Can I afford Alfred University?

It is tempting to encourage your child to apply only to colleges that you "think" you can afford. However, the decision about college affects one's whole life and is too important to be made on the basis of price alone. So, don't discard private universities because of seemingly high "sticker prices".

Alfred University is rated a top value in the north by US News and World Report's annual college guide, based on academic quality and availability of financial aid. The university is committed to remaining affordable. Each year the vast majority of students receive some type of financial aid, which draws on University, federal and state resources. Packages consist of scholarships, grants, loans and college work-study (part-time campus jobs).

AU recognizes and rewards academic excellence with a variety of scholarships, renewable each year provided the student maintains minimum academic requirements. University-funded grants, loans and endowed scholarships are also available to qualified applicants based on financial need. Lastly, the university participates in all applicable federal and state scholarship, grant, work and loan programs.

Your child will automatically be considered for merit- based scholarships when he or she applies for admission. At the appropriate time, the financial aid office will send you all the necessary forms to apply for need-based assistance. In most cases, this includes a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and an Alfred University Financial Aid Application. The New York State TAP application process is started by completing the FAFSA. The applications can be difficult at times, but Alfred's financial aid staff members are experts and always willing to help at any step along the way. One helpful hint...it's much easier to complete financial aid applications if you have first completed your federal and state tax income tax forms! You and your student will be well served by completing the application process as soon as possible after the first of the year. Do not wait until letters of acceptance are received.

Yes, in all likelihood you can afford to send your child to Alfred University and rest assured that AU's dedicated financial aid staff will be there to help "walk" you through the financial aid process.
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Although AU is a very competitive university with selective admission requirements, the Office of Admissions will look at your child individually, and as a "whole" while making the admission decision.

Your child's high school transcript is the most important factor--the course curriculum and academic performance are important. Other requirements include standardized test scores (either SAT or ACT), one letter of recommendation, and an essay.

An Admissions interview is not required, but is recommended. Involvement in school and community activities and work experience is important and considered by the Admissions staff. If your child is applying to the School of Art and Design, he or she must submit a portfolio.

Read about admission requirements at the Admissions Office website.
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Alfred is a friendly and safe village where people smile and your child will feel at home. The Alfred Police Department (607.587.8877), Fire Department and Ambulance Company are located right in the village. The University has its own security (607.871.2108), rescue squad (607.871.2188) and highly effective emergency response system.

Residence Life staff are highly trained in fire safety, fire alarms and drills, emergency procedures, crisis intervention, alcohol issues, and handling discipline problems and sexual misconduct, to name a few topics.

For questions about safety of off-campus housing, you can call the village code officer (607.587.9139) to view inspection reports for apartments, or view the village webpage to see the housing code. We also offer an off-campus living forum that's required for every student who wishes to move off campus.

It is always best for your child to take the usual precautions against crime. Please see the "For Your Safety" section of the Public Safety web site for safety tips and how to report incidents.
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• Keep personal items personal. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, sheets, razors, clothing and athletic equipment. MRSA spreads on contaminated objects as well as through direct contact.
• Keep wounds covered. Keep cuts and abrasions clean and covered with sterile, dry bandages until they heal. The pus from infected sores often contains MRSA, and keeping wounds covered will help keep the bacteria from spreading.
• Sanitize linens. If you have a cut or sore, wash towels and bed linens in hot water with added bleach and dry them in a hot dryer. Wash gym and athletic clothes after each wearing.
• Wash your hands. In or out of the hospital, careful hand washing remains your best defense against germs. Scrub hands briskly for at least 15 seconds, then dry them with a disposable towel and use another towel to turn off the faucet. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer containing at least 62 percent alcohol for times when you don't have access to soap and water.
• Get tested. If you have a skin infection that requires treatment, ask your doctor if you should be tested for MRSA. Many doctors prescribe drugs that aren't effective against antibiotic-resistant staph, which delays treatment and creates more resistant germs.
  

Hand washing is a simple habit, something most people do without thinking. Yet hand washing, when done properly, is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick. This simple habit requires only soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn't require water.

More information is available from the Centers for Disease Control:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca.html
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In terms of activities, Alfred University has won national awards for its innovative programming, and during the school year, there are many great things to do! First of all, there are more than one hundred clubs, organizations and academic societies. Student publications include the Kanakadea (yearbook) and Fiat Lux (campus newspaper), and the campus radio station, WALF. There's volunteering opportunities and athletics -- intercollegiate sports, club sports, and intramurals as well as a wonderful fitness center.

During the school year, there are cultural events including theatre, renowned visiting artists and guest lecturers, dances, concerts (including weekly carillon concerts -- Alfred has the oldest bells in the Western Hemisphere), comedy clubs, coffee houses, gallery exhibits, film festivals, and more. Read about the big events and special weekends.

Off-campus, there are the nearby Finger Lakes, easy access to state parks and ski resorts, venture van trips to shopping malls and attractions throughout the state, etc., etc., etc. See Living in Alfred for more.
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AU's social environment is abundant and well - rounded. However, as at all universities, behavioral problems do arise on occasion. Judicial system staff react swiftly and decisively when problems related to alcohol, drugs, violence and threats develop on campus and in the village with its students. As necessary, the Alfred Police are involved.

AU has a very complete Student Life Policy and Procedure Handbook, which includes explicit policies regarding behavior. It also spells out the judicial system so that students are aware of the types of hearings and how to appeal decisions of various hearing boards. Each year students receive an updated electronic copy of the Handbook, which is also available on line. Students are fully oriented to policies and procedures at various times throughout their four-day new student orientation. See AU's policies and legal issues for more information.

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Your child will receive more than an outstanding education at Alfred University. He or she will receive considerable help in acquiring a good job or graduate school after graduation. Each year staff at the award-winning Robert R. McComsey Career Development Center (CDC) at the Allen Steinheim Museum works with more than 80% of all AU students to prepare them for life after AU, and assist them in finding satisfying work or the right graduate school program.

Read about our graduate outcomes and alumni success stories.

Your child will find that the CDC offers many services, including a "Four-Year Career Plan", whereby he or she will be assisted by a counselor in setting up a personalized career plan. Staff strongly encourage students to do this during their Freshman year. Other CDC services include: general career counseling; the development of job search tools; a resume referral service; career development workshops; experiential education; job listings and on-campus recruiting; credential files; career library, special events (career fairs, graduate and professional school fairs); and a database of web resources by industry.

AU's Experiential Education Program (internships and co-ops in a broad range of career fields) can offer your child an invaluable opportunity to conduct a real, live job search, apply classroom learning to the real work world and learn more about his or her career of choice. An added bonus is that students who have interned or co-oped are highly marketable upon graduation.
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The economic impact of not getting through college in four years can be great. Because of AU's small student/faculty ratio and class size, academic services and advising program, and the ability to register (and not get "bumped") successfully for courses, the vast majority of students graduate in four years. In fact, Alfred University's graduation rates exceed the national average.

On the other hand, it is important for parents to realize that certain factors, many of which are highly positive, may affect the number of semesters needed to graduate. They include co-ops, significant changes in major and transfer from another school.
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Your child is entering a time in life that is both exciting and frightening, a time of great discovery and enlightenment as well as a time for learning life's lessons the hard way. The college years offer you an opportunity to reassure and support your child and strengthen your relationship. It's good to keep your sense of humor! So...

Rules for parents (as penned by a former AU student):

1. Don't ask your child if he/she is homesick. The power of suggestion is a dangerous thing!

2. Write (even if they don't write back). Most freshmen need the security of family ties.

3. Ask questions (but not too many). College freshmen have a tendency to resent interference with their newfound independence.

4. Expect your child to change. You can't stop it and you may not understand it, but it is within your power to accept it.

5. Expect crisis phone calls. In times of crisis you may be the only safe place to "unload." Be patient, supportive, and thankful that you are there to relieve your child's anxiety and frustration so that he or she can return to his/her normal routine.

6. Visit (but not too often). Visits are appreciated, especially when accompanied by dinner and shopping sprees. But, keep them short!

7. Do not tell your student that these are the best years of his or her life. The college years are ones of difficult self-development. Accept the highs and lows of your child's reality and provide support and encouragement when needed.

8. Trust your child. Finding oneself is a difficult task. Trust that he/she is discovering what is best for him/her.

Academically speaking, entering the competitive college setting is a challenging and sometimes humbling experience for students. Grades may be lower and a period of adjustment to the new academic environment is necessary and normal. Your role as a parent is to support your child in knowing how and when to ask for help from faculty, advisors and in some cases, Tutoring Services.

Lastly, your role as a parent is to be ready to take action when needed. Calls to faculty, advisors, university administrators, residence hall staff, etc., are welcomed, and held in confidence, if that were your request.
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College students are very good at hiding social and academic problems and are often far along in their troubles before anyone knows and intervention can occur. Your role as a parent is to be watchful, to listen and to remind your child that help is always available and he/she should seek it. If you sense, or are positive that your child needs help, or is in crisis, and feel that no amount of encouragement on your part is going to make him/her seek help, then you must take the risk (of damaging your relationship for the short term) and reach out for them.

In many cases, residence life staff, faculty, advisors, University administrators, etc. may already be aware that your child needs help, or is in full-blown crisis. When this is the case, and your student is willing to accept help, be confident that fast action will be taken.

In any case, help is available from a multitude of sources including: individual faculty, advisors and deans of the various schools; The Counseling and Student Development Center at 607.871.2300; Special Academic Services at 607.871.3379, (Services for The Learning Disabled, Tutoring, Opportunity Programs and the Writing Center); the Division of Student Affairs at 607.871.2132.
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When you move your child into his or her freshman residence hall, you will probably wonder, "Why in the world would anyone want to live in a place like this?" No matter how beautifully renovated and well-equipped the residence hall is, it will seem crowded, noisy and full of distractions.

Despite this, and after a period of adjustment to his/her roommate, your child will love living with friends and all that organized chaos! Students who live in residence halls adjust quickly to the collegiate environment and become involved in important learning experiences through interactions with their peers, highly trained residence hall staff and campus activities.

Alfred University has traditional residence halls, suites and apartments on campus, and can easily accommodate students who wish to live all four years on campus. Single rooms are available on a limited basis. Residence halls are generally coed by floor, or coed by room for upperclassmen in corridor style residences. Visitation is generally open. Each residence hall has quiet and courtesy hours! Common Interest Housing is available for groups of students having common interests who would like to live together provided group members agree to share their interests with other residents, the interest is compatible with Alfred's mission and all rules and regulations are followed.

Each year, literally hundreds of programs are conducted by residence hall staff, ranging from international dinners to presentations by guest lecturers. A Residence Hall Council, consisting of students elected from each residence, serves as a voice in the areas of residence hall life, food service, campus security and various other student body concerns.

A word of caution about relationships between roommates... don't be surprised if the transition is rocky. At the start, roommates are usually very excited about one another. Inevitably, no matter how good the match, the honeymoon ends. Remember that many of our children are not used to sharing a room and that there will be a period of adjustment. Residence hall staff members are there to help students work things out. However, when differences are too great, a room change may be the best option.

Although residence hall life may not particularly be our "cup of tea", someday at the end of a vacation when you are taking your child back to school, don't be surprised to hear them say, "It's good to be going back home!" Click here for more about Residence Life at AU.
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Many students come to college without a major in mind, and at Alfred University, your child won't have to declare a major during the application process. In fact, many students don't declare a major until the end of their sophomore year. This is all normal!

Many students spend their first two years fulfilling basic requirements and exploring different areas of interest. Through this process, they typically discover the course of study that is right for them. Students are even encouraged to pursue more than one area of interest through earning a minor or a double major. In what is called the Track II program, a student, with the help of his/her advisor, can even design his or her own major!
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The minority student population at Alfred University is approximately 12%. In the freshmen class there were
approximately 51% men and 49% women.
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Extra money always helps! Your child might be eligible for a part-time campus job through work-study as part of his or her financial aid package. If this is not the case, many non-work-study jobs are available across campus. Jobs are posted on the AU website and throughout campus. In addition, there are some jobs available in the village of Alfred at local restaurants and shops.

