On October 19, I had the pleasure of visiting William Paterson University in Wayne. This was one of the first open houses of the season and Willy P pulled out all the stops. Parents and students came in tidal waves to make sure they didn’t miss this huge event. Assuming that parking would be horrendous, I arrived super early to ensure a parking spot. The scenery was the definition of beautiful on that cold, October morning. The tours were separated by intended major, so you could be provided with tons of information in that specific area. The business and education college is located off main campus, but shuttles run every half hour, for convenience.

Willy P has a huge campus but has a small campus feel. A “big” class is about 35 students in a classroom. The professors pride themselves on being hand-on. After personally talking to my tour guide I actually got a student’s perceptive. He talked about how college is very un-like high school and these would be your most enjoyable years, especially at William Paterson. It’s clear that they love their school, and in their eyes the possibilities are endless. They talked about how they always have internships and how their professors even try to get them jobs for after graduation.

Most of the buildings at William Paterson are spread apart among the gorgeous nature. The freshman dorms are near the back of the campus, but they are spacious and better than most other colleges. The cost of tuition and dorming at William Paterson is about $21,000/year. If dorming isn’t for you, then tuition would be about $12,000/year. Housing is guaranteed all four years and by your junior and senior year you can live in an actual apartment, which are available on campus.

One thing William Paterson prides themselves on is the private school feel without the private school cost. Stepping on campus and seeing everything they have to offer was breath-taking. Most freshman classes are on campus, minus a few if you’re a business or education major. There are shuttles available on campus till 11 at night and they run every 15 minutes. All the teachers and students were beyond proud of being a Pioneer and they can’t wait to meet the Class of 2019!

Going to open houses is very beneficial. Seeing a school in person and getting a feel of the atmosphere could make or break your choice. Little factors may make you fall more in love with a school or vice versa. You wouldn’t buy a house without seeing it first, right? Plus, you can learn about all types of activities the school has to offer. William Paterson is warm, friendly and quickly expanding. The next open house day is November 16, 2014. Make sure to register online to go see the campus for yourself! 

Gallery • 14 Photos

Walkway at William Paterson.