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 |
College Advice
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I already made my deposit into Rutgers University, but I just found out today that I was accepted into the Honors Program at TCNJ and I am having second thoughts. I did not get into Rutgers Honors. Should I make a deposit into TCNJ Honors? Which school is more nationally recognized for strong academics? HELP!!! I need to stop going back and forth and make a decision!
By the way, I'm planning on being a business major.
Also, I feel that I would be more comfortable in TCNJ's smaller environment. I'm kind of scared to be living on and studying in Rutger's HUGE campus.
18 months ago
Best Answer
I would go with Rutgers. TCNJ is nopt well known outside of NJ. It used to be Trenton State College, but changed its name to sound nicer. Rutgers has more programs accademically, which means you can try a lot of things out while you are there. Also, you can get into the Rutgers honors program if you get a 3.5 GPA after one year. Rutgers is known nationally. It has a great football team and womens basketball. If you went to california, theyd know Rutgers.
The only reason to go to TCNJ over Rutgers is if you want a smaller environment. The class sizes a a little smaller, and the administration cares a little more. But if you want recognition, which it seems like you do, its better to be academically successful in an ocean at Rutgers than to be the big fish in the small pond of TCNJ. Even so, Rutgers is broken up into smaller divisions, so you always see your friends around campus. It FEELS like a small college at Rutgers even though you know there are thousands of students.
Finally, out of experience, I have a friend who graduated TCNJ last year, with a degree in marketing, and is working at Borders as a cashier. I have a friend who graduated Rutgers last year, with accounting, who had a job offer the end of her Junior year.
Go to Rutgers. Do well there. Get into the honors program your sophmore year if it means that much to you. (Your resume and transcript will have honors program on it even if you didn't join until senior year)
Good luck, and e-mail me with any other questions.
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The reason why I'm asking is because TCNJ's online College Board Profile has a lower acceptance rate, higher standardized testing scores, and higher overall GPA than Rutgers New Brunswick does. I got accepted into both...I'm trying to make a final decision. Do you have anymore advice for me (I'm going to major in business)? Also, I got waitlisted for Lehigh University's Business School. What are my chances in getting accepted into Lehigh because that is my top choice school. Thanks in advance!
19 months ago
Best Answer
Lehigh is the better school. If you get in -- go there.
It is hard to compare the College of NJ with Rutgers -- because they are different kinds of schools. TCNJ is a good regional school while Rutgers is a major research institution with lots of PhD programs.
For business, I would choose Rutgers over TCNJ.
As for Lehigh -- this is a tough year for getting into colleges. The top schools turned down many more students than usual. This means that the schools that are just below the very top schools (like Lehigh) have a better crop of student to choose from. You should let them know that you would love to go there and hope for the best.
Good luck.
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19 months ago
Best Answer
According to the Fiske Guide to Colleges:
Rutgers gets 4 "stars" (out of 5) for academics, and 3 each for qualify of life and social life. It has 38,000 undergraduates enrolled. SAT Ranges are Verbal 530-630 and Math 550-660 (middle 50%). 68% of applicants are accepted. Strongest programs are Accounting, History, Pharmacy, Biological Sciences, Political Science, Psychology, Engineering and Chemistry. Overlap schools are TCNJ, Montclair State, NYU, Penn State, Rowan University.
TCNJ gets a similar 4, 3 and 3 "stars." Almost 6000 undergraduates are enrolled...so obviously MUCH smaller than Rutgers. SAT Ranges are Verbal 560-650 and Math 580-680, slightly higher than Rutgers. 51% of applicants are accepted. Strongest programs are Biology, Chemistry, History, Elementary Education, Music, Psychology, Business and Computer Science. Overlap schools are Rutgers, Villanova, University of Delaware.
You may want to look at this book at your local or school library. Thorough write-ups about the schools will provide more insight re: the environment, academics, etc. And, of course, you should visit the schools and see if one "pops" as a better fit for you.
TCNJ is a bit more selective, with higher mid-50% SATs, and much smaller.
But we can't tell which one is better for you, really... whether you want a big school or small school, which area of studies interest you... these factors among others will help steer our decision.
Good luck.
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