Hi, I'm Katie! I'm in my senior year, and I have been working as an admissions ambassador for two years now. With the school year almost winding down, many high school seniors are committing to their college of choice. While I hope Salem State is at the top of your list, I wanted to answer some of the most frequently asked questions I get when I meet prospective students.
Why did you choose Salem State?
Salem State was not my first choice before I started going on college tours. I had a school in mind that I really wanted to attend, but once I visited, it just didn’t feel right. From the first time I stepped onto the Salem State campus, I felt at home. The campus wasn’t overwhelming, but it was big enough that I wouldn’t know everyone, it had my major that I wanted, there were lots of different clubs and sports I could join, it was the right price, and everything just fell into place. I highly recommend taking our campus virtual tour to get an authentic feel for a school before committing.
How big are your classes?
We cap off our classes at about 30 students...and I have yet to be in a class that size. Smaller class sizes are beneficial because it provides students with strong faculty connections that could lead to internship and career opportunities, or even simply an active mentor to guide you in the right direction. Also, the smaller class sizes allow students to get closer with one another — students who were in my 100-level classes are now in my classes in my senior year, and we’ve been able to get to know each other, create study groups and support each other while we complete our programs.
How are the professors?
In one word, amazing! Having those smaller class sizes allows us to have deeper relationships with our professors, which creates a world of opportunities. Professors here really care about their students’ success. Speaking from personal experience, my professors have guided me through my time here. They have helped me acquire internships, connected me with so many different employers, and have also been some of the best listeners.
How’s the food?
This year we’re excited to introduce a new dining service on campus! We have two full-size dining halls on campus, one of which is open 24/7, and that doesn’t even include our to-go stops like Burger King, Sandwich Shack, Starbucks, Bento Sushi, and Greens to Go (to name a few). Each spot offers a variety of choices to accommodate all dietary needs. We also recently added so many new features to our dining halls — my favorite is the smoothie machine in Marsh dining! It’s also important to know we have a fully-stocked convenience store, Viking Express, right on campus for when you need late-night snacks. Learn more about campus dining.
What’s the living situation like?
I have lived on campus every year. We have six residence halls on campus, all varying in their setups. Marsh and Peabody halls are our first-year residence halls with Peabody being entirely first-year students. These residence halls feature standard double, triple, and quad-style rooms. Our campus has female, male, and gender-inclusive bathrooms and showers. We want all of our students to feel safe and comfortable on campus. Viking is our semi-suite style living, so it has two doubles, a personal bathroom, and a kitchenette. Atlantic is our apartment-style living with two doubles, two singles, two personal bathrooms, and a full kitchen. Bates is our townhouse-style living with two singles, two doubles, two full bathrooms, a full kitchen, and a living room area. All of these housing options come with a meal plan and are offered to students all four years. Take a look at our residence halls!
Do you feel safe on campus?
Yes! Our University Police are here 24/7, 365, but for an additional sense of security, offers a Blue Light System. The Blue Light System is a series of emergency alarm stations strategically stationed throughout the entire campus to assist anyone in distress. A blue light is positioned above each alarm station. When an individual presses the alarm button, they can communicate directly with the university police department to notify the dispatcher of an emergency. A Salem State police officer or an emergency team will be dispatched to respond to the situation or person in need of assistance.
Can I bring my car?
Unless you are a commuter, first year students living on campus cannot bring their cars. If you are a commuter, you can bring your car. After your first year, if you want to have your car on campus, you can enter into the parking lottery to get a parking pass. This lottery is first come, first served. If you have any need for accommodations when it comes to cars and parking, you can reach out to campus police who will be happy to help you!
What is your graduation rate?
Our six-year graduation rate for first-time students from the 2017-2018 school year is 58%. This rate went up six points from the previous year. Our transfer rate is 70%. These numbers continue to climb each year, and Salem State is among the top 7% of four-year institutions nationwide when it comes to graduation rate increases. Salem State truly cares about the success of their students and are always looking for ways to support students academically and socially.
Are there internships and jobs available/required?
Depending on your major, you may or may not be required to complete an internship for credit in order to graduate. If you do not have an internship requirement, you are still encouraged to get one. Career Services helps students with their internship and job searches, offering resume assistance, interview training, career panels, and the annual career fair which hosts an average of 150 employers looking to hire Salem State students.
Apart from academic-related jobs and internships, there are various work opportunities for students to make some extra money while still remaining on campus. Every semester, various offices and departments across campus are looking for student workers.
Have more questions?
You can chat live with admissions counselors on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 am or email questions about life at Salem State to our student admissions ambassadors inbox!
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