Educated Quest.com

2012-13 Edition

Profile:University of New Hampshire

1 Introduction to the University of New Hampshire

Background

Fast Facts

1. The University of New Hampshire was founded in 1866 as the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.

2. UNH is a Federal Land Grant, Sea Grant and Space Grant University.

3. With approximately 12,000 undergraduates and 2,300 graduate students, UNH is small for a state university.

4. UNH has made significant commitments to undergraduate student research. Over 1,000 students participated in the 2012 annual Undergraduate Research Conference.

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About the University of New Hampshire

Founded in 1866 as the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was originally located in Hanover, the same community where Dartmouth College is located to this day. In 1893, the school, then called New Hampshire College, was bequeathed the gift of land from Benjamin Thompson, a prosperous farmer, and relocated to Durham. Thompson Hall, located in the center of campus, was the first building on the university grounds. Today it houses the senior administration of the university. By 1924, the school had en-rolled more than 1,200 students and had been renamed the Uni-versity of New Hampshire. Today UNH is not only a Federal Land Grant institution but also a designated Sea Grant and Space Grant University.

By virtue of its research facilities at the Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, six miles offshore from the Maine-New Hampshire border, UNH is one of the best places in the country to take on studies of the sea as well as ecology. Entering first-year students may participate in a brief introduction to marine science at the laboratory and earn two credits before starting their first-semester coursework. The university’s Hamel Center for Under-graduate Research celebrates its 25th anniversary; it is one of the longest standing programs of its kind at a state university. One-hundred percent of the funding for research awards and fellow-

Background

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ships comes from donor gifts. The university’s two-week long Un-dergraduate Research Conference is held every April. The 2013 conference will be the 14th in the university’s history. Last year’s conference attracted over 1,300 participants, impressive consider-ing that the university has around 12,000 undergraduates and the conference largely includes students who have already com-pleted college-level work and decided on their academic program. The university will also open the new Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics building in February, 2013. Total cost of the new building: $50 million, and Paul, a 1967 alumnus of UNH, has pledged half the cost. The university is also a national leader in its commitments to sustainability. UNH is also unique for its of-ferings of two-year degrees in Applied Sciences. The university’s Thompson School offers 7 two -year degree programs, 12 concen-trations as well as 3 diploma programs.  The University also offers a five-year Bachelors degree combined with a Master’s degree in Education; the fifth year is a year-long practical experience in the classroom.

With fewer than 12,000 undergraduates and less than 2,300 graduate students, UNH is very small for a state university. It has the advantage of being in a small community--aside from the stu-dents, Durham has fewer than 15,000 residents--connected to larger cities by highway, bus and rail services. The campus is ap-proximately an hour from Boston and within driving distance for skiing at the White Mountains. UNH is also less than a half-hour drive from the historic coastal city of Portsmouth.

Like the University of Rhode Island and the University of Vermont, UNH draws at least half of its student body from out of state. The 2012-13 Almanac of the Chronicle of Higher Education estimates that New Hampshire will have approximately 13,300 public high school graduates this spring, and the total is expected to decline through 2021. The same source also reported that the state cut funds for higher education operating expenses by nearly 40 per-cent in 2012. Currently, state government funds only six percent of the university’s operating budget. To date, according to the al-manac, 57 percent of New Hampshire residents who were fresh-men in college attended college in their home state. Given that New Hampshire has two other state colleges, Plymouth State and Keene State, as well as a community college system and private college options, it is clear that UNH needs a large number of out-of-state students to maintain its enrollment.

As a result, tuition and fees, among the highest in the country for in-state students, have been brought to competitive levels for out-of-state students through merit-based scholarships. The very good-to-excellent student from outside New Hampshire will find UNH to be a very good value for the money versus any compara-ble school other than their home state university.

2 What does it take to get in?Who decides to go?What other schools do applicants consider?

Competition

Fast Facts

1. UNH received approximately 17,300 applications for just under 3,000 seats in the class entering in 2011.

2. The university accepted approximately 12,900, an acceptance rate of around 75 percent; the admissions office maintained no wait list.

3. Programs that have highly competi t ive admissions include Athletic Training, Civil Engineering, Exercise Science, Mechanical Engineering, Nursing and Occupational Therapy.

