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Union at a Glance

We are Union, and we are true to our name

At Union, things come together in ways that energize our community with opportunities for all.

Profile

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 known as Jackson's Garden, Union is within easy reach of New York City, Boston, Montreal, rural areas and outdoor recreation.

Students & faculty

  • 2,031 full-time undergraduates from 40 states and territories and 50 countries
  • 26% domestic students of color
  • 11% international
  • 9:1 student-faculty ratio
  • 219 faculty members; 97% have earned a Ph.D. or the highest degree in their field

Academics

  • Three 10-week terms with extended winter break
  • Average introductory class size: 24; upper level class size: 14
  • A wealth of interdisciplinary and interdepartmental programs and majors
  • 80% of students do faculty-mentored research; 85% of students complete at least one internship; 60% of students study abroad
  • Accelerated programs (students earn two or more degrees) include Leadership in Medicine and 3+3 Accelerated Law

Outside the classroom

  • All students belong to a Minerva House, seven lively hubs for academic, social, residential and leadership activities
  • Students live on campus for their entire time at Union
  • 13 student-run theme houses
  • More than 130 campus clubs
  • 10 residential and 3 non-residential fraternities and sororities; recruitment begins sophomore year
  • Community service opportunities in Schenectady and beyond

Athletics, recreation and wellness

  • NCAA Division I ECAC Men's and Women's Ice Hockey. Compete against Brown, Colgate, Clarkson, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, RPI, St. Lawrence, Quinnipiac, and Yale
  • NCAA Division III Liberty League in 24 sports. Compete against Bard, Clarkson, Hobart and William Smith, RIT, RPI, University of Rochester, St. Lawrence, Skidmore and Vassar
  • A third of all students participate in intercollegiate sports
  • Extensive intramural, recreation and wellness programs offered

Class of 2027

  • 550 students
  • 26% domestic students of color
  • 11% international
  • 16% first generation college students
  • 29% Early Decision students
  • 42% of enrolled students submitted testing
    • SAT middle 50%: 1330-1460
    • ACT middle 50%: 30-33

Cost & financial aid

  • $60 million in Union College scholarships and grants are awarded each year
  • More than 50% of Union students receive need-based financial scholarship assistance to attend Union and over 30% receive merit scholarships.
  • Average need-based package is $55,000
  • Merit scholarships range from $18,000 to $30,000
  • Making U Possible grants offer aid to many families who apply for financial aid but who otherwise might not qualify or would qualify for only minimal amounts

Alumni

  • Top career fields of recent graduates: business/finance, engineering, healthcare, communications, law, education, technology, arts/entertainment, human services, government
  • Nobel Prize and Academy Award winners, a National Book Award winner and a MacArthur Fellow, an Olympic Gold medalist, seven Cabinet secretaries, a secretary of state, 13 governors, 200 judges, 90 college presidents and the 21st president of the United States (to note just a few)

School color

  • Garnet

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