Alfred University's Career Development Center will begin to work with your child during his or her freshman year for the purpose of identifying and acquiring an internship or co-op.
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Alfred University Dining Services offers six different dining plans; lots of variety in menus; extended hours of operation; and several places to get either a full meal or a quick snack. Our main dining halls –Ade Hall located on the north side of campus and Powell Campus Center in the middle of campus –are open almost continuously from 7:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night. Late-night snackers can find plenty of choices at L’il Alf, where the grill is open until 11:30 most nights and later on weekends, or at Ade Express, which is open until 2 a.m.

The Village of Alfred offers choices, too, from breakfasts at the Collegiate Restaurant to the late-night fare offered at the Terra Cotta Coffeehouse.

For students who are ill and unable to go to the dining halls, a sick meal program approved by Crandall Health Center is available.

Try the dining hall when visiting campus - the food is quite good!
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Expect your child to get sick, and rest assured that he or she will tell you about it, over and over again! Once in college, your child will be exposed to a whole new group of people and "germs". Close living quarters, irregular sleep schedules, and stress almost guarantee a series of "colds" waiting to happen!

The Student Health Center is fully staffed by a multidisciplinary team. They render acute care, outpatient services and follow-up as necessary. When the Health Center is closed, emergency care is available via the on-campus rescue squad, the village ambulance service, and Hornell or Wellsville hospitals. Students can have prescriptions filled by the Health Center or the Alfred Pharmacy located in the village. If your child is not feeling well enough to go to the dining hall, a sick meal program is available.
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Many students have their own cars on campus. The question is...does the car relate to need? You can get almost anywhere to or from Alfred without one.

There is a holiday/break van shuttle schedule that AU maintains to and from the Rochester and Buffalo airports. The van schedule is also mailed to Freshmen and their parents before the start of the academic year. Students should read the van schedule before making flight reservations, lest they end up without transportation to and from the airport! Note: the van runs only on designated vacations/breaks (i.e. Passover and Easter are not scheduled vacations).

Airfares out of Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo can be high (though Jet Blue and Southwest Airlines now serve Rochester and Buffalo, respectively, and their fares are usually lower than the competition). Less expensive airports: Cleveland, Newark, or New York City (LaGuardia or Kennedy Airports). Students can take a bus from Alfred to any one of those cities and then take a shuttle, bus or taxi to the airport.

In terms of local bus transportation, click here for a full description of what's available. Better yet, call the Alfred Travel Center for information, schedules and tickets, as schedules can change: 800.263.3167.
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Alfred has hundreds of computers on campus to serve students, including laptops on loan. The student to computer ratio is 6:1. Both libraries, each academic building and every residence hall have computer labs/rooms with PCs (and some Macs) that connect directly to the campus-wide LAN (Local Area Network) and Internet.

If your student wants to bring a computer to Alfred, every residence hall room is wired so that students can directly connect their own computer in their room to the campus-wide LAN which allows them access to a variety of campus computing capabilities, library resources, and direct, high-speed access to the Internet. Wireless access is also available. Visit ITS's homepage for more information.
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Care packages should contain quarters (for laundry). Students love quarters more than anything else! Of course students can buy most everything they need in the Alfred area, but care packages from home are special; they're a surprise, they remind your child of home, and they don't cost your child a dime. Try to keep them lightweight--the postage can cost more than the contents of the package.

You can also arrange to have a care package delivered by Alfred-area vendors. Click here for details.
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There are many ways to stay in touch. AU's website is a good start. Campus news is updated often. Campus events (from athletics to cultural events, lectures, parents events and more) are on AU calendar. Read the student newspaper, The Fiat Lux, online. The paper can also be delivered to your home (subscription price for one year - $25). Get AU's "Enews" via email by sending your email address to enews, asking to be subscribed to "Enews".

You can subscribe to the Alfred Sun, the village newspaper (subscription price for one year - $25), which has news of the University and the Alfred area. As an Alfred parent you will receive a copy of the beautiful and informative Alfred Magazine three times a year.

If you live close enough, visit campus and enjoy a wonderful play, concert or athletic event. You can also stay in touch with what is happening on campus by attending Parents Association meetings and receptions during Fall and Spring Family Weekends. As an Alfred parent, you are automatically a member of the Parents Association. We enjoy networking with one another and have fun in the process!
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