The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is a highly selective institution that has earned national recognition for its commitment to excellence. Founded in 1855, TCNJ has become an exemplar of the best in public higher education and is consistently acknowledged as one of the top comprehensive colleges in the nation. TCNJ currently is ranked as one of the 75 “Most Competitive” schools in the nation by Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges and is rated the No. 1 public institution in the northern region of the country by U.S. News & World Report. TCNJ was also awarded, in 2006, a Phi Beta Kappa chapter—an honor shared by less than 10 percent of colleges and universities nationally.
< CollapseThe College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, formerly Trenton State College, is a public, coeducational university located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a northern suburb of Trenton.
Established in 1855 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, the institution was the first normal school in the state of New Jersey and the ninth in the United States. Originally located in Trenton proper, the college was moved to its present location during the early to mid-1930s. Since its inception, TCNJ has undergone several name changes, the most recent being the controversial 1996 change to its current name, from Trenton State College.
US News and World Reports ranks The College of New Jersey as the top master's degree level public university in the Northern United States, while Barron's Educational Series Profiles of American Colleges lists the college among its 75 "Most Competitive" institutions. The college is also notable for its quality of life; it currently ranks 7th in The Princeton Review's "Happiest Students" list, and features a first-year retention rate of 95%.
TCNJ is organized into seven schools, all of which offer four-year bachelor's degree programs, and several of which offer master's degree programs. In Fall 2004, TCNJ became the first public institution in the United States use a four credit course system, in which students typically take four classes per semester, as opposed to the three credit system used at the majority of institutions. Furthermore, a great deal of emphasis is placed on liberal arts education via the college's general education requirements.
The College of New Jersey was established on February 9, 1855 by an act of the New Jersey Legislature mandating the creation of a state normal school, making the New Jersey State Normal School the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the ninth in the United States. Prior to this, then-Governer Rodman McCamley Price had actively promoted the notion of founding a training institute for New Jersey's teachers, and helped to mobilize support among influential state leaders:
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| Percent of Students International: | 0% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 58% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | Yes |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (New Jersey Athletic Conference) Basketball (New Jersey Athletic Conference) Baseball (New Jersey Athletic Conference) Track (New Jersey Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | In-State | Out-of-State | |
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 9,857 | $ 15,120 | |
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 7,051 | $ 12,314 | |
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 2,806 | $ 2,806 | |
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,137 | 13% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 3,733 | 53% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 3,744 | 51% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 3,146 | 48% | |
Any Aid: |
79% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 45% (Highly Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 98% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 570, Math: 600 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 670, Math: 700 |
| Application Fee: | $ 50.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Recommended |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Required |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |