School Spotlight: Union College

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. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school! School Spotlight: Union College Schenectady, NY Picture this: a liberal arts college that also offers an amazing engineering program (complete with majors in biomedical, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering). Or a D3 school that also features a top ranked D1 men’s ice hockey team. Yes, these two descriptions both point to the same college: Union College in upstate NY. Founded in 1795 and serving 2,200 undergraduates from 40 states and 36 countries, Union provides academic, social, and athletic opportunities usually found at much larger institutions. In addition to the aforementioned strength in engineering, Union also boasts highly selective accelerated programs in medicine and law with Albany Medical College and Albany Law School. All students, regardless of their major, satisfy academic requirements through the Common Curriculum, but unique to Union is a sophomore research seminar that ensures students gain hands-on experience with academic research early on in their collegiate careers. This past year, sophomores explored the research process in courses such as Sport & American Identity; Music as Activism; and Jewish Graphic Novels. All students belong to one of the College’s Minerva Houses, which serve as a hub for social and academic life on campus, while interested students can also live in one of the 13 themed houses (which range from sustainability in the Ozone House to stress relief in the Serenity House). Image Credit: Top, Courtesy of Union College