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What It Takes to Get In

UNH received approximately 17,300 applications for just under 3,000 seats in the class entering in 2011. The university ac-cepted approximately 12,900, an acceptance rate of around 75 percent; the admissions office maintained no wait list. The yield rate of 23 percent is low for any college, let alone a flagship state school. This indicates that UNH was not the first choice for most applicants or something, cost being one example, se-lection to a first-choice academic program being another, dis-suaded them from coming. Two-thirds of all applicants came from out of state. Most come from within New England or Mid-Atlantic states, though the university has attracted more interest from students in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and Texas, all of which have highly selective flagship state uni-versities. Out-of-state applicants are treated equally versus in-state applicants says Rob McGann, the university’s Director of Admissions. Their average GPAs, he says, are about the same.

Students from outside New England, McGann adds, are drawn to the university’s location, the campus-based community, ac-cess to Portland, Boston, the ocean and the White Mountains. They also like UNH’s student body size--it is not a “mega-versity”--as well as the undergraduate focus. Students are more likely to be taught by faculty instead of graduate assistants.

Competition

6

As the level of interest in UNH across state borders has in-creased, so has the size of the applicant pool. In 2002, the uni-versity attracted approximately 10,400 applications for admis-sion for a freshman class that is about the same size as it is to-day. Applications have increased 65 percent since then.

The middle 50 percent of the class scored between 1010 and 1210 on the Critical Reading and Mathematics sections of the SAT. Twenty four percent scored over 600 on the Critical Read-ing section of the exam, a third accomplished the same on the Math.

While admissions do not appear to be either selective or highly competitive at first glance, several major programs are ex-tremely difficult to get into. The Nursing program is the most competitive says Rob McGann. It attracted approximately 1,100 applications for 56 seats in the freshman class. Selected stu-dents had GPAs of 3.8 or higher. Nursing enrollment is tied not only to available space in classes but also available clinical posi-tions. Other programs that have highly competitive admissions include Athletic Training, Civil Engineering, Exercise Science, Mechanical Engineering and Occupational Therapy.

McGann adds that the students who are most likely to succeed at UNH not only show a solid academic background, they be-come quickly engaged with the campus community and setting and take advantage of offerings that expose them to a world be-yond the campus, for example, through study abroad or commu-

nity service. Students should be comfortable with a campus-based environment, one where the university is the center of en-tertainment and culture for the area, he adds. City schools, by comparison, have a greater number of off-campus distractions, though they also have their off-campus experiential learning op-portunities.

Students who consider apply to UNH are most likely to consider the other New England state universities, as well as Boston Uni-versity and Northeastern University along with smaller schools such as Fairfield University (CT) and St. Anselm’s College (NH). Bentley University and Babson College compete for busi-ness students while Quinnipiac is a competitor for students inter-ested in health sciences and professions. In-state applicants also consider Keene State and Plymouth State.

UNH uses the Common Application. Students who are serious about attending UNH and are interested in either scholarships or the more competitive programs should apply for non-binding Early Action by November 15th. Decisions for these applicants are made by the end of January. Deadline for the regular deci-sion process is February 1st. However, selection decisions for the more competitive programs are quite likely to have been made before then.

3 Freshman Retention RateGraduation Rates

Completion

Fast Facts

1. UNH enjoys very good first-year student retention rates as well as excellent four-year and six-year graduation rates compared with the other New England state universities.

2. The university also fares well vs. the private colleges and universities that applicants are most likely to consider.

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The Path to GraduationUNH enjoys very good first-year student retention rates as well as excellent four-year and six-year graduation rates compared with the other New England state universities. To date, UNH is one of only 22 public colleges and universities that graduates 60 percent or more of its students within four years. Among New England state universities only the University of Connecticut has done better at re-taining and graduating their students. This is shown in the table be-low. The information comes from the 2011-12 Common Data Sets for each school.

School Name Freshman Retention Rate 2011

4-Year Graduation Rate-Class Entering

in 2005

6-Year Graduation Rate-Class Entering

in 2005

University of New Hampshire 87% 64% 77%

University of Connecticut

92% 68% 83%

University of Maine-Orono

78% 36% 60%

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

89% 52% 67%

University of Rhode Island

82% 41% 63%

University of Vermont 85% 58% 72%

UNH’s success at retaining and graduating their students is impres-sive considering that it has attracted students with credentials that

Completion

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are more similar to those of peers who attend the schools with the lower graduation and retention rates, specifically the University of Maine and the University of Rhode Island, than to students at the University of Connecticut. This is shown in the table below. Again the information comes from the 2011-12 Common Data Sets for each school.

