Rider University
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Students find their future at Rider University through a highly personalized education rooted in engaged learning, which emphasizes exploration, collaboration, involvement and hands-on experiences throughout their studies.
Engaged learning is the unifying thread that runs throughout a Rider education, but it is a deeply individual experience for students, shaped by their own passion, interests, aspirations and choices.
For more than 150 years, students have chosen Rider to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed for career success or to pursue advanced study. A private, coeducational university, Rider’s location in Lawrenceville, New Jersey — just 90 minutes from New York City and 60 minutes from Philadelphia — offers students exceptional internship, co-op and field experiences to test and launch their careers.
Rider students also are connected by a desire to make a difference as members of a global community that begins on campus and extends around the world. With more than 100 student clubs and organizations and a host of leadership development, study abroad, honors and multicultural programs, Rider students are encouraged and supported in their efforts to make a difference.
Get to know Rider University
Student Activities
- Campus Ministries
- Choral groups
- Concert band
- Dance
- Drama/theatre
- International Student Organization
- Literary magazine
- Model UN
- Music ensembles
- Musical theatre
- Pep band
- Radio station
- Student government
- Student newspaper
- Student-run film society
- Television station
College Highlights
Starting on their first day on campus, students are introduced to Rider’s six pillars of engaged learning, around which they will build their education:
- Internships, Co-Ops and Field Experiences
- Study Abroad
- Volunteer Service-Learning
- Leadership Development
- Student-Faculty Research
- The Arts
The University’s New Student Engagement Experience and Freshman Seminar are both designed to help students explore Rider’s programs and activities, and learn how to integrate engaged learning in their academic, social and extracurricular pursuits.
SHARED READ
Rider’s Shared Read program helps unite each incoming class by involving students in a common learning experience. All first-year students are sent a copy of the selected book during the summer before their arrival on campus, and are given a related assignment to be completed during orientation, followed by other activities throughout the year. The 2018 selection is How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being Young and Arab in America, by Moustafa Bayoum. All Rider students, faculty and staff also are invited to participate in related dialogue and activities.
STUDY ABROAD
Rider students can take advantage of study abroad experiences at a variety of exchange partner schools, direct enrollment schools, and Rider-affiliated study abroad institutions, as well as countries of the student’s choosing. In addition to semester or year-long study abroad experiences, Rider also hosts many faculty-led academic or service-learning study abroad programs during the summer and January term. Programs in 2019 include Arts Abroad: London & Athens; Global Encounters in China; Service Learning in Thailand; Innovation & Technology in Peru; and Ireland: The Business of Sports.
UNDERGRADUATE/FACULTY RESEARCH
At any given time, three out of every five Rider faculty members are actively collaborating with students on some form of scientific or academic research, serving as advisors, mentors or co-researchers. Students can become involved in research as early as their first year on campus.
“At my first job, I had a leg up on other grads. I knew what was happening. I could picture the experiment in my mind and understand it.” – Thomas Vajtay ‘13, Quality Control Biochemist, Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.
MULTICULTURAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Rider is a welcoming community. The Multicultural Student Leadership Institute (MSLI) celebrates student diversity in all forms — from color, national and ethnic origins and age, to gender and sexual orientation, religious beliefs, marital status, and disabilities. MSLI’s semester-long program helps students transition to Rider and develop essential leadership skills so their voice and perspective can be heard.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Rider is widely known for fostering leadership. The University’s Center for Leadership Development (CLD), open to all students, is ranked as one of the top programs of its kind in the country. There are also a variety of discipline-specific leadership programs, such as DAARSTOC (Developing Administrative Abilities and Resources Through the Synergistic Training & Organizational Competencies), a program for business students focusing on executive skill-building for maximum professional and personal effectiveness. The University also recognizes students who assume key leadership roles in campus organizations with financial grants.
“Rider pushed me to be a leader and a student with knowledge and experience. When I went to work in the real world, I was prepared and had experience to back me up.” – Rushae Glover ‘18, Global Strategy Analyst, Johnson & Johnson
HEALTH STUDIES INSTITUTE
Rider’s unique Health Studies Institute engages members throughout the campus community to bring interdisciplinary solutions to local and global health issues. Education, innovation, and outreach are the Institute’s three main areas of focus, taking Rider’s breadth of knowledge beyond the University’s walls in order to bring valuable contributions to the future of healthcare.
CLASS SIZE
The number of sections of each class size.
