<p>Older daughter, already in college, received emails every other day from Ursinus (expedited application, no fee, no essay, etc). She had 2350 SAT's and we figured Ursinus was trying to raise its image out there by trying to lure top students. They almost seemed desparate.</p>
<p>Younger daughter has read some good things about Ursinus, and is interested enough to visit next week.</p>
<p>Can anyone offer any opinions on Ursinus?? What other northeast schools is Ursinus most like?</p>
<p>Ursinus is very good academically and has some strong sports teams. It is in a small town well outside of Philadelphia (not easy access to Philadelphia). The students go t King of Prussia Mall and Valley Forge for off-campus outings. I spend a lot of time in Collegeville, where the school is located. It would feel very confining for a college student after a couple of years. It is a beautiful area, though. It is also very expensive, although I've heard there is good merit money. My niece took math there as a high school student and thought the students were pretty bright.</p>
<p>Ursinus received 6,000 apps this year, accepted 900 for 450 spots.
Known for Pre-Med, First Bio class is the major weed-out, cutting 50%, but 90% of those left are accepted into med. school and this past year, near 100% were accepted into their top choice (whatever that was?)
Princeton Review gives it an academic rating of 94, and is listed as having the Best Classroom Experience and Best in the Northeast
Average class size is 10-19 students
92% of fresh. return for soph. year
**47% of students were in the top 10% of their HS graduating class
Endowment: 121,000,000
Majors considered as very hard there: Bio (Pre-Med) and Econ</p>
<p>My younger daughter is heading to Ursinus in the fall. She visited five colleges, and overnighted at four. Ursinus had the right combination of everything she was looking for - happy students, strong science departments, and a decent but not overly stressful DIII team in her chosen sport. I could tell when I picked her up that she "felt the fit" and would end up there if accepted.</p>
<p>From a parents' perspective: Beautiful campus and well-maintained buildings. I did not see cigarette butts littlering the grounds (like I did at other colleges), and art is very much a part of the campus environment, thanks to generous benefactors. I know there is some thought the college is in the middle of nowhere, but there are off-campus restaurants and shops - granted, not a great variety, but enough to get by - within walking distance.</p>
<p>There is a great bike/running trail not far from campus that goes all the way to Valley Forge and you can connect into Philadelphia from there.</p>
<p>Flatlander- Make sure you go to Rita's for water ice. There is a Rita's right near campus. If you aren't from the mid-Atlantic region, also get to know WaWa and get your daughter WaWa gift cards. WaWa is right across from campus.</p>
<p>Thanks, MoWC - we about 40 miles east of Ursinus, deep in Rita's and Wawa territory! My daughter was also thrilled to see a Philly Pretzel Factory on the main drag, too.</p>
<p>Ursinus is a very good school. It IS trying to get more applications to raise its ratings because (unfortunately) it is like Tufts...A very good school but surrounded by even "better" schools! (Tufts feels inferior to Harvard, MIT while Ursinus must contend with Swathmore, Bryn Mawr, etc.)</p>
<p>Native NJ:</p>
<p>Yep, I heard from a guy connected with Swarthmore sports that Ursinus was the weakest link academically in their divisional region....so I agree with your statement completely. But, I know many top students who aren't taking acceptances at schools like Lehigh to attend Ursinus based on their strong bio/science program. I think Ursinus may still be in the running for my son...he was accepted, but wants to make sure that if pre-med isn't his thing -that there are other options with strong ties for employment when finished (ex: business)</p>
<p>Divisional region is not the word--I believe I meant in their "consortium"</p>
<p>If you are referring to athletics, Ursinus is a charter member of the Centennial Conference, which includes 10 other mid-Atlantic schools: Bryn Mawr, Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Haverford, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, Muhlenburg, Swarthmore, and Washington.</p>
<p>Thanks Flatlander, that was exactly what I meant. You think I would know this since a few of those schools wanted my son to play football for them!
Although, US News does list Muhlenberg beneath Ursinus, but I hear Muhlenberg is tougher to get into...</p>
<p>I don't know where McDaniel or Washington sit...below Ursinus when it comes to rankings.</p>
<p>Go Bears!!</p>
<p>"Ursinus received 6,000 apps this year, accepted 900 for 450 spots."</p>
<p>Greatescape74 -- Ursinus is a vey good school, but it is not so competitive that they accept only 15% of their applicants. Last I heard the acceptance rate was somewhere around 65-70%.</p>
<p>that's funny. i'm turning down lehigh (as well as bucknell, pitt, and boston u) for ursinus. i know they had around 6000 apps this year but i think they accept about 2,000 and expect to get somewhere between 450 and 500.</p>
<p>no offence. but, i never heard of this school until now. it has a rather unique name.</p>
<p>It's one of the colleges recommended in the book "Colleges that change live". J. D Salinger(Catcher in the Rye) is an alumni.</p>
<p>J</a>. D. Salinger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</p>
<p>Not to be a kill joy, but unless you like to drink and don't mind pot stay away from this place. The academics are the only thing going for Ursinus. So far as campus safety is concerned, there is none. The college doesn't get along with the local Police, discourages and even prevents people from calling 911 to better is stats and will do anything to make a quick buck or make itself look better. It is a shame that Ursinus has collected such good professors. Thursday through Sunday large parties are packed with underage children, and they are children. Pledging was called off this year because things got so out of hand that the minimal safety staff became overwhelmed. If you enjoy the quiet drug free life don't expect to get much of anywhere on the social scene. Don't expect administrators or staff to go out of their way to do their jobs...if you like the idea that Ursinus projects go to Muhlenberg where you won't get shot at...(yeah I was, and no one cares) any questions feel free to PM me...
Ursinus has not changed my life, Professors have, but not Ursinus...</p>
<p>Just repeating the admissions stats for this year per their own admissions office. If you were up-to-date- last years stats were 53% admittance per the college board, princeton review-gave it an selectivity rating of 89 out of 100, with 40% of students coming from the top 10% of their class-are you sure your not looking at the stats on spark notes- they are inaccurate. Although it is not the college my son is choosing, all stats, regardless of college, have changed because of the enormous applicant pool this spring.</p>