School NameMiddle 50% SAT

Critical Reading and Math Range 2011-12

% of First-Year Students in 1st 10th of High School Class

2011-12

% of First-Year Students in First Quarter of High School Class

2011-12

University of New Hampshire

1010-1210 20% 58%

University of Connecticut

1120-1310 28% 68%

University of Maine-Orono

970-1190 21% 51%

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

1050-1260 26% 67%

University of Rhode Island

990-1210 18% 49%

University of Vermont 1090-1280 28% 66%

Given that students who apply to UNH are also likely to look at a broad list of private schools, it is also necessary to compare gradua-tion and retention rates with those institutions. This appears on the facing page.

School Name

SAT Range-Middle 50% of Class (Critical Reading and

Math)

Freshman Retention Rate

2010

4-Year Graduation Rate-Class Entering in

2005

6-Year Graduation Rate-Class Entering in

2005

University of New Hampshire

1010-1210 87% 64% 77%

Babson College 1220-1400 (est) 94% (Fall 2010) 87% N/A

Bentley University 1140-1320 93% 82%87% (U.S.

News)

Boston University 1180-1370 92% 80% 85%

Fairfield University 1070-1250 83% 78% 81%

Northeastern University

1250-1430 95%73% (five years-

co-op school)77%

Quinnipiac University

1010-1190 88% 72%76% (U.S.

News)

St. Anselm College

1010-1210 85% 72%73% (U.S.

News)

The information in the table above shows that the student who might score within the lower half of the middle 50 percent of the SAT range at Babson College, Bentley University, Boston University and Northeastern University could be someone who might be in the upper quarter of the applicant pool at UNH. Such students are more likely to be eligible for merit-based aid from this state school. The other private schools appear to attract, retain and graduate a stu-dent who also fits into the heart of the applicant pool at UNH. They have smaller enrollments, but cannot match the academic breadth of the state university. However, their students are more likely to graduate on time.

4 Tuition and FeesScholarshipsNet PricesDebt

Costs

Fast Facts

1. In-state students at UNH will pay approximately $16,400 in tuition and fees in 2012-13, among the highest charges in the nation.

2. Out-of-state students pay approximately $28,900, higher than some flagship schools such as Rutgers-New Brunswick or the University of Massachusetts, but comparable to charges assessed by the University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island.

3. NH offers Dean’s Scholarships as well as Presidential Scholarships to reduce charges for the very good as well as the excellent student. These are strong incentives to attract the out-of-state student.

4. UNH students graduated with an average student loan debt of over $34,000 in 2011, very high for a state university.

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Paying for School

In-state students at UNH will pay approximately $16,400 in tuition and fees in 2012-13, among the highest charges in the nation. Out-of-state students pay approximately $28,900, higher than some flag-ship schools such as Rutgers-New Brunswick or the University of Massachusetts, but comparable to charges assessed by the Univer-sity of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island. Students who are from other New England states may pay a sticker price of approximately $24,000 if they remain enrolled in a major program at UNH that is open for additional students and not offered by their home state university. Room and board charges for a double room and the “Gold” meal plan, both the most popular options for first year students living on campus, are approximately $10,200, about average for a state university.

UNH offers Dean’s Scholarships as well as Presidential Scholar-ships to reduce charges for the very good as well as the excellent student. Dean’s Scholarships targeted at students who average 590 on each section of the SAT, are worth $1,000 per year for in-state students and $6,000 per year for out-of-state students. Presidential Scholarships, targeted to students who average 660 on each sec-tion of the test, are worth $4,000 per year to in-state students and $10,000 per year to out-of-state students. An extremely limited num-ber of Governor’s Success Scholarships are available to New Hamp-

Costs

12

shire resident who exceed the criteria for the Presidential Scholar-ships. These are worth $10,000 per year.

The Dean’s Scholarships are especially attractive to out-of-state stu-dents who come from outside New England. UNH charges already start out being around $10,000 lower than the University of Vermont (UVM). Even the UVM scholarship programs will not reduce tuition and fees for the very good out-of-state student to UNH’s levels. However, the University of Maine and the University of Rhode Is-land also discount their tuition and fees to a similar out-of-state stu-dent.

