Study Overseas

Since the first native Americans walked through its tranquil forests, New Jersey's beauty and mystery have been a source of wonder. New Jersey today is a collage of quaint tones that preserve the spirit of colonial times, seashore resorts that are among the nation's oldest summertime playgrounds, stretches of rolling hill country where crystal lakes and clear-running trout streams are bountiful, and the mysterious Pine Barrens, an ecological wonderland of over two thousand square miles of dense, dark forests and murky bogs as unblemished as any spot in the United States.

Complementing New Jersey's scenic beauty is a rich legacy of innovation and economic vitality, with many citizens playing significant roles in the development of steamboats, railroads, submarines, and the telegraph. Here, Thomas Edison patented the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, the scientists at Bell Laboratories made the world's first transistor, and Albert Einstein unravelled the mysteries of the universe.

Once the nation's industrial leader, New Jersey is in the midst of transition from heavy manufacturing to a broader mix of technology-based production and service industries. New Jersey has the largest concentration of global pharmaceutical companies anywhere, and can justifiably claim the title, 'Medicine Chest of the World'. With the eighth largest economy in the United States, and four million highly skilled, highly educated workers, the state's diverse economic base offers both vigor and stability. New Jersey's citizens boast the second-highest per capita income in the nation.

New Jersey has tried to keep the secret of its enviable lifestyle - but it is hard to overlook success. New technologies and services put the Garden State in the public eye practically every day; and that's only fitting for a state that has always been a pacesetter.

New Jerseyans care deeply about the quality of their education, and it shows. The state's eight million citizens are among the most educated in the nation, and one of its greatest assets is the higher education system. Over 325,000 students, including over 50,000 graduate students, attend fifty public and private colleges and universities, many of those hailing from New Jersey secondary schools. The annual state budget for higher education is in excess of $3.2 billion.

Besides providing an outstanding education, New Jersey's institutions of higher education support economic growth in the state through research and development. Colleges and universities here have been prodigious when it comes to securing private and government funding.

Choice Abounds

The diversity of choices is what makes New Jersey's system of higher education truly outstanding. New Jersey has nineteen two-year community colleges across the state, and eight four-year public colleges and universities, which combine affordability and quality. Finally, there are fourteen private institutions.

Although the sciences are recognized as important, the most popular Bachelors degree programs in New Jersey are still in business management, the social sciences, and education - and it is in these majors that New Jersey's eight senior state colleges and universities shine. With more than seventy-seven thousand students, these affordable institutions make up the majority of the state's baccalaureate education and in addition, serve as a significant source of graduate education. More than a third of New Jersey's students attend the state's community colleges, two-year schools designed to provide affordable access to career programs and training, and about one quarter of these students eventually transfer into New Jersey's public four year colleges and universities.

Every county's college tailors its offerings to the unique needs of its residents, who show an amazing desire for lifelong learning. Over two hundred thousand citizens participate annually in continuing education courses at New Jersey community colleges, and nearly half of those attending the colleges and universities are twenty-five years of age or older. New Jersey also works hard to keep its most promising high school students in-state. Eight public and private institutions participate in the Outstanding Scholars Recruitment Program, which offers many grant scholarships to deserving students.

In a further effort to attract students both in and outside of New Jersey, universities and colleges throughout the state are spending millions of dollars to build new facilities, incorporate new programs into their curriculum, form alliances with other schools and corporations, and update and expand their use of technology. Most institutions in New Jersey have updated and expanded their computer labs, and constructed campus-wide networks. They have also rewired their lecture halls and residence buildings: students can plug in their computers in class and get Internet access from their dorm rooms.

With so many great choices, it is easy to see why New Jersey's best and brightest high school seniors stay home for a first-rate college education.

Author
Clare Coles