Senioritis

Ahhh, it's that time of year again. That time when the weather turns warmer, the college admissions process is behind you and that brutal plague of senioritis is sweeping across the nation.

The Dangers of Senioritis- Most commonly found among second semester seniors. Typical symptoms look like a complete lack of motivation, procrastination, laziness, truancy and an indifferent attitude towards anything school related.

Side Effects of Senioritis- Side effects can be most dangerous when a student assumes that after the acceptance letter they are all set! In reality college acceptances are contingent upon completion of your senior year. Colleges have the right, and will exercise their right to rescind the acceptance if they feel as though the student you are second semester is not consistent with the student they already admitted. Another unfortunate alternative is the loss of financial aid a school has offered with their acceptance.

How to Cure Senioritis- How can you avoid this nasty plague? While researchers have been unable to find a cure, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of contracting senioritis.

• Stay organized with course work and college paperwork. The longer you let things go, the more likely you are to feel overwhelmed and avoid things all together.
• Concentrate on an activity that makes you happy such as a sport, club or job- anything that will help keep you motivated.
• See if your school offers internship opportunities for credits. Field experience may be more stimulating than sitting in a classroom for you.
• Enroll in a class at a local community college. A new perspective may refresh your attitude towards school.

5 Wrong Ideas About College Admissions

Energetic and well-informed high school counselors are assembling their notes for upcoming parent meetings. These sessions are usually valuable and informative. Yet, despite all the good data and advice, some false assumptions about college admissions stubbornly survive. You encounter them while dining with friends, surfing the Internet or eavesdropping on the sidelines at youth soccer games.

Here are five of the most resilient and harmful of these wrong ideas about finding the best college for you:

1. Colleges are impressed by a lot of extracurricular activities. What a high school student does outside the classroom is important. Extracurriculars can make the difference when seeking admission to colleges that have three times as many straight-A student applicants as they have space. At one Ivy League college, I heard admissions officers describe applicants as, for instance, the violin-playing quarterback or the math-medalist poet. They never mentioned more than two activities. They wanted depth, not breadth. If the student was a baker, they wanted to see him enter his blueberry pies in county fairs. If the student was a writer, they hoped for copies of her op-eds that ran in the local newspaper. To them, five or six activities was a waste of time and space on the application.

2. The more Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes and tests, the better. Selective colleges expect applicants to enroll in three to five AP, IB or similar college-level courses and take the final exams. If you like AP, taking 12 of them won’t hurt you but confers no advantage over a classmate who took just four and did well on the exams.

3. Every high school grade counts. High grade-point averages are vital, but it is possible to get Bs in three or four courses and still have an average above 4.0. The extra weight given AP or IB courses makes the difference. Admissions officers often discount mediocre grades in freshman year, if the student’s record improves after that. A single recommendation letter from a teacher saying an applicant was the best history student he had had in five years can make a C in physics meaningless.

4. A student has little chance to get into a top school without an SAT prep course. I spent a lot of money on the course my daughter took her junior year. These courses teach important things and give students confidence walking into the exam. But we have data showing such courses did little good for students who listened in their high school classes, did their homework and took a few practice SAT exams from the book in their counselor’s office. My daughter raised her score 10 points after the course. That cost me $100 a point.

5. The harder a college is to get into, the more it will ensure a bright future. It is difficult to persuade tribal primates like us that this isn’t true. We are genetically wired to respect pecking orders. If we see a college listed No. 1, we want to go there. When its admissions rate falls below 10 percent, we are even more excited. Research indicates that the most selective schools look good because they attract so many of the students with character traits, such as persistence and humor, that ensure success. Those students acquire those traits long before they get to college and do just as well in life if they attend a school nobody heard of.

By Jay Mathews |

Repaying Your Student Loans

Repaying your student loan is a great way to build good credit. Even though many student loans are deferred until after you graduate, it's a good idea to plan ahead.

