 7 schools for women, and how close they were geographically to the 8 Ivy League schools for men, by 1927 these schools came to be known collectively as the “Seven Sisters”. The name “Seven Sisters” has its origins in Greek mythology. It refers to the Pleiades, the seven daughters of Atlas who, according to one myth, were changed into stars by Zeus.
Today, five of the Seven Sisters remain women-only colleges; Vassar is coeducational and Radcliffe has merged with Harvard, becoming the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Although each of the other five schools considered becoming coeducational, the Dean of Admissions of Bryn Mawr is quoted, "We still prepare a disproportionate number of women scientists [...] We’re really about the empowerment of women and enabling women to get a top-notch education."
College Week Factoid #3
When we think of the Ivy League, we think of academic excellence, and even a little bit of snobbery. But the phrase Ivy League actually identifies the athletic conference these universities belong to. The eight Ivy League Universities are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Penn, Columbia, Dartmouth, and Cornell.
These eight universities are considered the most prestigious in the United States, known for their academic excellence, and selectivity in admissions- only about 6-16% of applicants are accepted. However, all eight of the Ivy League Universities are consistently ranked in the top 15 universities in the country. The “Ivies” are all located in the Northeast United States, and except for Cornell - which was established in 1865 – all were founded before the Revolutionary War. So the other 7 are the oldest universities in the United States.
Interestingly, as late as the 1960’s many of the Ivy League universities only admitted men. Cornell was the only one that has admitted both men AND women since its founding in 1865, and Columbia was the last Ivy League to finally admit women in 1983.
These eight universities are considered the most prestigious in the United States, known for their academic excellence, and selectivity in admissions- only about 6-16% of applicants are accepted. However, all eight of the Ivy League Universities are consistently ranked in the top 15 universities in the country. The “Ivies” are all located in the Northeast United States, and except for Cornell - which was established in 1865 – all were founded before the Revolutionary War. So the other 7 are the oldest universities in the United States.
Interestingly, as late as the 1960’s many of the Ivy League universities only admitted men. Cornell was the only one that has admitted both men AND women since its founding in 1865, and Columbia was the last Ivy League to finally admit women in 1983.
College Week Factoid #2
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The
University of Southern California, USC, the Trojans. We all know USC, but here’s a
little history you might not know:
USC is California’s oldest private research university. When USC first opened in 1880, it had just 53 students and 10 teachers. There were just 3 students in its first graduating class of 1884. At that time, Los Angeles was a growing city but had no paved streets, no electric lights, no telephones, nor a reliable fire alarm system. Today USC is home to more than 33,000 students and Los Angeles is one of the largest metropolises in the world.
USC is also known for its sports teams. The Trojans have won 94 NCAA team championships, ranking them third in the nation. Trojan athletes have won 287 medals at the Olympic Games (135 golds, 87 silvers and 65 bronzes), more than any other U.S. university. If USC were a country, it would rank 12th in most Olympic gold medals.
USC is California’s oldest private research university. When USC first opened in 1880, it had just 53 students and 10 teachers. There were just 3 students in its first graduating class of 1884. At that time, Los Angeles was a growing city but had no paved streets, no electric lights, no telephones, nor a reliable fire alarm system. Today USC is home to more than 33,000 students and Los Angeles is one of the largest metropolises in the world.
USC is also known for its sports teams. The Trojans have won 94 NCAA team championships, ranking them third in the nation. Trojan athletes have won 287 medals at the Olympic Games (135 golds, 87 silvers and 65 bronzes), more than any other U.S. university. If USC were a country, it would rank 12th in most Olympic gold medals.
College Week Factoid #1
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California
has 2 different public university systems; the California State Universities,
the CSUs, and the Universities of California, the UCs.
The UCs were established just 20 years after the Gold Rush and have now grown to 10 UC campuses. The UCs are focused on research and public service, and are known for their world class graduate programs. UCLA and UC Irvine are two campuses close to us.
The CSU system is a leader in high-quality, accessible, student-focused higher education. With 23 campuses, almost 437,000 students, and 44,000 faculty and staff, the CSU is the largest, the most diverse, and one of the most affordable university systems in the country. CSU Fullerton and CSU Long Beach are two of the campuses close to us.
The UCs were established just 20 years after the Gold Rush and have now grown to 10 UC campuses. The UCs are focused on research and public service, and are known for their world class graduate programs. UCLA and UC Irvine are two campuses close to us.
The CSU system is a leader in high-quality, accessible, student-focused higher education. With 23 campuses, almost 437,000 students, and 44,000 faculty and staff, the CSU is the largest, the most diverse, and one of the most affordable university systems in the country. CSU Fullerton and CSU Long Beach are two of the campuses close to us.