2-9: 97 | 10-19: 366 | 20-29: 260
30-39: 112 | 40-49: 20 | 50-99: 6 | 100+: 0
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Nonresident aliens: 106
Hispanic/Latino: 626
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 494
White, non-Hispanic: 2,217
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 7
Asian, non-Hispanic: 185
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 146
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 49
Total enrollment: 3,830
A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Learning doesn’t happen in isolation at Rider. With an average class size of 21 students and an 11:1 student/faculty ratio, students receive one-to-one guidance and mentoring from a highly involved and professionally active faculty. More than 98 percent of Rider’s faculty members hold a Ph.D. or highest degree in their field, and the University does not use graduate students or teaching assistants for undergraduate instruction. Students are advised and taught by senior faculty beginning in their first year of study.
“Rider has exceptional faculty who are experienced in the field. They know what they are talking about and they are well-connected in the industry.” – Samantha Breccia ’15, Senior Account Manager, Financial Services and Healthcare, Bliss Integrated Communication, New York City
FRESHMAN SEMINAR
Conducted during a student’s first semester, this 10-week program introduces students to all facets of academic and extracurricular life at Rider, including study strategies, engaged learning, exploration of majors, career preparation, study abroad, internships and more.
THE GLASS PROGRAM
Undecided students can take advantage of Rider’s General Liberal Arts and Science Studies (GLASS) program as part of their freshman experience, which allows them to explore academic areas of interest and discover the major that is right for them. This unique year-long program involves class visits in areas of interest and personal advisement, as well as peer mentors that connect freshmen with successful and experienced upper-level students.
HONORS PROGRAMS
Rider’s Honors programs are designed to challenge intellectually curious students who seek more in their academic experience by encouraging them to look at an issue from multiple perspectives and to think with independence and imagination. Baccalaureate Honors is open to students of all majors, exploring subjects through team-taught courses led by faculty from different disciplines. Business Honors is open to business majors with an emphasis on building leadership and team-building skills.
“My professors inspired me. They passed on a passion for teaching and an individual focus I’ll carry with me into my own classroom.” – David Eggert ‘18, Special Education Teacher, West Windsor-Plainsboro School District
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Accelerated program
Cooperative education program
Cross-registration
Distance learning
Double major
Dual enrollment
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Liberal arts/career combination
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
Weekend college
“I had incredible learning experiences with the Rider faculty, and I grew exponentially through my experiences outside the classroom. That confluence of experiences inside and outside the classroom molded me.” – John Modica ‘18, Doctoral Student in English, University of Virginia
“I was incredibly impressed by the endless opportunities and resources Rider offered. I could get involved on campus, gain invaluable leadership experiences, study abroad, pursue internships — and truly make a difference.” – Elizabeth Huang ‘15, MSc, Georgetown University
Human Resource Assistant, International Food Policy Research Institute
ISCAP DAY
The annual Independent Scholarship & Creative Activities Presentations (ISCAP) Day is a celebration of the creative and innovative minds that thrive at Rider, where dozens of students representing every field of study present the results of their independent study and research projects. It also provides a forum for students and faculty to engage in interdisciplinary discussions about their work.
LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Rider offers a wide range of residential and academic learning communities that enable students to live, take classes and study with other students who share common interests, including baccalaureate honors, business honors, communication and journalism, community service, international learning, psychology, science, and women’s interests.
SERVICE LEARNING
Service learning is an integral part of the Rider experience, with all students contributing more than 30,000 hours annually through volunteer opportunities. Activities include Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life (a student-run program that has raised more than $200,000 for cancer survivors), and even service learning trips worldwide that integrate cultural immersion with volunteer activity.
For students seeking a higher level of service learning engagement, Rider’s Bonner Scholars work weekly to address the issues of hunger, homelessness, adult literacy and at-risk youth. Part of a national community service leadership development program, Bonner Scholars are awarded an annual stipend in recognition of their service, can register early for classes and have the opportunity to attend national conferences.
REBOVICH INSTITUTE FOR NEW JERSEY POLITICS
Every year, the Rebovich Institute hosts a series of campus events that bring leading state and national political figures to campus. Dedicated to public service and the scholarly analysis of government, public policy and elections in New Jersey, the Institute also coordinates political internships where students can network and gain experience.
PERFORMING ARTS
Thanks to the University’s outstanding theatre and musical theatre programs, Rider students enjoy six major theatre productions each year (including two musicals), in addition to many other experimental and student-produced shows, dances and performances. Rider has three theaters on campus.
STUDENT GLOBAL VILLAGE CLASS
Through video conference technology, this unusual course features a semester-long series of classes connecting Rider students with students at the American University of Cairo or another international university to engage in dialogue and discussions based on chosen themes.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 79%
Undergraduates: 53%
Campus housing options.
