NJIT's College of Science and Liberal Arts Attracts Record Freshman Applicants

All-time highs in freshman applicants are being reported this year at NJIT’s College of Science and Liberal Arts (CSLA), according to the university’s latest admissions report for fall 2021.

NJIT’s Office of Admissions says CSLA’s freshman applicants this year (approximately 2,500) have risen more than 15% from 2020 and 25% compared to pre-pandemic totals in 2019 (1,850).

“The increase in freshman applicants and interest in the many degree programs offered by the College of Science and Liberal Arts are likely due to a number of factors, chief among them a confluence of circumstances over the past year that affected nearly everyone in profound ways and cutting-edge, future-focused degree programs that are attractive and designed to prepare students for success,” said CSLA Dean Kevin Belfield.

Nearly all 14 of CSLA undergraduate degree programs saw record turnout in applicants this year, up from their previous high-water marks in 2020 — the most notable increases among the college’s longstanding programs being in biology (12%);  biochemistry (21%); environmental science (41%); forensic science (15%); and law, technology, and culture (25%)

CSLA’s biology program, in particular, saw the second-most applications (1,100) of any undergraduate degree program at NJIT in a year in which the university received its highest freshman applicant total ever, according to the report. 

The college’s biology program has more than 340 undergraduate students enrolled currently, engaged in everything from neuroscience, medical genomics and behavioral studies to entomology, paleontology and marine life research inside NJIT’s $86 million Central King Building renovation. The program has earned recognition atop several national rankings in recent years, while boasting one of the highest acceptance rates among its pre-med students to advanced medical programs in the country at 92%.

“The [success] has validated NJIT’s decision to renovate our historic Central King Building into a state-of-the-art research and teaching facility for biological sciences, the design of which incorporated faculty input from the very beginning,” said NJIT Biology Department Associate Chair Gareth Russell. “A majority of our biology students are pursuing health-related professions, and we are able to offer those students what I describe as a ‘boutique’ pre-health advising experience, with personalized attention and an in-depth application preparation sequence. This, coupled with our students’ hard work, results in an outstanding acceptance rate to medical, dental and other health professional programs.”

These investments in research and teaching facilities have dovetailed with an increase in undergraduate scholarships and research opportunities at the college. Last year, CSLA reported nearly 30 students involved in advanced Provost Summer Research Fellowships as well as two recipients of 2020 Goldwater Scholarships, one of the most sought-after scholarships for STEM undergraduates pursuing research careers. For context, Harvard University claimed three 2020 Goldwater scholars in total.

Belfield now says that some new and expanding programs recently launched at the college are poised to continue increasing applicant interest at the college. 

“As we look ahead, we envision continued growth and expansion of areas of concentration in new programs, such as cyberpsychology, data science, and forensic science as well as environmental science,” said Belfield.

One of the college’s newest degree program in cyberpsychology, launched this year and the first of its kind offered in the U.S., has already begun attracting world-renowned experts in the behavioral sciences and the program could soon expand to include a master’s degree. The college has created similar recent buzz with the launch of New Jersey’s first-ever forensic science degree program. The program, which opened its doors to its first freshman class in 2019, has seen its ranks more than double this year and should exceed 70 students by Fall 2022, according to Belfield. Supporting the program is a newly minted multi-million-dollar forensics lab and hiring of the region’s top experts who teach everything from crime scene investigation to cyber forensics.

“These programs aim to prepare a new generation of professionals that will contribute to their fields and have a significant impact on CSLA and NJIT for years to come,” said Belfield. “We will continue to build upon this success to revise and develop forward-thinking programs to posit our graduates as the most skilled and desirable of any in the country.”