Name of School Out of State Tuition and Fees, 2012-13

Out of State Tuition and Fees, 2012-13 less Merit

Award (1200 Critical Reading and Math SAT/3.4+

GPA)

University of Rhode Island $29,692 $20,692

University of Maine-Orono $27,454 $19,454

University of New Hampshire $28,882 $22,882

Although UNH discounts less aggressively than the other two state schools, the discounted rate is still lower than the out-of-state stu-dents would pay to attend the University of Connecticut, the Univer-sity of Delaware, the University of Massachusetts, Penn State or Rutgers, none of which offers a comparable scholarship. Unfortu-nately, the in-state student is asked to pay more than his peers who attend the other schools, excluding Penn State. A Presidential Scholarship, however, would reduce that student’s charges below $13,000, although that is also on the high side for a state university.

It is also useful to know if the private schools with first-year students most comparable to UNH in terms of SAT range may compete with the state school on the basis of merit aid and/or debt reduction. The following data was available through the U.S. Department of Educa-tion for 2010 and 2011, the last year available.

School Name

Tuition and Fees

2010-11

Average Institutional

Grant 2010-11

Average Net Price,

Family Income

$75,000 to $11,000, 2010-11

Average Net Price,

Family Income

$75,000 to $11,000, 2010-11

Average Parents

PLUS Loan 2010

University of New

Hampshire

$13,672 (In-state)

$27,642 (out of state)

$8,888 $24,043 $25,862 $13,535

Fairfield University $39,040 $22,438 $32,035 $38,625 $22,250

Quinnipiac University $34,250 $14,928 $31,990 $37,495 $21,772

St. Anselm College $31,575 $15,997 $26,686 $32,486 $16,311

Of these schools, only St. Anselm, a liberal arts college with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates comes close to UNH at being willing to discount tuition and fees or minimize Parents PLUS loan debt to make a college education affordable. Parents PLUS loan informa-tion is valuable in that these loans, which carry an interest rate of 7.9 percent, with no interest subsidy while the student is in school, are used as a “last resort” to cover the gap for college costs after all

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aid awarded to the student, including loans, is accounted for. Par-ents PLUS loans leave parents, not students, on the hook for the debt. And, like student loans, these debts cannot be discharged in the event of bankruptcy.

UNH students graduated with an average student loan debt of over $34,000 in 2011, very high for a state university, according to the Project on Student Debt. This exceeded the national average per borrower by around $8,000. This takes into account students who did not qualify for need-based or merit-based aid that might have re-duced individual debts. However, according to the same source, St. Anselm students owed slightly more than $38,000 and Quinnipiac students owed more than $39,000. However, Fairfield University stu-dents owned nearly $3,000 less than UNH students. This is no sur-prise since this school also awarded the largest average institutional grants, scholarship money from the school’s available funds.

The market value of the UNH endowment was $362 million as of June, 2011, according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers. The endowment is actually higher than that of the University of Connecticut and the University of Vermont as well as the University of Maine and the University of Rhode Is-land among New England’s state university systems. It is also higher than the endowments of the smaller schools most consid-ered by applicants to UNH, specifically Babson, Bentley, Fairfield, Quinnipiac and St. Anselm, though these schools also have far fewer students and academic programs to manage. However, the larger schools, Boston University ($1.2 billion) and Northeastern Uni-versity ($588 million), have more resources to work with. It is quite

possible for these schools to compete most aggressively for the stu-dent who be at the very top of the UNH applicant pool.

The market value of the UNH endowment increased by 35 percent from the previous year. Growth in the market value of the endow-ment enables the university to make more of its unrestricted funds available for scholarships. Growth is also important if the university will need to increase incentives to the very good and excellent stu-dents as tuition and fees rise. While the New Hampshire resident is likely to find that UNH is their least-cost option, the high indebted-ness caused by high tuition and fees creates obvious discomfort. The out-of-state student might owe more, but s/he also applied and committed to the school knowing that UNH would be a more expen-sive option than the state university in their home state.

5 On-Campus HousingLocal Housing Market

Comforts

Fast Facts

1. UNH provides approximately 7,200 beds for undergraduate students, easily more than half of the student body, across 26 residence halls as well as on-campus apartments.

2. Three residence halls, Williamson, Christenson and Richardson are dedicated to freshmen.

3. All residence halls and apartments are organized around three neighborhoods: The Hills, The Timbers and The Valley.

4. UNH has a very broad selection of living options, even for first-year students.

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Settling In

UNH provides approximately 7,200 beds for undergraduate stu-dents, easily more than half of the student body, across 26 resi-dence halls as well as on-campus apartments.

