College Spotlight: Furman University
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to visit 5 colleges and universities in South Carolina. I saw Furman University, Clemson University, University of South Carolina, College of Charleston, and Wofford College. Each one of these schools were different, but they all had amazing qualities, and I would be happy to send any students to these 5 schools.
I want to first talk about Furman University, which is located in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville is located in the Northwest region on South Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is one of the most charming small cities I have seen. There is a beautiful small river that runs through the town, it has one of the most admired Main Streets in the country, and is consistently ranked as one of the top places to live. Furman is about a 5 minute ride to downtown Greenville, and is also right next to another smaller downtown area, giving students a ton of off campus options.
A Few Quick Stats
Furman itself is located on 750...yes 750 acres of a gorgeous green campus with a beautiful small lake in the middle. The school is the 64th oldest college in the country, and it is 100% residential, so all students live on campus, all four years. If you ever get a chance to see the campus, you will know why students don't mind living there during their entire undergraduate years. Buzz Feed actually ranked Furman as one of the top 25 most beautiful college campuses in the world. The university is home to 2,400 students, which makes it a small university, but not too small. They have a 11:1 student to faculty ratio, an average class size of 19, and they cap their classes at 32. This means students will always have small classes and personal relationships with their professors. Furman University is also extremely diverse as 73% of the students are from outside the state of South Carolina, with students coming from 45 states and 53 different countries.
Academics/Athletics
Furman University is a liberal arts school, with over 40 majors and minors to choose from. Many freshmen come in undecided, and that is totally OK with them. Students will work with an advisor, selecting a major in freshman or sophomore year. Furman University has been ranked the #2 most rigorous college, so students need to be able to study and work hard while there...but students must be happy, as Furman boasts a 90% retention rate. They also have an 85% graduation rate in 4 years, which almost doubles the national average. Students are working hard, getting prepared, and getting employed or going to graduate schools after 4 years.
If you want to do undergraduate research at a small university, Furman may be the place for you. Over 80% of students complete some form of undergraduate research and Furman is ranked the #4 university in the country for undergraduate research, behind Stanford, MIT, and U Michigan...not too shabby. Furman also offers what they call the Furman Advantage. This is a $3,000 living stipend for students who complete unpaid summer research or internships, which is an incredible opportunity!
Although relatively small, varsity, club, and intramural sports are a big deal at Furman. They have 20 Division 1 sports, and countless club and intramural sports. It's important to stay healthy on campus, as there are over 6,000 square feet of athletic facilities for the students to use, and close to 70% of students participate in intramural sports. Although baseball is probably their top varsity sport, a ton of energy, money, and support is put into all of their athletic teams. Also, as a huge Yankee fan, I want to point out that Furman's athletic director is Mike Buddie, who is a former major league baseball pitcher, who played for the Yankees on their 1998 World Series team...so you know he is a classy guy, who knows what he is doing!
Getting In
So Furman University sounds great right? I encourage you to look more into the school and potentially visit the campus. If you like what you see, which I am sure you will, here is some information on applying, and hopefully getting in!
As you may be able to tell, I was really blown away by my visit to Furman University. I did not know much about it before going there, but it is definitely a hidden gem for students in the New York/New Jersey area. At Furman, you have a picturesque college campus, top notch facilities, students who want to learn and work hard, small classes, and professors who truly care about their students. Plus, the weather...your looking at mild to warm temps all year, close to the mountains, and not too far from the ocean. I would strongly encourage most students to take a further look at Furman...you will not be disappointed. Best of luck going forward, and as always, happy searching!
Joseph D. Korfmacher
I want to first talk about Furman University, which is located in Greenville, South Carolina. Greenville is located in the Northwest region on South Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is one of the most charming small cities I have seen. There is a beautiful small river that runs through the town, it has one of the most admired Main Streets in the country, and is consistently ranked as one of the top places to live. Furman is about a 5 minute ride to downtown Greenville, and is also right next to another smaller downtown area, giving students a ton of off campus options.
A Few Quick Stats
Furman itself is located on 750...yes 750 acres of a gorgeous green campus with a beautiful small lake in the middle. The school is the 64th oldest college in the country, and it is 100% residential, so all students live on campus, all four years. If you ever get a chance to see the campus, you will know why students don't mind living there during their entire undergraduate years. Buzz Feed actually ranked Furman as one of the top 25 most beautiful college campuses in the world. The university is home to 2,400 students, which makes it a small university, but not too small. They have a 11:1 student to faculty ratio, an average class size of 19, and they cap their classes at 32. This means students will always have small classes and personal relationships with their professors. Furman University is also extremely diverse as 73% of the students are from outside the state of South Carolina, with students coming from 45 states and 53 different countries.
Academics/Athletics
Furman University is a liberal arts school, with over 40 majors and minors to choose from. Many freshmen come in undecided, and that is totally OK with them. Students will work with an advisor, selecting a major in freshman or sophomore year. Furman University has been ranked the #2 most rigorous college, so students need to be able to study and work hard while there...but students must be happy, as Furman boasts a 90% retention rate. They also have an 85% graduation rate in 4 years, which almost doubles the national average. Students are working hard, getting prepared, and getting employed or going to graduate schools after 4 years.
If you want to do undergraduate research at a small university, Furman may be the place for you. Over 80% of students complete some form of undergraduate research and Furman is ranked the #4 university in the country for undergraduate research, behind Stanford, MIT, and U Michigan...not too shabby. Furman also offers what they call the Furman Advantage. This is a $3,000 living stipend for students who complete unpaid summer research or internships, which is an incredible opportunity!
Although relatively small, varsity, club, and intramural sports are a big deal at Furman. They have 20 Division 1 sports, and countless club and intramural sports. It's important to stay healthy on campus, as there are over 6,000 square feet of athletic facilities for the students to use, and close to 70% of students participate in intramural sports. Although baseball is probably their top varsity sport, a ton of energy, money, and support is put into all of their athletic teams. Also, as a huge Yankee fan, I want to point out that Furman's athletic director is Mike Buddie, who is a former major league baseball pitcher, who played for the Yankees on their 1998 World Series team...so you know he is a classy guy, who knows what he is doing!
Getting In
So Furman University sounds great right? I encourage you to look more into the school and potentially visit the campus. If you like what you see, which I am sure you will, here is some information on applying, and hopefully getting in!
- Furman has a 66% acceptance rate
- Their ACT middle 50% is 25-30 and their SAT middle 50% is 1120-1340
- Furman is a TEST OPTIONAL school. If you do well in the classroom, but not on standardized tests, this could be a good option for you
- Rigor on the transcript is VERY important to their admissions. If you are serious about applying to Furman, you should have some honors and/or AP courses on your transcript.
- Demonstrated interest is key! They want you to visit them, show interest, and stay in touch with their admissions staff. Their admissions counselors even have a 24 hour rule, where they much reply to your message within one full day.
- Furman is a need blind university, so your economic standing will have no impact on admission
As you may be able to tell, I was really blown away by my visit to Furman University. I did not know much about it before going there, but it is definitely a hidden gem for students in the New York/New Jersey area. At Furman, you have a picturesque college campus, top notch facilities, students who want to learn and work hard, small classes, and professors who truly care about their students. Plus, the weather...your looking at mild to warm temps all year, close to the mountains, and not too far from the ocean. I would strongly encourage most students to take a further look at Furman...you will not be disappointed. Best of luck going forward, and as always, happy searching!
Joseph D. Korfmacher
