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Summary
Fairfield University is a private institution that was founded in 1942. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,835, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 200 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Fairfield University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities (North), 2. Its tuition and fees are $41,690 (2012-13).
Fairfield University is a private, Jesuit school located on the shoreline of Connecticut, about 60 miles from New York City. At Fairfield, students can choose from more than 40 undergraduate majors or more than 35 advanced degrees, including those in the Dolan School of Business or the nursing school. Fairfield encourages students to explore the arts by bringing numerous performers to campus each year. In Fairfield’s various venues and theaters, students can see dance troupes, musical acts, magic shows, acrobatics, live radio dramas, and traveling art exhibits. Students can also explore about 80 campus organizations or jump on a train for an hour to New York. There are also many club and intramural sports at Fairfield and 20 Stags varsity teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Notable alumni include Carmen Wong Ulrich, host of CNN’s finance show, On the Money, and actor Paul Marcarelli, famed for asking, “Can you hear me now?” in numerous Verizon Wireless commercials.
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Fairfield University is a Jesuit and Catholic University that was established in 1942 and is rooted in one of the world's oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. Fairfield prepares students for leadership and service in a constantly changing world through broad intellectual inquiry, the pursuit of social justice, and cultivation of the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. Located in the shoreline town of Fairfield, Connecticut, the 200-acre campus is just 60 miles outside New York City, in the heart of a region where the future takes shape. Fairfield has a total of 4,991 students; 3,835 undergraduates, 1,156 graduate students and 800 continuing studies students. Students represent 25 states and 34 countries and are enrolled in the University's five schools College of Arts & Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Engineering, Charles F. Dolan School of Business, and Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions. With a comprehensive core curriculum, over 40 undergraduate majors, 38 graduate programs, 20 Division I athletic teams, and more than 80 student clubs and organizations, Fairfield offers a wide range of opportunities for research, internships, service, civic engagement and personal enrichment. A significant achievement for Fairfield University is that over 60 graduates have been tapped as Fulbright scholars since 1993. When considering an applicant for admission, Fairfield looks at measures of academic achievement, students' curricular and extracurricular activities, their life skills and accomplishments, and the degree to which they have an appreciation for Fairfield's mission and outlook. Students are challenged to be creative and active members of a community in which diversity is encouraged and honored. |
General Information
| School type | private, coed college |
| Year founded | 1942 |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic (Jesuit) |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | suburban |
| 2011 Endowment | $254,004,000 |
Applying
When applying to Fairfield University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 15, and the early action deadline and the early decision deadline are November 1 and January 1, respectively. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due January 15. The application fee at Fairfield University is $60. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 69.4 percent and an early acceptance rate of 66.2 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 69.4% |
| Application deadline | January 15 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | January 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Fairfield University is 11:1, and the school has 51.5 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Fairfield University include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Health Professions and Related Programs; Social Sciences; Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs; and Psychology. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 88.8 percent.
Student Life
Fairfield University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,835, with a gender distribution of 41.6 percent male students and 58.4 percent female students. At this school, 81.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 19.0 percent of students live off campus. Fairfield University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 4,991 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
Fairfield University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. Fairfield University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Fairfield University, 37 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Fairfield University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 37% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At Fairfield University, 58.1 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $21,077.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| Tuition and fees | $41,690 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $12,550 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