Tips for successfully repaying student loans:
Keep your student loan documents together in a safe place so that you'll be able to find them when you need them. This includes promissory notes, cancelled checks, notices of disbursement, letters, and other communications about your loan(s).
Students: Set aside a little money each week to make sure that you will have enough to be able to begin your payments when your grace period is over. Saving as little as $10 every week while you're in college will turn into $2,000 when you graduate! And if you find a great job immediately, you'll have a ready-made emergency fund.
Paying back your student loans on time is important! You can use student loan debt to your advantage by creating a good credit history. When you're ready to borrow in the future, other banks and lenders will see that you are a good risk for a loan.
Whenever possible, use online banking or ACH automatic debits to ensure that payments are made on time.
Make sure that you keep your lender informed about changes - your address, your legal name, school enrollment, transfers to a different school, graduation.
Read your student loan promissory note and Truth-In-Lending disclosure statement. They may not read like bestsellers, but you'll be ahead of the game if you know the terms of your loan. If you need help understanding some of the information on these documents, please contact us for assistance.
Do everything you can to avoid default on your student loans. It can be frightening and upsetting to have financial difficulties that make it difficult to meet your loan payments. If you think you can’t make a loan payment, talk with your lender as soon as possible about your options. Default can lead to any of the following:
Your student loans can be turned over to collection agencies and you can be sued for the entire loan amount.
You'll still owe the full amount borrowed, and you can even be charged with collection and court costs.
Your wages can be garnished. This means that a portion of your paycheck will be automatically diverted toward loan repayment.
You will cause damage to your credit rating and have difficulty borrowing money in the future for things like mortgages, car loans, and graduate education loans.
You may be unable to renew professional licenses.
You'll be ineligible for federal financial aid (for yourself or your kids someday), deferments, and federal interest benefits.

This article was found on our friends over at MEFA's (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) website

What you can do while waiting for college acceptance offes

Now that the hard work of filling out applications and writing essays is over, you may think all that's left to do is to wait anxiously for an admission decision about your college future. Even if you've turned everything in, however, there are still some things you can do to improve your chances of admission, and to keep your mind occupied while you wait.

Monitor the college acceptance process

Colleges won't make an admissions decision about you if they don't have everything they need, so you may want to follow up with schools to make sure they have all your paperwork. If you don't receive postal or electronic notification that your application is complete, check your colleges' Web sites or call to ask about the status of your application.

During mid-winter and early spring, colleges are often still awaiting mid-year high school grade reports, a teacher recommendation letter, an official SAT/ACT report, or other various forms. You may need to do some careful prodding of others to make sure your application moves forward.

Keep working hard in your classes
Continue to work hard and keep up your grades as they are the most important on-going factor in the admissions process, and could mean the difference between a college acceptance, a waiting list, or a flat-out rejection. The mid-year report from your high school will include your most recent transcript and grades. Make sure this report goes out from your high school, and consider updating the college yourself about your academic progress, especially if you have strong grades and good comments.

Know what you can do to impact the admission decision

A letter from you in February or early March may help, too. Discuss your academic progress, any particular activities you are enjoying (extracurricular and otherwise), changes in your schedule, or any classes or projects you would like to highlight.

Most importantly, emphasize your continuing interest in the colleges and be as specific as possible about why you are interested in a particular school. This might include highlighting which academic and extracurricular programs are most appealing to you, and why you believe the college is a good match for you. Continued interest, along with strong academic performance, are two key factors colleges are looking for from you at this stage, and it may help with the admissions decision.

Sometimes it makes sense to send an additional letter of recommendation from a senior year teacher. You should, however, only do so if it would really give an added boost to your application. You may also want to consider sending a sample of strong senior year work, such as a graded paper from English, a science report, or an art portfolio or music recording.

Add positive elements to your application that you may increase your chances of receiving a college admission letter, but don't distract the admission committees from good work you did previously by adding unnecessary elements to your file.

Talk to alumni or college representatives if possible
Colleges that maintain alumni interviewing opportunities may contact you for an interview. Once they have your complete application, the college usually forwards the information to an alumni committee that automatically gets in touch with you by phone or e-mail. You might check the colleges' Web sites to see how the process works, and to request an interview if it is not clear how the process works.

Take advantage of these types of opportunities to learn more about the colleges and to demonstrate your interest in them. Yes, this might be a tipping factor to help you receive a college admission letter, but the effort could also help with your decision-making process in April if you are fielding multiple offers of admission.

Don't forget about money
An often-overlooked task during January and February is filing for financial aid. Talk with your parents or guardians. If you think you might need financial aid to help pay for college, then complete the financial aid process as soon as possible. File the FAFSA and PROFILE forms, as well as any additional financial aid forms required by individual colleges. The worst they can say is "no," but if you don't file for aid early in the winter, you might be excluded from potential assistance.

