Sacred Heart University | Alexa Flash Briefing

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges, including this week’s School Spotlight, Sacred Heart University. As the second largest Catholic college in New England (can you name the first?), Sacred Heart University is ideally situated 90 minutes from Manhattan and 150 minutes from Boston. Over 5,100 undergraduates call SHU home, and approximately 90 percent live on campus. Sacred Heart’s residence halls are living and learning communities that espouse the university’s Catholic values by placing a special emphasis on developing students’ compassion, faith, and social responsibility. Thanks to the university’s many volunteer and service learning programs, there are dozens of ways for students to put these teachings into action! Many students stay local and serve as tutors in nearby public schools, while others seek to make a difference further afield though international immersion programs in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. On campus, students can choose from majors such as coastal & marine science, game design & development, neuroscience, and sport management. The University also offers a wide variety of accelerated bachelor's/master’s degrees in high-demand fields including occupational therapy and nursing, as well as “fast track” 3-year bachelor’s degrees in disciplines like biochemistry, criminal justice, and psychology. Between its 32 D1 athletic teams and 29 club sport teams, not to mention a brand new rec center (featuring a climbing wall, bowling alley, and HD golf simulator), SHU offers students countless ways to stay active outside the classroom, too! (Answer: the largest Catholic college in New England is Boston College.)