Rider University
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
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
Benefits
College Highlights
RIDER’S PILLARS OF ENGAGED LEARNING
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.
FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
Rider’s First-Year Experience (FYE) is designed to ease the transition to college and lay the foundation for future success. From connecting students with campus resources to enhancing their academic skills and developing their self-awareness, the FYE program is there to help navigate your first year with ease. During the summer before classes start, students are introduced to their personal Rider support team, which consists of faculty, staff, and student leaders who act as guides along the way.
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 2022-23 include Arts Abroad in London & Italy, Business of Sports in Ireland, Health & Ecology in Panama, and Performing Arts in Japan.
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.
“My high school years laid the foundation for the development of my time management and research skills. While at Rider University, I further enhanced these skills which enabled me to be successful in both my undergraduate and graduate studies.”
– Briana Lettsome ’16
COVID-19 Corps Surveillance Officer
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health
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.
“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.
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.
CENTER OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Rider University supports the university’s efforts to reach and foster the understanding and appreciation of different cultures and ways of life that are shared by diverse groups of people through programming, policies, and best practices.
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 2%
Hispanic/Latinx: 20%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 20%
White, non-Hispanic: 52%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 5%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: <1%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 3%
A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Learning doesn’t happen in isolation at Rider. With an average class size of 21 students and a 10:1 student/faculty ratio, students receive one-to-one guidance and mentoring from a highly involved and professionally active faculty. 93% 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
Rider’s First-Year Seminar is an intimate classroom setting focused on promoting a successful academic, personal, and social transition to Rider, and preparing students to grow as global citizens. The class utilizes a common read, a group project, and other common experiences to discuss issues of diversity and social justice.
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“Rider taught me the real value of what a university family can be…having people close by that enjoy what you enjoy..and maybe most importantly learning the appreciation of art.”
– Victoria Francesca Grisanzio ‘21
BUSINESS IN ACTION
The Business in Action program provides first-year students with the opportunity to tie classroom learning to real-world applications. As part of the required course, students are divided into teams and work together to develop and execute a small business plan. They are supported by corporate sponsors who supply start-up funds and serve as mentors throughout the course. Past mentors include representatives from Johnson & Johnson, LGS Marketing Services, and GHO Ventures, LLC.
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 leadership.
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.
SCHOOL LOCATION
Rider University is strategically located between New York City and Philadelphia, and is just a 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.
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
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 80%
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
“My Rider network led me to each of my internship opportunities and eventually to full-time employment.”
– Jake Malek ’20
Pricing Analyst
Mars, Inc.“The moment I stepped on campus I immediately felt as though I entered a community that would build me up and prepare me for the professional world.”
– Francesca Descano ’21
Graduate Student
University of Denver
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.
CRANBERRY INVESTMENT
The Cranberry Investment symbolizes Rider’s investment in every student and the belief in the value and quality of a Rider education. Rider guarantees that graduates will gain an entry-level position or acceptance into a graduate or professional program in their field of study within six months of graduation. Otherwise, Rider provides career coaching and may recommend either nine additional credits of undergraduate coursework in their field of study at no cost or a paid six-month internship.
To read more about student successful outcomes visit rider.edu/stories
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.
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: 510 | 75th Percentile: 620
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 510 | 75th Percentile: 600
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 18 | 75th Percentile: 26
ACT English
25th Percentile: 20 | 75th Percentile: 25
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $36,000
Fees: $1,475
Room & Board: $15,930
Aid
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.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is a state-sponsored program that helps low-income New Jersey residents attend college. Students are admitted into the program when they have demonstrated academic readiness, academic potential, determination, a genuine desire to learn, and a need for financial assistance. Students receiving an EOP grant may be eligible for other state and federal grants. Rider’s EOP financial aid offer letters cover nearly 100% of the required cost for students of greatest need.
THE MILESTONE SCHOLARS PROGRAM
The Milestone Scholars Program offers students who show signs of great potential an opportunity to benefit from an individualized educational experience during their first year at Rider. MSP is a unique academic program offered through the Academic Success Center that provides motivated students with the assistance and guidance needed to achieve their milestones.
LIFTING BARRIERS
The Lifting Barriers initiative aims to make a life-changing Rider education more accessible and more valuable for new undergraduate students than ever — with reduced tuition, enriched career preparation, and ongoing investments in infrastructure.
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