Coed Dorms
Women’s dorms
Special housing for disabled students
Special housing for international students
Fraternity/sorority housing
Theme housing
Wellness housing
SCHOOL LOCATION
Rider University is strategically located between New York City and Philadelphia, and is just 90-minute drive from the New Jersey shore. This region features one of America’s highest concentrations of national and multinational corporations, government agencies, emerging technology firms and state-of-the-art healthcare organizations. It is also a focal point of American art and culture, history and sports. Its location offers Rider students easy access to hands-on experiences in virtually every area of study, as well as opportunities for exploration, relaxation and personal enrichment.
ATHLETICS
GO BRONCS!
Rider has a total of 20 NCAA Division I teams — 10 each for men and women. Its teams participate in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MACC), with the exception of men’s wrestling, which competes in the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL). The Rider Broncs are frequent top MAAC contenders in many sports.
Rider also hosts 15 club sports, from aikido and E-sports to equestrian and lacrosse. Interested students can learn more at gobroncs.com
INTERNSHIPS AND MORE
Every day, more than 1,400 Rider students are gaining hands-on experience through internships, co-ops, and field experience. Those experiences lead to measurable outcomes: fully 98 percent of all Rider graduates are working, attending graduate school or volunteering within six months of graduation.
Rider helps students begin planning and preparing for a career starting in their first year through counseling services, career workshops and training, and online job search resources offered by Career Development and Success. Every year more than 300 employers come to campus to recruit students for internships and full-time employment after graduation. Rider graduates can be found working at such leading firms as AIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Deloitte & Touche, LLP, ESPN, Merrill Lynch, PNC Bank, and Walt Disney Company.
SHADOW EXPERIENCE
Through a special partnership with Rider alumni and area community business leaders, students majoring in the liberal arts and sciences can spend 25 hours in a professional setting related to their career interest, as well as develop valuable networking connections with a mentor and others in the field.
ENGAGED LEARNING TRANSCRIPT
When students graduate from Rider, they receive an engaged living transcript that demonstrates how they connected their learning to the world around them through internships, leadership, research, engagement in the arts, study abroad and service to others. Rider’s engaged learning transcript documents a student’s completion of high-impact engaged learning experiences in at least two categories of engaged learning. A companion to a student’s academic transcript, it is an official record of how the student applied knowledge in practical settings outside of the classroom.
“I came here eager to learn and Rider gave me so many opportunities to grow and develop. Now I’m at Yale — another level Rider encouraged me to reach. I will always be grateful.” – Jonathan Tyson, ‘16, PhD Candidate, Researcher, Yale University Department of Chemistry
“Rider was exactly the environment I was looking for. I did field, lab and analytical work. I participated on teams as well as spent time figuring things out on my own. I also presented research at professional meetings — an invaluable experience that made my learning relevant.” – Muhammad Y. Sarwar, ‘15, Environmental Services Trainee, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 83%
Undergraduates: 54%
Campus housing options.
Coed dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for single students
Special housing for disabled students
Fraternity/sorority housing
Wellness housing
Suites
Special Interest Areas: Quiet, First Year Experience, Science, Learning Community
Admission
Rider’s application review process is a holistic evaluation of the student’s application and supporting credentials. The primary objective is to assess the student’s readiness for success at Rider. Therefore, the greatest emphasis is on the student’s academic work, as demonstrated by the transcript. Beyond GPA, Rider considers such factors as the rigor of academic course selection and overall trends in performance. And, of course, for audition-based majors, the student’s audition is a significant factor.
Rider is a test-optional university. By selecting “test-optional” on the application, students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores for consideration for admission and academic scholarships.
Ninety-nine percent of Rider’s students receive grants and scholarships directly from Rider’s own funds. In combination with rich scholarships awarded at the time of admission, Rider uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to provide need-based funds, often making the cost of attendance comparable to that of a public university.
Early Action applicants may also receive an early financial aid award by completing the FAFSA by November 15.
Rider practices need-blind admission.
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Rigor of secondary school record | Academic GPA | Application Essay | Recommendation(s)
Considered
Class rank | Standardized test scores (test optional beginning 2019) | Interview | Extracurricular activities | Talent/ability
Character/personal qualities | Alumni/ae relation | Geographical residence | State residency | Volunteer work
Work experience | Level of applicant’s interest
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 500 | 75th Percentile: 600
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 500 | 75th Percentile: 590
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 25
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 18 | 75th Percentile: 24
ACT English
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 25
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $42,120
Fees: $740
Room & Board: $15,280
Room: $10,020
Board: $5,260
What Others are Saying
Contact Rider University
Contact Admissions
www.rider.edu/admissions
(609) 896-5042 or (800) 257-9026
admissions@rider.edu
Campus Location
2083 Lawrenceville Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
(609) 896-5000
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