If there are extenuating circumstances that could affect your family's ability to pay for college, you should write a letter directly to each college's financial aid office, supported by any necessary documentation, to add to their decision process about your aid package.

Help your college acceptance chances

For seniors, January through March often seems like it's all about waiting for college admission letters, but these are some of the things you can do to remain engaged in the admissions process and help your chances. Avoid that senior slide as much as possible and stay committed. This strategy will have the greatest chance of helping you to open up choices in the spring.

By Howard and Matthew Greene, hosts of two PBS college planning programs and authors of the Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning series and other books.

This article can be found on the Peterson's website http://www.petersons.com/college-search/waiting-college-acceptance-offers.aspx

SAT Prep Program at North High School

Looking for some help on boosting your SAT scores? This spring North High School is going to be hosting an SAT prep program for local high school students in conjunction with our friends at Let's Get Ready.

Not sure who Let's Get Ready is exactly?

The people at Let's Get Ready envision a world where students from all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal access to the support they need to reach higher education. The mission of Let’s Get Ready is to expand college access for motivated, low-income high school students by providing FREE SAT preparation and college admission counseling. Let’s Get Ready accomplishes this mission by mobilizing and training college student volunteers to be the "Coaches", mentors, and role-models who provide not only SAT instruction and college admissions guidance, but the encouragement and inspiration students need to succeed.

How do you sign up for the class?

Priority is given to students who attend Worcester Area High Schools and who have demonstrated economic need and are first generation college bound. Space is limited so you must complete and submit an application. You can find the applications in the GEAR UP office or with your guidance counselors.

When and Where?

The Spring 2012 program will begin in early February and run until early May. Students will prepare for the May SAT. One night will be dedicated to Math and the other night to reading and writing. You can choose to participate in one or both classes.

Days & Time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 5.30-8.30 PM

Location: North High School, 140 Harrington Way, Worcester MA 01604-1898

We hope to see you there!

What is College Goal Sunday?

FAFSA Day Massachusetts, a College Goal SundaySM Program, is a non-profit, volunteer driven program in its 8th year providing free assistance to students and families seeking to complete the FAFSA — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

What should I bring if I am planning to attend?
Students and parents* should EACH bring the following:
FAFSA Pin (www.pin.ed.gov)

Social Security Number
Driver’s License number
Most recent federal tax return
Most recent W-2 or year-end pay stub
Untaxed income records
Bank statement(s)
Business and investment records
Alien Registration Card (if not a U.S. Citizen)
*Students who were born before January 1, 1989 do not need to bring parental information.

When and where is College Goal Sunday happening?
Sunday January 29th, 2012 at 2pm at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, MA

Registration is recommended http://www.fafsaday.org/registration.php

What do I need to complete my FAFSA?

Financial Aid season is in full swing! For someone completing a FAFSA for the first time, it can feel a little bit overwhelming. The best place to start is to gather all of the supporting information that you will help you to fill out the FAFSA. Here is a quick list of some of things you will need

Student Information:
2011 W2 form (or last paystub of 2011)
2011 Income tax form (if you file)
Social Security number
Alien Registration number (if not a U.S. citizen)
Date of birth
Account balance for checking, savings and CD's
Amount of social security benefits
Parent Information:
2011 W2 form (or last paystub of 2011)
2011 Income tax form (if you file)
Social Security number (both parents)
Dates of birth (both parents)
Date they were married, separated, divorced (whatever happened most recently)
Amount of Social Security benefits, unemployment benefits, welfare benefits, Veteran's benefits, Military or Clergy benefits
Amount of child support paid or received

*If you have a legal guardian as determined by the State you will not need to complete the parents section and will complete the student portion as an independent student.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the start to their Thanksgiving break. This is a great time to reflect on what we are thankful for, get some much needed rest and relaxation and eat some good food! For seniors this is also a good time to take a serious look at where you are in the college admissions process. Most of you should be well on your way to completing all of your applications, but just in case you aren't- here is a great list (compliments of College Board) to help you stay on track.