Three residence halls, Williamson, Christenson and Richardson are dedicated to freshmen. Williamson and Christenson are large halls with 950 residents and offer programs and support services targeted to them. Examples, according to a description of Christenson Hall on the school’s web site include theme weeks to aid in a freshman transition from high school to col-lege. Topics may include the following: Roommate communica-tion, Sharp/Got Consent, Involvement/Leadership, Finals Prepa-ration and Reflecting on your First Year, among many others. Richardson, a much smaller hall with only 43 residents, has a mix of single and double rooms as well as two common lounges.

UNH has a price scale based on the numbers of persons living in a room as well as traditional (rooms off a common corridor) and suite-style options. Single rooms, as only example, cost ap-proximately $800/year more than double rooms. While most stu-dents are assigned to double rooms, there have been a limited number (between 25 and 50) built-up triples. First year students

Comforts

16

may choose their own roommates or allow the university to make the match. All UNH residence halls are WiFi-enabled. Co-ed halls may be co-ed by alternating rooms or by alternating floors.

There are two theme learning communities exclusively for first-year students. Alexander Hall, with 150 residents, focuses on students in the College of Liberal Arts as well as undeclared ma-jors. English 401, located within Williamson and Christenson halls, is an extension of the university’s writing requirement. In-CEPStion focuses on undeclared majors in the College of Engi-neering and Physical Sciences. First-year students may also participate in nine other living learning communities: The Arts, Chem Free Living, The Clubhouse (sports, fitness, wellness), International Living, Leadership, Living in Harmony (music), Making the Grade (studious though not always Honors stu-dents), Multicultural Living and Outdoor Experiential Education. Honors housing is also available for students in the university’s Honors program. Approximately eight percent of UNH students are Honors students.

UNH residence halls are organized around three neighbor-hoods. Williamson, Christenson and Richardson, the three freshmen halls, are located in the Timbers, as are some of the newer, more modern upper-class halls. The Hills residence halls, a mix of modern and older designs, are located in the cen-ter of campus. The Valley halls are located across from the re-

tail and restaurants in downtown Durham. While it may be sensi-ble for freshmen to begin their college experience bonding with classmates, location becomes a more important part of the housing decision in later years. While UNH has an exception-ally walkable campus, some students may prefer to live near their classes, especially if they make use of laboratory or studio spaces. Others may prefer the “off-campus vibe” of living down-ton. Still others want a quieter living experience away from crowds and traffic. It is a rare school that can accommodate all of these interests across an undergraduate student body.

While UNH is capable of housing all first-year students as well as upper-class students who register and submit their deposits on time, some undergraduates elect to live off-campus. UNH al-lows all upper-class students (but not freshmen) to have cars, however parking on campus is very difficult to find. Being a very small community, Durham offers few rental options. Students can share single-family homes; a three-bedroom will rent for be-tween $1,600 and $1,800 per month, high for a college commu-nity. Students also live in nearby Dover where can pay less as well as take advantage of bus transportation to campus. How-ever, landlords in the area do not advertise nine-month leases. Given that Durham is not as active a community during the sum-mer months as other college towns, it may be very difficult to find summer sublets. On-campus suites or apartments or Greek life are more affordable options.

6 CampusEnvironsSchool Spirit

Community

Fast Facts

1. While the current campus was established during the later half of the 19th century, the layout and tree-lined look and feel of the place is quite similar to Dartmouth, a far more expensive school that was founded more than a century earlier.

2. UNH can be considered a “football school” and a “hockey school.”

3. Visitors to UNH should not miss the Dairy Bar, which doubles as Durham’s Amtrak rail station.

4. Students should not miss out on the Amtrak “six-pack,” three round trips to Boston and other cities for $76.

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Life On and Off Campus

UNH has a very attractive and walkable campus featuring mod-ern red brick and Federal-style designs. While the current cam-pus was established during the later half of the 19th century, the layout and tree-lined look and feel of the place is quite simi-lar to Dartmouth, a far more expensive school that was founded more than a century earlier. Thompson Hall, the signature build-ing and home to the university’s administration and the Whitte-more Center, the hockey arena and recreation center, are the only structures that strongly stand out from the red-brick theme.

