Merrimack College

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U.S. News Rankings

Ranking score and category

U.S. News rank Category Name #10 Regional Colleges (North)

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Summary

Merrimack College is a private institution that was founded in 1947. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,319, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 220 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Merrimack College's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Colleges (North), 10. Its tuition and fees are $33,920 (2012-13).

School mission and unique qualities (as provided by the school):

Founded in 1947, by the Order of St. Augustine, Merrimack College is a private, selective college located just outside of Boston. The College offers 35 undergraduate majors in liberal arts, science and engineering, business and education. Merrimack also offers graduate programs in business, education, and science and part-time degree completion and certificate programs. The College's 2,200 students come from 20 states and 22 countries to form an engaged community of thinkers, learners and achievers who are driven to making a difference in the world. Known for a distinctive and personal approach to learning, students can take advantage of hands-on opportunities including cooperative education and internships, research with faculty, study abroad and service learning. In addition to traditional majors and minors, students can choose programs tailored for high-demand fields including biotechnology, digital media arts and sports medicine. A special point of pride is ABET-accredited engineering programs, unusual in a small college. Approximately 80 percent of students live on campus, contributing to a strong sense of community. Small classes, a 12-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, an active campus ministry, varied housing choices and continuously improved facilities also support the close-knit atmosphere. Merrimack students are involved outside of the classroom in over 60 clubs and organizations and over 400 students participate in club, intramural or collegiate sports. The College offers more than 20 varsity sports for men and women, including Division I men's hockey. Merrimack has been ranked consistently high among peer institutions by U.S. News & World Report for more than a decade and has also been named one of the best colleges and universities in the Northeast by The Princeton Review.

General Information

School type	private, coed college
Year founded	1947
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
Academic calendar	semester
Setting	suburban
2011 Endowment	$37,192,284

Applying

When applying to Merrimack College, it's important to note the application deadline is February 15, and the early action deadline and the early decision deadline are November 30 and November 15, respectively. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 15. It is less selective, with an acceptance rate of 87.9 percent and an early acceptance rate of 97.4 percent.

For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.

Selectivity	less selective
Fall 2011 acceptance rate	87.9%
Application deadline	February 15
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	February 15

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Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Merrimack College is 12:1, and the school has 68.0 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Merrimack College include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Psychology, General; Political Science and Government, General; Education, General; and Exercise Physiology. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 78.2 percent.

Class sizes
Student-faculty ratio	12:1
4-year graduation rate	60
Five most popular majors for 2011 graduates
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 36% Psychology, General 6% Political Science and Government, General 5% Education, General 4% Exercise Physiology 4%

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Student Life

Merrimack College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,319, with a gender distribution of 52.2 percent male students and 47.8 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. Merrimack College is part of the NCAA II athletic conference.

Total enrollment	2,453
Student gender distribution
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA II

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Campus Info & Services

Merrimack College offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Merrimack College 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, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Merrimack College.

Students who have cars on campus	N/A
Health insurance offered	Yes
Students required to own/lease a computer	No

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Paying for School

At Merrimack College, 68.2 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $15,177.

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	$33,920 (2012-13)
Room and board	$11,690 (2012-13)
Financial aid statistics

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* Overview details based on 2011 data