About Union College-Schenectady

Founded in 1795, Union College-Schenectady. is a Private college. Located in New York, which is a city setting in New York, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 2,203 full time undergraduate students, and 0 full time graduate students.

The Union College-Schenectady Academic calendar runs on a Trimester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 10:1. There are 221 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Union College-Schenectady include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate36%
Application Deadline15-Nov
Application Fee0
SAT Range
ACT Range

Admissions at are considered More Selective, with ,22% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 8 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

98% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 85% were in the top quarter, and 57% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE Reviews

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Union College-Schenectady.

2%
“We”re apathetic”
48%
“We know about current events and vote”
45%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
5%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
3%
“We save it for the classroom”
27%
“Sometimes, but not often”
50%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
19%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
13%
“I only go out in groups”
48%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
39%
“I feel extremely safe”
2%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
82%
“We bought the gear”
16%
“We live for the big game”
3%
“It”s not really our thing”
41%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
49%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
7%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
0%
“Available in class”
26%
“They keep regular office hours”
74%
“They”re always available”
0%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
11%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
69%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
19%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
7%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
34%
“We only party on weekends”
59%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
5%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
31%
“There might be people who do”
52%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
11%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
2%
“We”re apathetic”
48%
“We know about current events and vote”
45%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
5%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
3%
“We save it for the classroom”
27%
“Sometimes, but not often”
50%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
19%
“All the time, including weekends”
0%
“I”m always terrified”
13%
“I only go out in groups”
48%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
39%
“I feel extremely safe”
2%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
82%
“We bought the gear”
16%
“We live for the big game”
3%
“It”s not really our thing”
41%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
49%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
7%
“We”re a very artistic group”
0%
“Haven”t met them”
0%
“Available in class”
26%
“They keep regular office hours”
74%
“They”re always available”
0%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
11%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
69%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
19%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
7%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
34%
“We only party on weekends”
59%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
5%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
31%
“There might be people who do”
52%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
11%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
Write a review, Enter to win $1,000 Scholarship

  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    45 Students rated on-campus housing 4 stars. 24 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    31 Students rated off-campus housing 3.3 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    45 Students rated campus food 3.3 stars. 9 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    45 Students rated campus facilities 4.3 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    45 Students rated class size 4.8 stars. 82 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    45 Students rated school activities 4.3 stars. 49 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    45 Students rated local services 4 stars. 47 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    45 Students rated academics 3.8 stars. 33 % gave the school a 5.0.

Union College-Schenectady REVIEWS

What's your overall opinion of Union College-Schenectady?

7 Students rated Union College-Schenectady

Doug - 01/08/2022

Awful school. Greek life dominates the campus and if you don’t get into a social group by the first few weeks of freshmen year, expect to be a loner. Many students are highly degenerate and alumni network is garbage. Haven’t met an alumnus that wasn’t vapid. If I could do it all over again, I would pick a different school. Icing on the cake: fraternities are both above and next to dorm rooms. There’s very little accountability. I will say most professors and staff are pretty good. Gym is great and food wasn’t that bad.

Alex - 02/07/2021

Union is a really awesome place to go to school. The opportunities are amazing, the people are supportive, and the community is connected. Want to do research as a first-year or sophomore? You can do it here! Want to lead a club? You can get involved right away. There's always something going on on campus, and you'll be able to find or develop your passions. The academic culture is collaborative (not competitive), and faculty are incredible. Professors know you and your goals, and will help you achieve them if you put in the time and effort. I loved living on campus for four years and having some great upperclassman housing options (Minervas are nice, Greek life is an option, theme houses, apartments, etc.). Much has been updated on campus in the last few years! New dining service is great, new science and engineering complex is state-of-the-art, and our new President and several new administrators are pretty fantastic and top of things. I'm so grateful to have experienced Union.

Emily - 02/19/2020

It is an amazing place to go to college. I really enjoy the close knit community that Union has created where students and facility are more like friends and family. The class sizes are small so you really get to know one another and your teach knows you. The manerva houses are my favorite feature of campus because it provides you a space that actually feels like home, not just four walls in a door building.

Adrianna - 03/26/2018

Union College is an amazing school with a lot of opportunities for all of their students. There are always activities for all students to participate in and the life on campus is great since it's a small campus, so everyone knows everyone. Union makes you feel at home and if a school is able to do that, then it is one heck of a school.

Union College-Schenectady FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Union College-Schenectady?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Union College-Schenectady is 36%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.

  2. Describe the students at your school.

    They work hard, but because of that, they also party hard.

    Read all 59 answers

  3. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    Lack of diversity

    Read all 53 answers

  4. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    If there's one thing that any Union student would change, it would have to be Schenectady. I know people who have made it through college without ever venturing off campus. I personally don't think its too bad but I know a lot of people who do. On the brightside, Albany is just around the corner and there's plenty to do there. Also, Union does a really good job keeping campus interesting with comedians and movies and all other sorts of things on weekends.

    Read all 53 answers

  5. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    There are quite a few wealthy, white kids whose families have been coming to Union for generations but I feel that Union is a changing school. The freshmen class this year has the highest diversity percentage in Union's history and I've made friends with many more ethnically diverse students than I ever had in the past.