Durham has a very small downtown with coffee shops and cas-ual eating places. Young’s, in particular, provides outstanding breakfasts and lunches and launches new dining options around seasonal themes. The “bar scene” consists of three bars: Libby’s and Scorpions offer cheap drinks, The Knot is a traditional Irish pub that offers meal deals, including 25-cent wing nights on Thursdays. Needless to say a town with few places to drink leads students towards the fraternities and so-rorities or out of town. But opportunities for recreation and se-renity are quite plentiful here since mountains and oceans are close by.

Community

19

The university is, by far, the major source of entertainment op-portunities. The Whittemore Center seats 6,500 for hockey games and 7,500 for all other shows. It is large enough to ac-commodate most entertainers and speakers. Former president Bill Clinton spoke here during the 2012 election season. Repub-lican presidential candidate Mitt Romney launched his cam-paign on this campus.

UNH competes in the Colonial Athletic Conference in football, Hockey East in men’s and women’s ice hockey and the Amer-ica East Conference in all other sports. UNH competes in 21 varsity sports, more than most state schools. Football is the only sport where the university does not compete at the highest level, although the program has been quite successful in recent years. The gridiron Wildcats have reached the NCAA playoffs each year since 2004. However, men’s hockey is “the spectato-sport” at this university. While UNH has not been a national champion it has played the sport on a varsity level since 1925. In his 23rd season, head coach Dick Umile has guided the Wild-cats to four Frozen Four appearances, 17 NCAA tournament ap-pearances and 22 Hockey East championship tournament showings. Few coaches have achieved similar success in any sport.

From 2009 through 2011 reported incidents of crime went down at UNH, according to the university’s Clery Report, though a rise in reported forcible sex offenses on campus (from 10 to 18)

is cause for concern. Liquor law offenses, the most commonly reported crimes, declined. The number of reported arrests for liquor law violations on campus dropped from 320 to 249. Disci-plinary referrals, however, increased from 341 to 380. Drug-related arrests and disciplinary actions dropped below 2009 lev-els in 2011.

Visitors to UNH should not miss the Dairy Bar, which doubles as Durham’s Amtrak rail station. Located by the Whittemore Center, this restored 19th century station offers service to Ports-mouth and Boston; service to Freeport and Portland was added in November, 2012. Students have the option to purchase a “six-pack,” three round-trip tickets, on this train line for $76, a very good value for the money especially with rising gas prices. Dairy Bar ice cream is also a great treat for the price.

One noteworthy student initiative is Trash to Treasure, a pro-gram by which graduating students sell their usable furniture and other items to continuing students. Revenues raised through Trash to Treasure cover continued operations of the program; students can get their next couch, lamp or rug on the cheap.

7 AcademicsHonors ProgramsExperiential Learning

Curriculum

Fast Facts

1. UNH offers an impressive selection of research opportunities for undergraduates, including freshmen.

2. Students contribute not only to a research symposium; they also write and edit their own multi-disciplinary research journal.

3. UNH faculty have taken positive steps to make “gatekeeper” courses more interactive and challenging, focusing on problem-solving exercises.

4. In 2012 approximately 1,300 students, more than ten percent of the undergraduate student body, participated in the universi ty ’s Undergraduate Research Conference.

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Academic Opportunities and Options

UNH does an excellent job summarizing academic opportuni-ties through a student-designed Inquiry Game. The Game is one of the the best visual expressions of an overall academic program; it is eye-appealing and very easy to follow.

Among the key stops on the game board are:

Inquiry 444. Small-group, credit-bearing first-year courses where students take delve into multi-disciplinary topics with a faculty member. Courses include: Computer Technology: Bal-ancing Risks Against Rewards and Dogs to Dragons: Origins of Species, among others.

Inquiry Journal. An online, multi-disciplinary undergraduate re-search journal, a rare practice at a state university.

McNair Scholars. Provides undergraduate students with aca-demic year internships and summer research fellowships.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities. Entry-level and ad-vanced coursework for credit assisting faculty with teaching and research.

Undergraduate Research Awards: Academic-year awards in-clude a $1,000 stipend as well as up to $600 for expenses for

Curriculum

22

conducting independent research. Full-time summer awards in-clude a $3,500 stipend, plus the same expense reimbursement. International Research Opportunities Awards include a $6,500 stipend for nine weeks. Unique to UNH is the Research Experi-ence and Apprenticeship Program targeted to promising first-year students. Those selected receive a $3500 stipend for 10 weeks full-time summer research after their first year under the supervision of a faculty member as well as $600 for research expenses. Students selected for this program must also be in the Honors program.