§ Narrow your list of colleges to approximately five to eight, and review it with your counselor. Get an application and financial aid info from each. Visit as many as possible.
§ Make a master calendar and note:
§ Test dates, fees and deadlines
§ College application due dates
§ Required financial aid applications and their deadlines
§ Recommendations, transcripts and other necessary materials
§ Your high school's deadlines for application requests, such as your transcript
§ Ask for recommendations. Give each person your resume, a stamped and addressed envelope, and any required forms.
§ Write application essays and ask teachers, family members and friends to read first drafts.
Decide Whether to Apply Early Action or Early Decision
§ November 1: For early admission, colleges may require test scores and applications in early November. Send your SAT® scores.
§ Ask if your college offers an early estimate of financial aid eligibility.
Get Financial Aid Info
§ Attend financial aid info events in your area.
§ Talk to your counselor about CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® and learn about completing the PROFILE.Use Scholarship Search, review scholarship books, and ask your counselor about local and state

Tuition Break for New England Residents

Have you ever thought of going to school outside of Massachusetts but decided it might be too expensive? If so, you might want to check out the tuition break for New England residents through the New England Board of Higher Education.
What is Tuition Break?
NEBHE's Tuition Break program, the New England Regional Student Program (RSP), allows thousands of New England residents to enroll at out-of-state New England public colleges and universities at a discounted rate. Students are eligible for the RSP Tuition Break when they enroll in an approved major that is not offered by the public colleges and universities in their home-state.
The RSP Tuition Break program not only saves students thousands of dollars in college tuition, but also enables the six New England states to expand educational opportunities for their residents, while avoiding duplication of costly academic programs.
The tuition break program offers Associate, Bachelor and Graduate degree's. For a complete list of programs available to Massachusetts residents check out this like on the New England Board of Higher Education's website:
http://www.nebhe.org/wp-content/uploads/2012-13_Tuition_Break_Massachusetts_Brochure.pdf

Tips for Finding Your College Match

Finding a good fit is the factor most important to your college success. What’s the best way to find colleges that match your academic and personal interests?

First, identify your priorities. Next, research the characteristics of a range of colleges. Finally, match these up. Here are some college characteristics to consider.

Colleges are generally either two-year or four-year. At two-year colleges, you can earn an associate degree. At most four-year colleges, you can earn a bachelor's degree.

Colleges are also categorized as either public or private. Public and private colleges vary in size and available resources. Public colleges are funded by state and local governments, and usually charge lower tuition prices for students who live in their state. That means that the ones in your state may be more affordable for you. Remember, though, that both public and private colleges offer financial aid from various sources.

Size
The number of undergraduates at a college can have a big impact on your experience there. It affects the:

Range of majors offered
Extracurricular possibilities
Amount of personal attention you'll receive
Variety of academic facilities, including labs, libraries and art studios
When looking at a college’s size, be sure to consider more than just the total number of students attending. For example, if you choose a small academic program within a large college, your experience might be very much like attending a small college. Investigate not just the number of faculty members, but also how accessible they are to students.

Location
Do you want to visit home often, or do you see this as a time to experience a new part of the country? Perhaps you like an urban environment with access to museums, ethnic food and major league ball games. Or maybe you hope for easy access to the outdoors and the serenity of a small town. Think about where you would be the most comfortable.

Majors
If you know what you want to study, look into the reputations of academic departments in that subject. Researching online is a good start. If you can talk with people who work in that field, that’s even better.

If you're undecided, pick an academically balanced institution that offers a range of majors and programs. Most colleges offer advising to help you find a focus.

Cost and Financial Aid
Today's college price tag makes cost an important consideration for most students. That said, keep in mind that almost every college works with its financial aid office to make sure that academically qualified students can attend.

Campus Life
Think about what your college life will be like beyond the classroom. Aim for a balance between academics, activities and social life.

Sports and Activities
Most students pursue interests other than academics while they are at college. You might be considering playing a sport at the intramural or varsity level. Or you might want to get involved with the campus radio or television station. Make sure that any activity you’re passionate about is available at the colleges you’re considering.

Housing and Programs
Often, part of the college experience is living as part of a community. Consider whether you want to live on campus, and whether joining a fraternity or sorority is important to you.

When considering academics, look for special programs and pick a college that offers many possibilities, such as study abroad or work-study.

Diversity
Consider what you might gain from living and learning among students with diverse backgrounds. Think about the ethnic, racial and religious diversity of the students as a means of learning more about the world. Investigate what kinds of student organizations, or other groups with ethnic or religious foundations, are active and visible on campus to get an idea of what it might be like.