    Read all 51 answers

  6. What are the academics like at your school?

    I love Union's size. The campus is large enough to avoid feeling closed in but the student bosy is small enough that I feel like a person and not a number. Within my first week of classes, all the professors in my department knew my name and I felt comfortable talking to any of them. Several of my professors have taken classes out to dinner and one even invited the class to dinner at his house. This, of course, wouldn't be possible at larger school but with classes as small as twelve students, I've found college to be a very personal experience so far.

    Read all 50 answers

  7. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    I know and love almost everybody on my floor. People are generally very social.

    Read all 50 answers

  8. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Students: Visit your schools with and without your parents. If they're going to let you live somewhere for the next four years, they're going to want to at the very least, see that place. Spend an overnight. It will help you to get a better view of what campus life is like and you'll leave having learned things about the school that you never could with your parents in tow. Parents: Trust your kids. You're going to have to pretty soon anyway, so you might as well start doing it now. They'll appreciate it, and be more motivated to prove that they deserve that trust. Don't be afraid to offer advice, but don't overdo it. They might not let you know, but they do recognize your wisdom. Good Luck.

    Read all 46 answers

  9. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    There's nothing like a good Friday night on Union's campus. We do the sweaty frat thing really well.

    Read all 31 answers

  10. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    Union can be very snobby sometimes. The majority of the students are from the Westchester area in NY. So, needless to say, there is a bit of a rich air to the campus. Many of the students are very cliquey. Oftentimes the minorities sit together. The sorority sisters sit together. The fraternities sit together. There are not that many people that really try to reach out to all groups of the student population.

    Read all 12 answers

  11. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    That it was preppy and very small.

    Read all 10 answers

  12. What's unique about your campus?

    The people

    Read all 10 answers

  13. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    My school is best known for being in the Top 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges. It also has a good LaCrosse Team, and a 8-year Medical program with Albany Medical College.

    Read all 9 answers

  14. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    The lack of diversity among the kinds of students attending.

    Read all 8 answers

  15. What kind of person should attend this school?

    Someone who already knows what they are interested in (figuring out their major). Next, having great connections and networking with other students and faculty for internships and willing to dedicate a good portion of time to extra-curriculars here.

    Read all 8 answers

  16. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Union is an amazing community of highly motivated students who are all working toward making a difference in the world.

    Read all 8 answers

  17. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    When I brag about Union to my friends, I always mention our division I hockey team, our plethora of activities and clubs, the cultural events that our school brings to campus like documentaries, speakers (for example Mike Hubabee last year!), and crazy parties every weekend. I have lots of pride in our academics, but I don't rub that in with my friends.

    Read all 5 answers

  18. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    You need to have a strong interest in SOMETHING...whether it's drinking, sports, being active in school activities or having the will to go outside and see what the community has to offer without being scared of going alone...otherwise, it can be deathly boring! Know that being in the library during finals is almost a cool thing because this school is BIG on getting As but also BIG on partying...if you're more of a loner or have a hard time making friends, I don't know if you would enjoy this school.

    Read all 2 answers

  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    The college is one of the more expensive ones in America, and with that comes stereotypical people. Although it may be true that many people are well off, many are also on financial aid. Keep in mind that there is and EOP (education opportunity program) at Union College, which gives less priveledged students a special opportuntity to get a Union College degree. So overall, although you may see your fair share of Uggs, Northfaces, and Longchamp bags- don't stereotype the school to being snobby, rich, and spoiled. There are plenty of students who are on budgets, taking out loans, and do also feel the pressure of money. So when you look at someone wearing Uggs, consider the fact that they got them on sale and they aren't necessarily condoning the stereotype. At Union, being a smaller school, you learn to asses people individually and overtime become blind to the stereotypes. So as a Union student myself, I can say that the stereotype isn't accurate. Everyone is really friendly- so just get to know people individually and you will learn about them and how no one is really a stereotype person.

    Read all 1 answers

  20. What are some hot-button issues on campus?

    Compendium of a few Union College initiatives to become more sustainable.

    Read all 1 answers

  21. Tell us about your professors.

    The professors are genuinely loving and caring about you as people. They are all there for you whether it is about your class, confusion about your life choices, or just someone to be a parent for you when you are away from home. They are extremely understanding (of course given you should your dedication and commitment) if things go haywire during the term. And they will help you achieve the grades you want, if you are wiling to put in that extra work.

    Read all 1 answers

Student Body

Students

45%

female

55%

male

2,203

Total Undergrad Enrollment

N/A

Total Grad Students

59%

Out-Of-State

31%

In-State

10%

International

Organizations

115

Student Organizations

12

Fraternities

6

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

89%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
6%
% Black or African-American
4%
% Hispanic/Latino
7%
% White or Caucasian
71%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

85% of students attending Union College-Schenectady receive some sort of financial aid. 12% were awarded federal grants.42%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$51,696

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,500

Books and Supplies

$12,678

Room and Board

65,874

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$8,133
$30 - $48K
$14,372
$48 - $75K
$20,847
$75 - $110K
$25,560
$110K & UP
$41,037

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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