Undergraduate Research Conference. In 2012 approximately 1,300 students, more than ten percent of the undergraduate stu-dent body, participated in this two-week program.

Capstone courses. All seniors must have one Capstone experi-ence which can be focused around a class, creative project or experiential learning activity such as an internship.

The stops on the Inquiry Game show that UNH stands out at preparation for further education or careers such as work in sci-ence, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) where research skills will be essential. With few graduate students compared with larger state universities, undergraduates have opportunities to work more closely with the faculty. Interestingly, the student-faculty ratio at UNH is 18-to-1, about the same as the larger schools. While this number often shows that students see less classroom interaction with the faculty than at smaller

schools, it also means that the faculty at UNH rely more on the undergraduates for help. However, the university also reports that 85 percent of all courses have fewer than 50 students and around eight percent of all students are enrolled in Honors cur-ricula.

In addition to the Capstone requirement, UNH general educa-tion requirements, called Discovery follow emerging practices at state universities and the larger private universities. In addition to Freshman Composition (called English 401), students must complete three writing-intensive courses, one in their major, the other at advanced (600) level. In addition to the writing require-ments, the Discovery Core Foundation Skills include the Inquiry 444 course and Quantitative Reasoning (subjects such as Com-puter Science, Mathematics and Statistics). Discovery Through the Disciplines includes:

One course in Biological Science (BS);One course in Physical Science (PS);A laboratory course in one of the above sciences;One course in Environment, Technology, and Society(ETS);One course in Fine and Performing Arts (FPA);One course in Historical Perspectives (HP);One course in Humanities (HUMA);One course in Social Science (SS); andOne course in World Cultures (WC)

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This curriculum, which is in its third year, also included revisions to the “gatekeeper” courses, introductory courses in subjects that are taken by students in several majors to satisfy require-ments. Such courses include Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Physics and Psychology. As one example, one-third of all first-year students take an introductory Biology course says Lisa MacFarlane, the university’s Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. This course includes a lecture as well as labs which have been structured into three-four week sequences, each around student-designed group experiments to answer a re-search question. Each group then presents their experiment and findings to the rest of the lab. “In the course we try to ex-pose students to how a scientific community operates. We show them how it involves ruling out the wrong answers.” The university has also developed, as another example, a Calculus-Physics lab course which shows how calculus is used to solve problems in physics and engineering. Honors sections are also available in these introductory courses, among other subjects.

In addition, UNH offers an extensive selection of study abroad programs and participates in the National Student Exchange which offers the opportunity to study at other U.S. colleges and universities. The university’s Washington Semester allows stu-dents to spend a spring or summer in the nation’s capital. UNH also offers a January term between the fall and spring semes-ters

In 2008-09, the UNH administration used the Collegiate Learn-ing Assessment (CLA), a widely-used measurement tool to measure student problem-solving capabilities. Students who take the CLA are given a detailed problem description as well as all relevant data. They are evaluated on two writing exer-cises: how well they make an argument and how well they cri-tique one. Among UNH seniors who took the CLA, 89 percent scored higher than students at comparable institutions, an excel-lent indicator of the quality of the academic instruction and sup-port services.

UNH students gave their faculty a rating of 3.68 out of a possi-ble five points on RateMyProfessors. com. This is about the same as Boston University (3.70) and Quinnipiac University (3.71) students rated their faculty, but also higher than North-eastern University students rated their’s (3.55). URI students rated their faculty about the same as the students at the Univer-sity of Massachusetts (3.69), University of Connecticut (3.66), University of Rhode Island (3.71), University of Maine (3.69) and the University of Vermont (3.66). However students at the In-state school considered most often by applicants to UNH, St. Anselm (3.79), rated their faculty higher.

8 Alumni RelationsCareer Services

Connections

Fast Facts

1. UNH has 130,000 living alumni.

2. Younger alumni, those less than ten years out of school, reside in New Hampshire as well as the Boston, New York City, Washington D.C. and Chicago metropolitan areas as well as Florida.

3. UNH’s Fall, 2012 Job and Internship fair attracted more than 1,000 students and 100 employers.

4. 54 percent of 2012 graduates surveyed reported that they had completed one or more internships.