Another option is a single-sex college. There are colleges specifically for men and others specifically for women throughout the country. You might want to consider one of these if you feel that you would thrive in a same-sex environment.

Your Ideal Campus
What makes the campus a place you can feel at home? To help you figure it out, think about the answers to these questions:

What extracurricular activities and athletics are available?
Does the community around the college offer interesting outlets for students?
Are students welcomed by the community?
How do fraternities and sororities influence campus life?
Is housing guaranteed?
How are dorms assigned?
What ethnic, religious, and special-interest organizations are on campus?
Admission Criteria
You should consider what the colleges you are interested in require for admission. Do you want to attend a college that accepts the majority of its applicants, or one that accepts just a small percentage? Some colleges require a minimum grade point average (GPA), while others are more flexible. Find out if the colleges that are a good fit for you require admission tests, such as the SAT®. You may also want to know if you can get advanced credit or placement for AP® and CLEP® exams.

Retention and Graduation Rates
One of the best ways to judge a college's quality and the satisfaction of its students is to find out the percentage of students who return after the first year (called the retention rate) and the percentage of entering students who stay until graduation. Good retention and graduation rates are a sign that the college has good academic, social and financial support systems for students.

This article came from The College Board. Check out their website for more information on applying to college.

MA State University Fall Open House Schedule

Bridgewater State University- October 15th & 29th 10am-11am. Call 508-531-1237 to register.

Fitchburg State University- October 15th, 29th and November 19th. Registration required.

Framingham State University- N/A

Massachusetts College of Art & Design- October 21st & December 9th. Registration required.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts- October 15th 10am-2pm. Call 1-800-292-6632 to register.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy- October 1st, 22nd & November 19th 9am-12:30pm. Call 1-800-544-3411 to register.

Salem State University- October 1st & 23rd at 10am. Call 978-542-6200 to register.

Westfield State University- October 1st, 15th & 27th 9:30am-1pm. Call 1-800-322-8401 to register.

Worcester State University- October 29th for the Allied Health Science Programs 8:30am-12pm. Call 508-929-8040 to register.

Major of the Month - Child Life

Have you ever thought that you would like to work in a hospital, specifically with children, but Nursing just isn't for you?  A new major is popping up that might be for you: Child Life.  What exactly is Child Life you might be wondering.  Child life specialists work with seriously ill and hospitalized children, adolescents and their families.  

Children undergoing medical treatment have unique developmental, social, emotional and educational needs, as do their families. Child life specialists are specially trained members of health care teams who focus on addressing these needs.  Some specific responsibilities of a child life specialist include teaching children ways to cope with painful medical procedures, helping children understand their diagnosis in an age appropriate manner, supporting families during stressful situations, and promoting play and normal childhood development in the healthcare setting.

A child life specialist is an important part of the healthcare team working to improve outcomes for the hospitalized child by advocating for the child’s unique needs.  Child life specialists work in a variety of settings, such as pediatric inpatient and outpatient units, hospital emergency rooms, clinics and intensive care.

Springfield College, University of New Hampshire, Utica College and Wheelock College are just a few colleges that offer Child Life as a major.

20 Questions to Ask Your School Counselor

Here is a great list of questions compiled by The CollegeBoard to ask your school counselor!

Your school counselor is one of your best resources as you plan for college. Your counselor has information about admission tests, college preparation, and your education and career options. Here are some basic questions to help get your conversation started:

1. What courses do I need to take to be ready for college?
2. How should I plan my schedule so I'll complete them?
3. Which elective courses do you recommend?
4. Which AP^® courses should I consider taking?
5. When is the PSAT/NMSQT^® going to be given?
6. How should I study for the SAT^®, and is it given at this high school or do I need to go somewhere nearby?
7. Do you have any college planning sessions scheduled?
8. Do you have college handbooks or other guides that I can browse or borrow?
9. What activities can I do at home and over the summer to get ready for college?
10. What kinds of grades do different colleges require?
11. Are there any college fairs at this school, or nearby?
12. What colleges do other kids from our school go to?
13. What are the requirements or standards for the honor society?
14. Can you put me in touch with recent grads who are going to the colleges on my wish list?
15. Do you have any information to help me start exploring careers?
16. If my colleges need a recommendation from you, how can I help you know me better, so it can be more personal?
17. Are there any special scholarships or awards that I should know about now, so I can work toward them?
18. Can I see my transcript as it stands now, to see if everything is as I think it should be?
19. What forms do I use to apply for financial aid and where I can find them online?
20. How does our school compare to others, in terms of test scores and reputation?

