Union College (NY) (UC)

We are Union, and we are true to our name. Founded in 1795 as the first planned campus in the United States, Union College is a highly selective, private, residential, liberal arts college with engineering that is consistently ranked among the nation's top colleges. Set on 100 acres in downtown Schenectady, N.Y., including eight acres of formal gardens and woodland, Union is within easy reach of New York City, Boston, Montreal, rural areas and outdoor recreation. Here, tradition meets innovation across the arts, engineering, humanities, sciences and social sciences. Union's flexible academic structure encourages students to study across disciplines and pursue what intrigues them. Its innovative curriculum and world-class facilities emphasize collaboration with students and faculty through small class sizes, research in all disciplines, internships and international study.

The 2,100 full-time undergraduates come from over 42 U.S. states and 58 countries. Intellectually, geographically, and demographically diverse, thirty percent of students are domestic students of color or international students. Union is known for its tight knit community, with over 90% of students living on campus all four years.

With more than 130 clubs and organizations to choose from, you're certain to find one that matches your interests or talents or simply sparks your curiosity. Organizations include performance groups and art clubs, multicultural and religious groups, the student newspaper and literary magazine, Greek organizations, academic honor societies and much more. Clubs and organizations are led by students, for students.

Union's unique Minerva program broadens students' out-of-class experience both academically and socially. All students belong to a Minerva House, seven lively hubs for academic, social, residential and leadership activities, hosting hundreds of events each year.

Union College has 24 Division III sports plus Division I men's and women's ice hockey. A third of all students participate in intercollegiate sports and Union offers extensive intramural, recreation and wellness programs.

People at Union "take their educational experiences and opportunities seriously" but "also know how to spend time productively outside of class." Because Union isn't an overwhelmingly large school, students fondly describe both a sense of privacy and a relative ease in which to meet up with friends across "different majors and paths" to at least grab a bite to eat. As one puts it, people here "very genuinely care about each other in all directions." Many students are athletes, which makes for "a very active campus [where] the gyms are always busy." That said, the overall atmosphere "is highly collaborative and supportive, not competitive," and "the fact that Union is a liberal arts school with engineering means you get a really good well-rounded education and you are always interacting with those outside of your major."

The vast majority of students-90%-live on campus either in residence halls, one of 13 student-run theme houses, or across the street in campus-managed apartments. In addition, every student is sorted into one of seven Minerva Houses, which act as hubs for academic, social, and residential activities. Between the close quarters of their homes or houses, the school's ACE (Association for Campus Events) hosts "spectacular events every weekend," including "escape rooms, magicians, comedians, [and] painting events," though students also plan plenty of their own varied excursions, like "ski and hiking trips, movie nights, and Frisbee golf."

Since students only take three classes a term, they "have lots of free time each week," a much-appreciated boon that allows them to "study or do homework during the day and participate in clubs or activity events during lunch or in the late afternoons and evenings." This does mean that Greek life "plays a very large role in students' social lives," and "anyone who wants to be involved...can be," but it's worth noting that "you are still welcome" whether you go Greek or not.

Students feel that “Union has an awesome career center that is always reaching out to students to help them with life after college with jobs, internships, resumes, etc. . . .” Indeed, the Becker Career Center is continually running professional development workshops and arranging employer information sessions, in addition to connecting students with alums via the Union Career Advisory Network (UCAN). Other students add that “there are so many resources available in terms of funding, internships, and leadership opportunities,” as well as a plethora of “undergraduate research opportunities” like the Sophomore Research Seminar or those through National Science Foundation awards. Additionally, the annual Steinmetz Symposium allows students to present their work to the entire campus community (more than 500 students do so each year). Union College graduates visiting Payscale.com report their median starting salary at around $75,200, and 47 percent report that their job has a great deal of meaning.