25

Building a Network

UNH has 130,000 living alumni, more than the Univer-sity of Maine or the University of Rhode Island. Approxi-mately 50,000 reside in New Hampshire. Younger alumni, those less than ten years out of school, reside in New Hampshire as well as the Boston, New York City, Washington D.C. and Chicago metropolitan areas as well as Florida. The alumni association has nine volun-teer chapters. Membership is free to graduates

Alumni-student interactions happen more frequently at UNH than at most other state universities. The university has a Students-Young Alumni association that has taken on admissions, career mentoring and career networking projects. There is also a Pathways Mentoring program involving 75 UNH juniors and seniors who are paired with alumni who meet with the student five or six times a year. Geographically-organized alumni chapters host col-lege fairs for admitted students and their parents; some also send congratulatory cards and gifts. These chapters also host sports watch parties--four UNH football games

Connections

26

were to be televised during the 2012 season--as well as their local programs. The Boston chapter, for example, hosted a Welcome to Boston event featuring eight alumni employed by the Red Sox.

Like most universities, UNH has a Homecoming as well as a Parents-Family Weekend. Business school alumni address classes on the Friday before Homecoming.

The UNH Parents Association organizes Parents-Family Weekend and provides information and resources to par-ents throughout the school year. A 20-member Parent’s Council meets four times a year. All parents receive a calendar and are well informed of student deadlines and due dates.

UNH’s Alumni LinkedIn group has approximately 3,600 members. The university has more than 13,000 “likes” on Facebook as well as more than 3,400 followers on Twitter.

UNH hosts two career and internship fairs, one in the fall semester, the other in the spring. The business school has its own fair as well. The Fall, 2012 fair attracted inter-est from 110 employers. It had to be moved to the Whitte-

more Center to accommodate them. Each fair attracts more than 1,000 students says Judy Spiller, the univer-sity’s Associate Provost for First-Year Programs and Ori-entation and interim Director of University Advising and Career Services. Outside of the job fairs approximately 200 employers recruited on campus. Accounting, Civil Engineering, Computer and Electrical Engineering, Com-puter Science, Finance, Information Technology and Me-chanical Engineering were the majors in greatest de-mand. UNH offers the usual counseling, resume review and job search tools, including Wildcat Careers, the uni-versity’s online jobs database

54 percent of 2012 graduates surveyed reported that they had completed one or more internships, not count-ing any experiential learning that might have been part of a class, says Judy Spiller. One-third of these students reported that they had more than one internship before graduation.

9 Summing up

Conclusions

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Report Card: University of New Hampshire

UNH is a very good school that works hard to retain and graduate the good as well as the very good and excellent students. The university is a “best buy” for the very good (3.5+ GPA, 1200 to 1340 SAT) student who would prefer not to attend their home state’s flagship university or a pri-vate school.

Honors-level instruction and research opportunities are more accessible at UNH than they are at larger public universities as well as private insti-tutions that have stronger brand recognition. Those who want a taste of New England, including the occasional visit to Boston, the region’s larg-est city, will not be disappointed. Mass transit services are excellent. The campus and surrounding area also have a New England “look and feel” that many will find quite appealing.

However,while out-of-state students chose UNH knowing they would pay more, in-state students have a more expensive least-cost option than their peers who live in other states. In addition, Durham, while a quaint community, offers far less to do than many other college towns that serve a flagship state university.

Conclusions

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Freshman Retention

4-Year/6-Year

Graduation Rates

Costs Comforts Community Curriculum Connections

B+ A

B B+ for out-of-

state scholarship

students

A B+ A B+

Strengths Weaknesses

Attractive, walkable campus makes UNH appear less intimidating than larger state schools.

First-year preparation. Students can actually do research as freshmen.

Gatekeeper courses more thoughtfully developed than at most other state schools.

Small graduate student population leads to attractive research opportunit ies for undergraduates as well as research awards

Generous scholarships for students who might otherwise be “bread and butter” students at UConn, Boston Univerity or Northeastern.

Excellent location for hockey fans and those who enjoy outdoor recreation.

Excellent school for studies of the sea

Excellent mass transit service to Boston, Portsmouth, now extending into Portland and Freeport.

Alumni base quite centric to New England states

Durham is a very small college town, though Portsmouth and the university are centers for entertainment.

High sticker price and indebtedness for a state university.

Notes:

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The End