Reality Check

Your school counselor may be the most accessible person on the planet, or may be juggling a thousand students and barely know your name. So, remember that the person who has the biggest stake in your academics is you. It's up to you to stay on top of opportunities and deadlines so you can take control of your future. (1)

1.  http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/starting-points/114.html

Math Accuplacer Boot Camp

Are you unhappy with your Placement Test score?

Join the QCC Math Department for an intensive, fun, helpful and FREE week of instruction and on-line work designed to improve your math skills and prepare you to retest on the College Placement Test

Math Boot Camp Schedule

Boot Camp 1: July 11 - 15 Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Boot Camp 2: July 18 - 2121 Monday - Thursday, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Boot Camp 3: August 1 - 5    Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Boot Camp 4: August 8 - 12  Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Boot Camp 5: August 8 - 11  Monday - Thursday, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Boot Camp 6: August 15 - 18 Monday - Thursday, 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

 Individuals requesting accommodations should contact Disability Services at 508.854.4771 / TTY: 508.854.5424 or email: disabilityservices@qcc.mass.edu 18 The best place to get your mind in shape!

Your Plan for College

Your Plan for College offers students a place to organize academic information, test scores, activites and personal information. You can use the site to research colleges and find the best fit for you or plan for your career. This new website also allows for direct communication between you and your guidance counselor and GEAR UP advisor. You will be able to request recommendation letters, upload transcripts and submit and track college applications with just the click of a button. If you haven't registered yet stop by the GEAR UP office and we will get you set up. If you have already registered, start exploring!

www.yourplanforcollege.org

Experience College for a Day!

Dependent Verification

Seniors, have you received a dependent verification form like the one pictured here?  This form takes just minutes to complete.  If you require assistance please bring the form (signed by parent or guardian) and signed tax returns for both student and parent/guardian to GEAR UP right away.  It is important for students and families to understand that once you are selected for verification your financial aid award package will not be completed until all requested documents have been received at the college.  If you ignore the request you will not get an award letter and you will not receive aid (grants, loans, work-study).  If you have any questions or concerns, have lost your letter, or need any assistance at all please see GEAR UP right away!

Required Immunizations for College Freshmen

Planning to go to college in the fall?  Our friends at mycollegecalendar.org put up a timely reminder today about the Hepatitis B immunization.  This must be given in 3 doses over a 5-6 month period.  If you start the series now you'll be all set for a fall completion.  Most colleges will require proof of immuniation for serveral other common ailments so check with the institutions you have been accepted to and review the requirements with your physician.

Photo Credit 

All-day conference in March

Discover your future in Biotechnology, Biomedical Research, and the Health Professions on Saturday, March 5th at Worcester Technical High School.  Come spend the day and enjoy a free lunch.  See the attached flyer for more details.  If you are interested come see us and sign up, we're going to get a bus and leave from NHS.

Workshop Information

College Spotlight - Salem State University

Enrollment:  5,894
Cost: $11,822

Salem State University, located just 15 miles north of Boston, is one of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The school was established in 1854 as Salem Normal School, is a comprehensive, publicly supported institution of higher learning located in historic Salem, Massachusetts.  Salem State enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students representing 27 states and 57 foreign countries.  The university occupies 115 acres on five campuses less than a mile from downtown Salem.  A new library is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2012.

Salem State University offers 29 majors and 59 minors.  The top ten most popular majors (in descending order) are
-Business Administration

-Nursing

-Education

-Criminal Justice

-Biology

-Psychology

-Communications

-Sport and Movement Science

-English

-History

With over 100 groups and clubs, 17 varsity teams, a strong intramural sports program, an award-winning theater program, and hundreds of student activities scheduled throughout the year, the campus is alive and infused with tons of energy! Salem State celebrates the diversity of its students and faculty members—and their variety of interests—learning from each other as a community of engaged learners. You can count on faculty and administrators to support your success, and who will ensure you are well prepared for your future career and life after college.

Interested in learning more about Salem State University?  Check out their website (also the source of the picture and much of the information used for the spotlight).